annethology
  • Home
    • About Annethology
    • About me >
      • A little more about me
    • About my books
    • Author talks
    • Contact me
    • Forthcoming events
    • World Mental Health Day
    • Privacy
    • Sign up for my newsletter
  • Debut novel and encore
    • Sugar and Snails >
      • Acknowledgements
      • Blog tour, Q&A's and feature articles >
        • Birthday blog tour
        • S&S on tour 2022
      • Early endorsements
      • Events >
        • Launch photos
        • Launch party videos
      • in pictures
      • Media
      • If you've read the book
      • Polari
      • Reading group questions
      • Reviews
      • In the media
    • Underneath >
      • Endorsements and reviews
      • Launch party and events
      • Pictures
      • Questions for book groups
      • The stories underneath the novel
  • Matilda Windsor series
    • The accidental series
    • Matilda Windsor >
      • What readers say
      • For book groups
      • Interviews, articles and features
      • Matty on the move
      • Who were you in 1990?
      • Asylum lit
      • Matilda Windsor media
    • Stolen Summers >
      • Stolen Summers reviews
    • Lyrics for the Loved Ones
  • Short stories
    • Somebody’s Daughter
    • Becoming Someone (anthology) >
      • Becoming Someone (video readings)
      • Becoming Someone reviews
      • Becoming Someone online book chat
    • Print and downloads
    • Read it online
    • Quick reads
  • Free ebook
  • Annecdotal
    • Annecdotal blog
    • Annecdotal Press
    • Articles >
      • Print journalism
      • Where psychology meets fiction
    • Fictional therapists
    • Reading and reviews >
      • Reviews A to H
      • Reviews I to M
      • Reviews N to Z
      • Nonfiction
      • Themed quotes
      • Reading around the world
  • Shop
    • Inspired Quill (my publisher)
    • Bookshop.org (affiliate link)
    • Amazon UK
    • Amazon US
    • books2read

Welcome

I started this blog in 2013 to share my reflections on reading, writing and psychology, along with my journey to become a published novelist.​  I soon graduated to about twenty book reviews a month and a weekly 99-word story. Ten years later, I've transferred my writing / publication updates to my new website but will continue here with occasional reviews and flash fiction pieces, and maybe the odd personal post.

ANNE GOODWIN'S WRITING NEWS

Mother issues: Leila & She Chose Me

14/10/2018

8 Comments

 
Two novels with an unusual perspectives on mothers and mothering: the first an Indian dystopian novel about a woman’s rapid descent down the social scale after her husband and three-year-old daughter are taken from her; the second an English psychological thriller about a woman who never had, nor wanted, children who receives a Mother’s Day card in the post.


Picture
Picture


Leila by Prayaag Akbar

Shalini hasn’t seen her daughter Leila for sixteen years, not since thugs interrupted the lavish party she and her husband hosted for adults and children in honour of the girl’s third birthday. The locals were righteously angry about conspicuous consumption during that particularly hot summer, when the standpipes in the slums ran dry. But the Repeaters’ main grievance was modernity, and the failure of the middle classes to remain within the prescribed boundaries of religion and caste.
 
Walls were already being erected between the different communities when Leila and Riz met at school. On marriage, she converted to Islam, but many outside their immediate circle still considered their relationship taboo. Unfortunately her brother-in-law also disapproved, and Shalini suspects he was responsible for summoning the Repeaters to whisk their daughter away.
 
Now Riz is dead, although he returns in spirit form, especially on Leila’s birthday when Shalini lights candles by the wall of Purity One. After a few months at a re-education camp, she lives alone in The Towers, an area for misfits only a few steps up from those who eke out their existence searching for jewels of salvageable material in enormous landfill sites.
 
A quote from Neel Mukherjee on the back of my copy, courtesy of publishers Faber and Faber, says “Leila does for the barbarity of contemporary Indian nationalism and what The Handmaid’s Tale did for the yoke of patriarchy”. But, in the age of Brexit and Trump, the West is equally at risk of becoming more compartmentalised, with the environmental rape by the rich causing increasing misery for the poor.
 
