REVIEW: THE PUSH, BY ASHLEY AUDRAIN

Blythe Connor is determined that she will be the warm, comforting mother to her new baby Violet that she herself never had.But in the thick of motherhood’s exhausting early days, Blythe becomes convinced that something is wrong with her daughter—she doesn’t behave like most children do.

Or is it all in Blythe’s head? Her husband, Fox, says she’s imagining things. The more Fox dismisses her fears, the more Blythe begins to question her own sanity, and the more we begin to question what Blythe is telling us about her life as well.

Then their son Sam is born—and with him, Blythe has the blissful connection she’d always imagined with her child. Even Violet seems to love her little brother. But when life as they know it is changed in an instant, the devastating fall-out forces Blythe to face the truth.

Even though the protagonist in The Push seems like an unreliable narrator, I began to trust her version of events because of the dismissive way that her husband is treating her. And the more time we spend with Violet, I felt that scary intensity that comes from huge red flags.

I knew that nothing good would come of this family, and as we learn more and more about Blythe’s childhood and her mother and grandmother, I knew that everything stemmed from those past connections.

But what is really going on with Violet? Is her father reinforcing her dysfunctional relationship with Blythe? Is he truly oblivious to her flaws and issues?

I kept turning the pages, wanting to find out more. All the while, I am questioning what I believe and doubting what is right in front of us. Until finally we know the truth. A five star read.

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