In 'The Mothers,' Brit Bennett weaves an intricate tale of love, loss, and the complexities of motherhood within a close-knit African American community in Southern California. After a tragedy leaves a deep mark on their lives, three young women navigate their dreams and desires, facing choices that will affect their futures forever. At the heart of the story is a secret that binds them, revealing how the past continues to shape their identities. Rich with emotion and insight, Bennett explores the weight of expectations on women and the vibrant tapestry of family ties. This novel will leave you contemplating the power of memories and the secrets we keep.
By Brit Bennett
Published: 2017
"The lingering echoes of choices made and the lives we touch, often define who we are long after the decisions fade."
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Bittersweet, sexy, morally fraught.” –The New York Times Book Review "Fantastic… a book that feels alive on the page." –The Washington Post From the New York-Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Half, the beloved novel about young love and a big secret in a small community. Set within a contemporary black community in Southern California, Brit Bennett's mesmerizing first novel is an emotionally perceptive story about community, love, and ambition. It begins with a secret. "All good secrets have a taste before you tell them, and if we'd taken a moment to swish this one around our mouths, we might have noticed the sourness of an unripe secret, plucked too soon, stolen and passed around before its season." It is the last season of high school life for Nadia Turner, a rebellious, grief-stricken, seventeen-year-old beauty. Mourning her own mother's recent suicide, she takes up with the local pastor's son. Luke Sheppard is twenty-one, a former football star whose injury has reduced him to waiting tables at a diner. They are young; it's not serious. But the pregnancy that results from this teen romance—and the subsequent cover-up—will have an impact that goes far beyond their youth. As Nadia hides her secret from everyone, including Aubrey, her God-fearing best friend, the years move quickly. Soon, Nadia, Luke, and Aubrey are full-fledged adults and still living in debt to the choices they made that one seaside summer, caught in a love triangle they must carefully maneuver, and dogged by the constant, nagging question: What if they had chosen differently? The possibilities of the road not taken are a relentless haunt. In entrancing, lyrical prose, The Mothers asks whether a "what if" can be more powerful than an experience itself. If, as time passes, we must always live in servitude to the decisions of our younger selves, to the communities that have parented us, and to the decisions we make that shape our lives forever.
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“The lingering echoes of choices made and the lives we touch, often define who we are long after the decisions fade.”
The Mothers
By Brit Bennett
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Brit Bennett is an acclaimed American author known for her poignant storytelling and exploration of complex themes such as identity, race, and family. She gained widespread recognition with her debut novel, "The Mothers," followed by her bestselling second novel, "The Vanishing Half," which was a finalist for the National Book Award and has garnered critical and commercial acclaim. Bennett's writing style is characterized by its lyrical prose and deep character development, allowing readers to engage with the emotional intricacies of her characters' lives. Her work frequently addresses the intersections of personal and communal histories, offering insights into the ways in which our pasts shape our present.
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