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The book has plenty of emotional moments where you really feel for Eva, whose mother is quite detached from her and her father leaves them both when Eva is young. Eva has always felt like her mother isn’t actually her birth mother but doesn’t have the proof. This wonder and uncertainty out to be something that affects a lot of her life. London, 1980s. Though she has a comfortable, privileged life, Eva Martínez-Green is deeply unhappy. The only child of an emotionally absent mother and a physically absent father, Eva has grown up in a cold, unloving house. But Eva is convinced that all is not as it seems. Why are there no baby pictures of her? Why do her parents avoid all questions about her early years? When her parents’ relationship crumbles, Eva begins a journey to find these answers for herself. Her desire to discover where she belongs leads Eva on a journey spanning decades and continents – and, along the way, she meets women who challenge her idea of what a mother should be, and who will change her life forever… Eva Martinez-Green has two pivotal , life changing moments when she starts school: meeting Bridget Blume, and her teacher reading a book called ‘The Rainbow Rained Us’. Bridget becomes a lifelong friend, Bridget’s mother helps Eva to learn just what a mother can be like: loving and interested in her, unlike Eva’s own mother who has some serious mental health issues. In fact, Mrs Blume steps in to a mothering role for Eva, when Eva moves in due to her own mother having a prolonged stay in a clinic. Mrs Blume is Eva’s benchmark for being a mother for the rest of her life. For that short time she shows Eva affection, treats her like one of her own. Mrs Blume, along with her childhood book, leads Eva to realise that her mother isn’t her birth mother. And so begins the quest to find her.
Eva gives and receives all her emotional support to her friend Bridget and they vow to be life-long friends. She is ‘adopted’ by Bridget’s family and forms a very strong bond with her mother. Having the nuns be "the real mothers all along" feels wrong when one knows the true picture of what was happening. The religious subtone was excellent, don't get me wrong, and at the end it made sense, but it also got pushed to the front, instead of other areas that could be explored like fragile masculinity, or Pink Mother's mental state. The characters in All My Mothers are beautifully written, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the novel. Wow 👏🏻 what an incredible book this is!! I just wish I hadn’t left it so long to read. It was a brilliant book. Right away I'm going to say that this book totally overwhelmed me to the point that I don't really know how to talk about it. I've spent the last couple of days immersed in it and have come away a slightly different person. This was stunning from start to finish. It tells us the story of Eva, a young girl who longs to have the perfect family. Sadly for Eva, ger mother isn't able to be present for her and her father isn't really around. Through this, she's left with the lingering question some young children come up with: maybe these aren't my parents at all.
Member Reviews
The characters throughout are wonderfully written. Even the women who are difficult and unpleasant are written in a way which allows us to understand them. Eva finds women to love and appreciate; mothers of different types who all teach her and encourage her to love. Without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read - an extraordinary masterpiece' Anstey Harris, author of The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton Stop arrêtez tout ! Des fois je lis un livre et je *sais* que je ne lirais pas mieux avant un long moment. C’est le cas avec All My Mothers. J’ai mis 5 étoiles mais en vrai je veux en mettre 6, 8, 12. Je n’ai pas peur de le survendre. J’essaie d’organiser mes pensées. When her parents' relationship crumbles, Eva begins a journey to find these answers for herself. Her desire to discover where she belongs leads Eva on a journey spanning decades and continents - and, along the way, she meets women who challenge her idea of what a mother should be, and who will change her life forever... And so it goes; we follow Eva as she forms relationships and seeks support from them but always aware of what is missing.
The creation of Eva’s life experiences is staggeringly skilful drawing you in to every heartbeat and every facet of an increasing set of real-people-characters – and, too, the different locations as England moves to Cordoba which Eva learns is her place of birth. In The Other Half of Augusta Hope the author didn’t quite avoid a slightly less than satisfying fairy tale element towards the end. All My Mothers moves in that direction but she manages to create a fabulous ending planted firmly enough in real life to work. There’s plenty of painful tragedy to cry over which will resonate with many listeners, but it never dominates. What you’re left with is an exhilarating, uplifting story where love isn’t found where it is sought, or the kind which was long yearned for, but which is found in abundance in all kinds of unexpected places and forms.
Had me absolutely sobbing – a beautiful, beautiful book’ JO BROWNING WROE, bestselling author of A TERRIBLE KINDNESS
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