Related in short fragments, I felt there was some unnecessary obfuscation in the early pages. But I enjoyed following Shalini’s plight and her search for her daughter once the story got going.



She Chose Me by Tracey Emerson

After twenty years teaching abroad, Grace is summoned back to England by her mother’s deteriorating health. Their relationship has been strained since Polly chose religion over support for her only daughter’s difficult decision and now her dementia suggests it’s beyond repair. Torn between her personal priorities and duty, her need for her mother and her desire to let go, Grace travels back and forth between the care home in the town she grew up in, and a temporary job at a London language school.
 
Adopted as a baby, Cassie has been looking for her birth mother since she was a child. Now she feels she’s found her, she’ll do whatever it takes not to let go.
 
The term “psychological thriller” can send a shiver down my spine, and not in the way it’s intended. Implausible plots and paper-thin characters are so often the order of the day. But, tempted by the themes suggested in the blurb, I thought I’d give this debut a go. And wow, I’m glad I did. It’s not easy, as I know from my own psychological suspense novel,
Underneath, to combine page-turning tension with psychological depth, but Tracey Emerson pulls it off magnificently. She Chose Me is an intelligent and accessible read that continually surprises and intrigues.
 
The story unfolds through the first-person accounts of the two main characters and, while there’s often a hiccup of disorientation when leaving one head for another (perhaps intentionally so to mimic the characters’ states of mind), the structure enables the reader to enjoy their differing interpretations of events without tedious repetition. Stressed and lonely, and troubled by anonymous letters and phone calls, Grace’s unravelling is convincing, especially when paired with her diary entries from a hospital ward twenty years before.
 
But it’s Cassie who carries the novel: a disturbed and disturbing young woman with an impressive capacity to bend reality to serve her own psychological needs. Although ruthless in her determination to fill the mother-shaped hole inside herself, and outrageous in some of her strategies for going about it, she nevertheless arouses our sympathy through both the tragedy of her situation and the kindness she summons when the role she is playing requires it.

Picture

Although the story is very different to that of my suspense novel, I was pleased to discover some similar themes, especially
visiting a mother with dementia; returning home after a long time abroad; the vulnerability underlying some villainy and abortion and a woman’s right to choose. Adoption also features in my possibly third novel, Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home, although with a much more positive outcome for the child than in She Chose Me. Another coincidence is that I began writing a short story set in a care home a couple of days before his novel arrived on my doormat, courtesy of publishers Legend Press. Suffice to say I’ll be very interested to see where Tracey Emerson goes with her writing next.
 
Although both characters have, or have had, serious mental health issues it’s good to see this not sensationalised, even in a thriller. Alas, where there’s fictional mental health, there’s often a
fictional therapist and, while most readers will easily accept Dr Costello, I was unconvinced by his eclectic mix of medication, paternal advice and chitchat. But I appreciated his function in closing the plot loophole towards the end and providing Cassie with this gem, combining humour with a realistic example of directive therapy (p38):
 
Anger blazed inside me. Remembering a technique Dr Costello gave me to use in such moments, I visualised the anger as a ball of knotted golden thread, only I swallowed it, the reverse of the proper exercise, in which the knot of anger is unravelled and pulled out through the mouth in a long, golden line.
 
She Chose Me joins three other novels featuring therapists (
Jott; Spaceman of Bohemia; Whistle in the Dark) as one of my favourite reads of the year.

Picture


On the subject of fictional therapists, I wonder if you’ve seen my latest post for Counsellors Cafe magazine on
A (fictional) therapist as friend or family member? My next post for the site, in November, is about the therapy connections with my first short story collection, Becoming Someone. Although none of these forty-two pieces is explicitly about therapy, they all feature a character’s journey to personhood, or being blocked along the way.

Picture
Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
8 Comments
Norah Colvin link
15/10/2018 12:24:10 pm

I'm pleased you gave "She Chose Me" a good rap, Anne. I was liking the sound of it. Interesting the similarities you see between it and your own novels. I had a quick read through your article on neighbours and friends at the Counsellors Cafe. It's good to see you getting some air time over there. You have a lot of wisdom to share.

