The Push

The anger I felt while reading The Push was so intense. The way Blythe's husband Fox refused to even entertain the idea that she wasn't imagining things, or exaggerating, or just over-tired, or any other number of excuses was absolutely infuriating. So many people, women especially, know what it feels like to not be believed, and Ashley Audrain captures those feelings so well that even if you don't know how it feels, you'll know after you've read this book. Something like this should be required reading for people with a history of refusing to seriously listen to their partners.
Not only did Blythe struggle with not being believed, but she struggled with the difficulties of being a mother and the expectations of motherhood placed upon her not only by Fox, his family, and society in general, but by herself as well. It was especially hard to read about the lack of support Blythe received from Fox. He had a specific idea of what he wanted in a wife and mother of his children, and he just didn't want to see anything that could make her less than perfect. As Blythe says of Fox: “You wanted a perfect mother for your perfect daughter, and there wasn't room for anything else.” Watching her deal with all the pressure without proper help and understanding was truly heartbreaking and I imagine too relatable for a lot of mothers.
I like the way The Push is written, as if it's a long letter from Blythe to Fox. Reading it feels like peeking in on something personal and intimate. It's not my business, but I'm nosy. And I enjoyed the bit of mystery over whether or not Blythe was a reliable narrator (though I am one to believe women...).
This was a great emotional and fast-paced read, one that I didn't want to put down. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it!