A review by bert_does_horror
What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

There is a lot about this book that is great, but in the end it just ends up imploding under its own themes and contradictions. 

I love how fucking weird and wild the final third of this book gets. I’m here for that. I also love how heart wrenching portions of this story were. How it explored love and loss.

However, in the final pages, the characters begin to act out of character. Or better yet instantly develop without any time for the new development. And then the themes of this book don’t hold up to the realities of the story itself. Those final pages also made me feel like the main character was just a plot device the entire time and it made me feel a bit cheated. 

I love Clays earlier writing, this one just wasn’t it.
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