The Push

by Ashley Audrain

INSTANT INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

WINNER of the 2022 Crime Writers of Canada Best First Crime Novel

SHORTLISTED for the 2022 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize

“Utterly addictive.” —Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train

“Written with an unflinching eye and a stylistically sharp, tight economy The Push is a single-sitting read, as suspenseful as any thriller, as thoughtful as any literary novel, with an almost physical force behind each of its turns and revelations.” —Toronto Star

A tense, page-turning psychological drama about the making and breaking of a family, and about a woman whose experience of motherhood is nothing at all what she hoped for, and everything she feared.

Blythe Connor is determined to be the warm, comforting mother to her new baby, Violet, that she never had.

But in the thick of motherhood’s exhausting early days, Blythe doesn’t find the connection with her daughter she expected. She’s convinced something is wrong with Violet—she is distant, rejects affection, and becomes increasingly disruptive at preschool.

Or is it all in Blythe’s head? Her husband, Fox, says she’s imagining things. Fox doesn’t see what she sees; he sees a wife who is struggling to cope with the day-to-day challenges of being amother. 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 natural maternal connection she’d always dreamed of. Even Violet seems to love her little brother. But when life as they know it is changed in an instant, the devastating fallout forces Blythe to face the truth.

The Push is a rare and extraordinary gift to readers: an utterly immersive novel that will challenge everything you think you know about motherhood, about what we owe our children, about what really happens behind the closed doors of even the most perfect-looking families and about what it feels like when women are not believed.

• ISBN10: 0735239894
• ISBN13: 9780735239890
• Publish Date: 5 January 2021
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: CA
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
• Imprint: Viking
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 320
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/isbn/9780735239890

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

The Push is Ashely Audrain's debut novel, and it's a novel that I've been hearing so many positive things about. It's a psychological drama with tense family moments all throughout, and has resonated with many readers, from the sounds of it.

Blythe Conner didn't have what one would call a dream mother, when she was growing up. She made a promise to herself that she would do better with her own baby, Violet. Only...there's something wrong.

With Violet that is, not with Blythe. She can see that there's something wrong, even if nobody else believes her. Her belief about this hidden truth is confirmed with the birth of her second child, Sam. He's perfect, and she doesn't get that same sense of wrongness from him.

Blythe's journey through motherhood is far from simple, and far from over. As she has many trials in store for her.

“I’ve come here to give this to you. This is my side of the story.”

The Push was not exactly what I had been expecting, if I'm being completely honest. It was fascinating on some levels, and very well written. But I did not find that emotional connection that many other readers have mentioned in their reviews.

I hate it when I pick up a book, expecting to love it, and I don't. I wanted to love The Push. I went into it with high expectations, and I simply wasn't blown away by it. Maybe it's the subject matter that was explored.

On that note: Content (and spoiler) warning: The Push explores many concepts and tropes, from postpartum depression to paranoia and abuse. Also depicted are scenes involving infant death, neglect, suicide, and a crumbling marriage. So not exactly a light read, by any means.

For me, I think the biggest problem is that the entirety of The Push revolves around the Bad Seed trope. It's far from being my favorite trope, and thus I just couldn't get into this narrative, no matter how intriguingly it is written.

Normally I love domestic suspense/psychological thrillers, so you can imagine my disappointment here. I think that's the main reason I'm going with a three star rating, as opposed to something slightly higher. Still, I feel slightly crazy for not liking this novel – as everyone else seems to have adored it. Don't you just hate it when that happens?

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

The Push is a dark, raw, and emotionally intense read.

Audrain’s debut novel really brings to life some difficult family dynamics that spark the age old question: Is it nature or nurture that defines who we are?

As mothers, we are expected to accomplish so much for our families with little regard for ourselves in the process. This story’s emotional tugs of family tragedies mixed with raw dialogue really allows the reader to experience the complexity (and fragility) of family, life, love, and grief.

It also touches on some sensitive subjects regarding mental illness, child abuse/loss, and suicide. It’s a heavy read that lingered with me long after I finished. Although this book is definitely not for everyone, readers who enjoy the darker side of the thriller genre will appreciate this one.

Favorite Quote:
“You know, there’s a lot about ourselves that we can’t change - it’s just the way we’re born. But some parts of us are shaped by what we see, and how we’re treated by other people. How we’re made to feel.”

[bearley]

Was way less of a thriller than I expected and was hard to get into at first. Not really a “what’s wrong with the child” story more of a look through generations of struggling mothers. However, the emotions stirred were really intense. The ending saved all the hard feelings and anger at the characters for me. Gave me a “we need to talk about Kevin” vibe. Also if I could jump in the book and beat up the husband I absolutely would (more rosemary’s husband than rosemary’s baby)