Reply
Annecdotist
15/10/2018 12:41:46 pm

Thanks, Norah, I might have overdone it on the connections but I was excited by the similarities of themes – but significant differences too. But that aside, it was such a good read: the author manages to maintain credibility of plot and characters while upping the tension and raising interesting questions about how we engage with the world and other people within a fairly easy read.
PS. I retrieved this comment from Spam – at least I now know to look. I have raised it with Weebly along with various other frustrations.

Reply
Norah Colvin link
21/10/2018 06:45:18 am

Thanks for pulling me out of spam, Anne. It was getting a bit cold and dark in there. :)
Don't stop linking. I may not always get time to follow them all, but always enjoy the ones I have the opportunity of checking out.

Annecdotist
21/10/2018 07:16:46 am

Well worth rescuing you, but I think the problem's fixed now.
OMG those links, though. I try to ration myself but they seem to breed. I suppose it's partly that I so love the nettiness of the internet.

Charli Mills
15/10/2018 09:27:16 pm

This admission made me laugh, Ann: "The term “psychological thriller” can send a shiver down my spine, and not in the way it’s intended. Implausible plots and paper-thin characters are so often the order of the day." It serves as a good introduction to a book that did not give you such chills and to your latest article at Counsellors Cafe.

Prayaag Akbar's book depresses me to think the world is swinging backwards after what had seemed like gains for women, humanity, the environment, science and critical thought. I've studied such pendulum swings in history but never thought to live one. Authors can use these junctures to write rich stories that can either make us think and revert the direction or give understanding to future readers, if the books survive the burning.

Reply
Annecdotist
16/10/2018 09:48:33 am

Thanks, Charli – and I admired your line and wish it didn’t resonate!
I've studied such pendulum swings in history but never thought to live one.

Reply
D. Avery link
15/10/2018 11:33:47 pm

Congratulations on Becoming Someone. You're something else!

Reply
Annecdotist
16/10/2018 09:46:42 am

Thanks, D that’s two of us!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Free ebook: click the image to claim yours.
    Picture
    Available now
    Picture
    The poignant prequel to Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home
    Picture
    Find a review
    Picture
    Fictional therapists
    Picture
    Picture
    About Anne Goodwin
    Picture
    My published books
    entertaining fiction about identity, mental health and social justice
    Picture
    My third novel, published May 2021
    Picture
    My debut novel shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize
    Picture
    Picture
    My second novel published May 2017.
    Picture
    Short stories on the theme of identity published 2018
    Anne Goodwin's books on Goodreads
    Sugar and Snails Sugar and Snails
    reviews: 32
    ratings: 52 (avg rating 4.21)

    Underneath Underneath
    reviews: 24
    ratings: 60 (avg rating 3.17)

    Becoming Someone Becoming Someone
    reviews: 8
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.56)

    GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4 GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4
    reviews: 4
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.44)

    The Best of Fiction on the Web The Best of Fiction on the Web
    reviews: 3
    ratings: 3 (avg rating 4.67)

    2022 Reading Challenge

    2022 Reading Challenge
    Anne has read 2 books toward their goal of 100 books.
    hide
    2 of 100 (2%)
    view books
    Picture
    Annecdotal is where real life brushes up against the fictional.  
    Picture
    Annecdotist is the blogging persona of Anne Goodwin: 
    reader, writer,

    slug-slayer, tramper of moors, 
    recovering psychologist, 
    struggling soprano, 
    author of three fiction books.

    LATEST POSTS HERE
    I don't post to a schedule, but average  around ten reviews a month (see here for an alphabetical list), 
    some linked to a weekly flash fiction, plus posts on my WIPs and published books.  

    Your comments are welcome any time any where.

    Get new posts direct to your inbox ...

    Enter your email address:

    or click here …

    RSS Feed


    Picture

    Tweets by @Annecdotist
    Picture
    New short story, “My Dirty Weekend”
    Picture
    Let’s keep in touch – subscribe to my newsletter
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Popular posts

    • Compassion: something we all need
    • Do spoilers spoil?
    • How to create a convincing fictional therapist
    • Instructions for a novel
    • Looking at difference, embracing diversity
    • Never let me go: the dilemma of lending books
    • On loving, hating and writers’ block
      On Pop, Pirates and Plagiarism
    • READIN' for HER reviews
    • Relishing the cuts
    • The fast first draft
    • The tragedy of obedience
    • Writers and therapy: a love-hate relationship?

