Feminist themes feature prominently in this novel, highlighting the politicized and gendered dimensions of caregiving. . . . The novel is a meditation on relationships and the many ways they erode and sustain us, for better or for worse.--Brianna Cheng, Intima: A Journal of Narrative Medicine
Description
Maeve Beaufort’s family is messy and complicated, rife with competing demands, difficult compromises, and on-the-spot judgment calls. She is the single mother of Noelle, who has anaphylactic reactions to nuts, and Norm, a nonconformist child whom everyone wants to diagnose. Her father is spending his retirement on high-ticket items he doesn’t need, her children’s teachers are suggesting medication, and her mood-swinging mother is threatening to move in. Newly diagnosed herself with Crohn’s disease, Maeve feels as though she is failing herself, her parents, and her children. But with spirit and determination—and a healthy dose of survival humor—she gives it her best go. Anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed, underappreciated, underpaid, and underwater will find a kindred spirit in Maeve.
Reviews
Trueblood makes great use of the unconventional form, molding Maeve's story into a vivid portrait of independent womanhood.--Booklist
Trueblood makes great use of the unconventional form, molding Maeve's story into a vivid portrait of independent womanhood.--Booklist
Kathryn Trueblood takes the world of medical humanities by storm.--Anelyse Morris, Bellingham Alive!
