The Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth

I usually do mini book reviews at the end of the year.. but often I find myself wishing I could write more.. delve a little deeper into the book. So this year I am planning.. hoping on doing slightly more detailed book reviews.

My first read of the year was The Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth. I won it via GoodReads.

Synopsis - Someone once told me that you have two families in your life - the one you are born into and the one you choose. Yes, you may get to choose your partner, but you don't choose your mother-in-law. The cackling mercenaries of fate determine it all. From the moment Lucy met Diana, she was kept at arm's length. Diana is exquisitely polite, but Lucy knows, even after marrying Oliver, that they'll never have the closeness she'd been hoping for. But who could fault Diana? She was a pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice, the matriarch of a loving family. Lucy had wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law. That was ten years ago. Now, Diana has been found dead, leaving a suicide note. But the autopsy reveals evidence of suffocation. And everyone in the family is hiding something...

My thoughts - This was a great first read of the year. The book is told from the perspective of Lucy and her mother in law Diana. It beautifully explored the mother in law/daughter in law dynamic. It also dealt with being a mother. Do we cripple our children by helping them out when ever they are in a tough situation? Or are we being cruel by teaching them to be self reliant. And of course the all important power of money. Does having money make your life easier or is it a burden? It also touched upon the pressure of infertility, assisted suicide as well as so many other domestic everyday issues. There were so many moments where I sat back just to ponder the ideas presented in this book and how they relate to me. I also bugged M a lot while reading this book with excerpts of the book and his thoughts. A few of my favorites.

not a direct quote Being poor and surviving on my own has been the single most defining thing I have ever done. It showed me what I was capable of. As a mother, I think this is the most important you can give your children. Unlike money, it can't be taken away.

"I worked hard for everything I ever cared about. And nothing I cared about ever cost a cent"

Now while both of these quotes are anti money I am not anti money.. I have lived with it and without it. It's probably the reason why I found these to quotes most interesting. 

There were so many points in this book that could be discussed ad nauseam which was what made it so interesting.. a must read for sure.

   

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