    Categories/Tags

    All
    Animals
    Annecdotist Hosts
    Annecdotist On Tour
    Articles
    Attachment Theory
    Author Interviews
    Becoming Someone
    Being A Writer
    Blogging
    Bodies
    Body
    Bookbirthday
    Books For Writers
    Bookshops
    CB Book Group
    Character
    Childhood
    Christmas
    Classics
    Climate Crisis
    Coming Of Age
    Counsellors Cafe
    Creative Writing Industry
    Creativity
    Cumbria
    Debut Novels
    Disability
    Editing
    Emotion
    Ethics
    Ethis
    Family
    Feedback And Critiques
    Fictional Psychologists & Therapists
    Food
    Friendship
    Futuristic
    Gender
    Genre
    Getting Published
    Giveaways
    Good Enough
    Grammar
    Gratitude
    Group/organisational Dynamics
    Hero’s Journey
    History
    Humour
    Identity
    Illness
    Independent Presses
    Institutions
    International Commemorative Day
    Jane Eyre
    Kidney Disease
    Language
    LGBTQ
    Libraries
    Live Events
    Lyrics For The Loved Ones
    Marketing
    Matilda Windsor
    Memoir
    Memory
    Mental Health
    Microfiction
    Motivation
    Music
    MW Prequel
    Names
    Narrative Voice
    Nature / Gardening
    Networking
    Newcastle
    Nonfiction
    Nottingham
    Novels
    Pandemic
    Peak District
    Perfect Match
    Poetry
    Point Of View
    Politics
    Politics Current Affairs
    Presentation
    Privacy
    Prizes
    Psychoanalytic Theory
    Psychology
    Psycholoists Write
    Psychotherapy
    Race
    Racism
    Rants
    Reading
    Real Vs Imaginary
    Religion
    Repetitive Strain Injury
    Research
    Reviewing
    Romance
    Satire
    Second Novels
    Settings
    Sex
    Shakespeare
    Short Stories General
    Short Stories My Published
    Short Stories Others'
    Siblings
    Snowflake
    Somebody's Daughter
    Stolen Summers
    Storytelling
    Structure
    Sugar And Snails
    Technology
    The
    The Guestlist
    Therapy
    TikTok
    TNTB
    Toiletday
    Tourism
    Toxic Positivity
    Transfiction
    Translation
    Trauma
    Unconscious
    Unconscious, The
    Underneath
    Voice Recognition Software
    War
    WaSBihC
    Weather
    Work
    Writing Process
    Writing Technique

    Archives

    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Picture
    BLOGGING COMMUNITIES
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from havens.michael34, romana klee, mrsdkrebs, Kyle Taylor, Dream It. Do It., adam & lucy, dluders, Joybot, Hammer51012, jorgempf, Sherif Salama, eyspahn, raniel diaz, E. E. Piphanies, scaredofbabies, Nomadic Lass, paulternate, Tony Fischer Photography, archer10 (Dennis), slightly everything, impbox, jonwick04, country_boy_shane, dok1, Out.of.Focus, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, Elvert Barnes, guillenperez, Richard Perry, jamesnaruke, Juan Carlos Arniz Sanz, El Tuerto, kona99, maveric2003, !anaughty!, Patrick Denker, David Davies, hamilcar_south, idleformat, Dave Goodman, Sharon Mollerus, photosteve101, La Citta Vita, A Girl With Tea, striatic, carlosfpardo, Damork, Elvert Barnes, UNE Photos, jurvetson, quinn.anya, BChristensen93, Joelk75, ashesmonroe, albertogp123, >littleyiye<, mudgalbharat, Swami Stream, Dicemanic, lovelihood, anyjazz65, Tjeerd, albastrica mititica, jimmiehomeschoolmom