This novel is hauntingly beautiful mom noir. As gentle caregivers, moms know that if allowed a safe space, we will all evolve and softly unfold like a new flower in spring. There are so many intense emotions that well up in a mother’s hormone-rich body . . . copious amounts of joy, love, guilt, fear . . . at times these emotions can come in waves large enough to knock us down at our weakest and leave us feeling helpless. Being a mom can also be frightening . . . am I doing this right? Is my child going to be okay or am I completely wrecking this perfect little human? Moms can become their own harshest critics, often placing unrealistic expectations on themselves . . . striving for perfection, and occasionally pushing their nerves and bodies to the absolute limits. Could those same powerful hormones meant to create new life and flood us with love and energy, that which bind us, also become rancid in the brain and conspire to drive us mad? These are the thoughts that begin to swirl around Charlotte as she navigates motherhood of a neurodiverse daughter, Stella, and fears that seem to be growing faster than the second child in her pregnant belly. Disturbed by the major personality changes witnessed in Stella . . . Is Charlotte acting from a deep-seated intuition or the paranoid obsession that her husband suggests?
I highly recommend this read for those who like complex human experiences and a touch of the supernatural. The first half may have you scratching your head in confusion, but the second half pulls it all together with crystal clarity.
I thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of Clever Little Thing for my unbiased evaluation. 5 stars
