It's my turn on the BlogTour Time Out by Emma Murray.
Emma Murray is originally from Co. Dublin and moved to London in her early twenties. After a successful career as a ghostwriter, she felt it was high time she fulfilled her childhood dream to write fiction. Click here to sign up to Emma Murray's newsletter
About the book
‘It’s just a phase,’ they said. ‘These are the happiest years of your life,’ they said…
Mother of one and professional writer Saoirse (pronounced Seersha, not Searcy – thanks a bunch Game of Thrones!) is still adjusting to the demands of motherhood, four years after the birth of her daughter, Anna.
Living in the claustrophobic London suburb of Woodvale, and being surrounded by passive-aggressive mum-wars, isn’t helping. Neither is her increasingly pent-up anger at her once-perfect husband. Her only comrade in arms, best friend Bea, is the one thing keeping her sane.
When Saoirse’s agent asks her to pitch for a book, she is horrified to discover the topic is motherhood. How can she possibly write a ‘warts and all’ account of being a mother without giving away what it’s really like?
Laugh-out-loud funny, painfully well-observed, but with an unmistakable warmth and unforgettable characters, this is the perfect antidote to all those parenting bibles that bear absolutely no relation to real life. The novel may or may not have been inspired by real life…
Saoirse is doing her best to keep her family and marriage together, but it's difficult when everyone else knows best, especially the golden mothers from a local group. God forbid she dare break any of the unwritten rules of parenting. Bad mother - poor child.
When her agent asks her to make a pitch to write an honest book about motherhood she isn't sure whether she has the courage to stand by her convictions and tell the world what it is really like, as opposed to the fairytale life certain people seem eager to show to the world. Her best friend Bea is the only one who gets what it is like and she is also the person who allows her the space to take a step away from a life that is about to implode.
I can remember telling my daughter, when she became a mother and joined a local online Mom group, that she should be prepared for the sanctimonious onslaught of comments if she dared to post anything that goes against the invisible guidelines of the self nominated superior mothers.
You know the ones that barely have a kid and a half and think that presenting a false picture of motherhood will somehow convince the world and themselves that their attitude to mothering will make their children happier, healthier and more successful than mothers who are honest about being a parent. They are judgemental and to be completely frank some of them can be dangerous, because they think their advice supersedes that of experts and more importantly your own gut feeling as a mother.
It's snarky, down-to-earth women's fiction that pulls no punches.
I love the fact Murray says it like it is for the majority of parents most of the time. Kids can be tiny psychos who may or may not have regular sleep patterns for the first few years of their lives. Having them changes any other relationship you may have had prior to their appearance. It's important not to let everyone around you guilt trip you into thinking you are an inept mother just because you choose not to grind the wheat you use to make them bread or milk the cow to make them natural yoghurt.
In fact all newbies to the world of babydom should read this just to put things into perspective. It's okay to ask for help, to take a break, to feel inadequate and to think of yourself now and again. Oh and do yourself a favour steer clear of the condescending mothers in social media groups - pretending to be superior is more important to them than giving good common sense advice.
It's a brutally honest read, despite the humour the author weaves into certain moments. There is no such thing as the right way all the time for every baby or child, sometimes winging it and being able to laugh at your own predicaments is the best way forward. It's a heartfelt and entertaining read.
Buy Time Out at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Boldwood Books; pub date 26 May 2020. Buy at Amazon com.
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