The Other Mother: A wickedly honest parenting tale for every kind of family

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From the perspective of someone who doesn't have children, I can't comment on the love between a parent (biological or not) and their offspring, but what I can say is that Brister talks about relationships and forming bonds with people, in general, in a very candid and accessible way that leaves you feeling less alone, whether you are dealing with nappies and NCT groups in your day to day life or not.

The Other Mother: A wickedly honest parenting tale for every

Coraline’s] other parents stood in the kitchen doorway as she walked down the corridor, smiling identical smiles, and waving slowly. “Have a nice time outside,” said her other mother. The Other Mother is a beautiful and emotional trip inside the heart and mind of a 14 year old boy who frankly has a lot going on. Michael's story sometimes seems extraordinary but then again when you really think about it, it's not so much. Does he have more on his plate than some kids? Absolutely. But his thoughts and feelings are just like pretty much any teenager. In The Other Mother, Brister explores the process of becoming a mum when you’re not the mum who gave birth. Because the doll, later, shares Coraline's appearance, except for the button eyes, the doll is the closest there is to an "other Coraline" in the movie. The Other Mother is, to me, a perfect novel: a masterclass in character work and prose, skillfully structured and thematically rich. It's a multigenerational family saga, one that embodies just how capacious and powerful that genre can be. In saying that this novel is a "multigenerational family saga," I'm also saying that it's able to encompass so much: the thorny and complicated family dynamics, the tangled threads that by turns connect and bind these characters together, the change and growth from one generation to the next, and the expansive sense of time and place that is facilitated by a narrative that unfolds over the course of decades. What's more, it all comes together with such impressive command; it is a real testament to Harper's skill that she is able to write a story that is so large in its scope and yet so intimate in its focus; the narrative is at once sweeping and minute, giving you access to a plethora of interconnected characters and colouring in their histories for you, but also allowing you to get to know and understand them in an incontrovertibly real and grounded way. "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts"--what we get here is both a sense of the whole and of the parts, of the family entire and of the person in particular.In general I didn't see some of the twists/surprises coming, but I did have thoughts now and then of "Wouldn't it be neat if this happened?" or "Hmm.. if it turns out this way.." A couple times I did guess right so that was fun. It’s filled with secrets, betrayals, fears, greed, and manipulation—with twists that I never saw coming. Completely disagree with other reviewers who thought it needed more content on the experience of being a non biological mother. I really feel that a large part of being a non biological mother is just being a mother. Because at the end of the day, motherhood is motherhood. Nothing to find here,' said the cat. 'This is just the outside. The part of the place she hasn't bothered to create." The Cat However, some audiences and readers would argue that certain details suggest that the titular character’s true fate is left ambiguous.

The Other Mother by Jen Brister | Waterstones

At one point, I was hoping it would take a Neil Gaiman-esque turn because surely the mystery in the yellow envelope couldn’t be solved with the most obvious solution. But guess what Dear reader? It was. a b Blankenship, Mark (7 June 2009). "The Score and the Story, Inseparable". New York Times. pp.AR4. They are good fortune tellers and they warn Coraline of the impending danger she is going to face. The couple also provides Coraline with a protective stone which ultimately proves to be one of Coraline’s most valuable assets in the other universe.Each of the major characters have their own (Book) within the novel. Each with their own history and perspectives on the present. Michael misses his father, suffering from anger management issues, seeing school therapist, standing up to school’s bullies, taking care of his siblings even though he hardly stands their quirky antics and collecting money to pay his debt to his stepfather.

The Other Mother by Matthew Dicks | Goodreads

There were some fantastic twists. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, it turned out I was wrong. I think the writing was very good and the flow was a bit off here and there. I had to re-read a few paragraphs and sentences a few times to just make sure I understood where things were going. This book is so heartbreaking at times. You get to see how Michael's relationship with his mother has changed. You also get to see what was going on with his relationship with his father before he passed too. There's a lot of missing puzzle pieces that don't make sense until you get to the end of the book.

56 Coraline Book Quotes

Coraline shook her head. 'Why don't you play with me?' she asked. 'Busy,' he said. 'Working,' he added. He still hadn't turned around to look at her." Mr. Bobo – A retired circus performer living in the flat above Coraline's; he is commonly referred to as the Crazy Old Man Upstairs. Over the course of the book, he claims to be training mice to perform in a mouse circus, and often brings Coraline messages from them. His Other World counterpart however, trains rats and is in fact made of rats. Coraline Jones – Coraline is the 11-year-old main character. She is a young explorer who is curious, intelligent, resourceful, and courageous. Coraline is often irritated by rain, crazy grown-ups (as they all seem to be), and not being taken seriously because of her young age. She is described as being "small for her age".

The Other Mother by Michel Bussi | Waterstones

There is no perfect ending here that is wrapped up nicely in a bow, and I think that is the perfect way for this to be. This began as an intriguing look into the dynamics of same-sex parenthood, looking at how it can feel to be the parent who’s not pregnant or who didn’t bring the kids into the world. I found the honesty around Brister’s relationship to feel like fresh air, and she didn’t hide from sharing everything, even things which may not have been flattering but were real. To make things worse, Michael wakes up one morning and goes downstairs to find that his mother has been replaced by a copy. A dupe. The first thing I'd like to say is that for the full experience of this book you really need to watch some of Jen Brister's comedy first (try this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0eeK...). She has such a distinct way with words that once she's in your head she will continue to narrate not only the rest of the book for you but, probably, the rest of your life. You're welcome.I did enjoy Brister’s snide comments on preachy parents and mumfluencers- as an absolute cynic, I’m here for that! Secondly, the book was written from the POV of a teenager. The way they describe their daily schedule, how they must see the school counselor each day, and the realization of their own shortcomings when it comes to emotional cues and responses -- all of it was done so well. Miss Spink and Miss Forcible – A pair of retired actresses who live in the flat under Coraline's. They own many aging Scotties and talk in theater jargon, often referencing their time as actresses. In the Other World, they are youthful and perform continuously in front of many different dogs, who, in the Other World, are anthropomorphic. in a fairytale type stone-mansion that’s eerie as can be—living in the tower on the grounds of an insane asylum—but not before taking over the identity of a friend, Laurel The Ghost Children – The spirits of three children who were previous victims of the Beldam: two girls and one boy. The boy is described as having a dirty face and red trousers. One of the girls has brown hair, a pink blouse, and a pink skirt. The other has a brown bonnet and brown dress. They were trapped by the Beldam at different times before Coraline, and reside in the dark space behind the mirror. After having their souls restored, they go to the afterlife.