like. As the date nears, Blythe becomes more unsure what whats to come. The Push: Mother. Meanwhile, the narration is interspersed with information about the women in Blythe's family and her childhood. Blythe wants to send Violet to day care, but Fox is against the idea because his own mother had never needed to do so. Blythe explains her version of the story. Blythe suggests having Violet see a child psychologist, but Fox thinks the Violet is coping well so it is unnecessary. After yelling, he storms off and when stopped, he pushes her. The Push WILL make you feel uncomfortable in exploring that question, in a very necessary kind of way. or ask your favorite author a question with WARNING: THIS SECTION CONTAINS BOOK SPOILERS! Why do you think Audrain shifts POVs (from first person to third person) for the epilogue? For days she works on it and finally presents it to Cecilia. As the days pass, Blythe sees that Violets emptiness is back. The day after the meeting with Mrs. Ellington, Blythe overhears Violet on the phone with Gemma. At the next moms meet-up, Gemma brings Fox. When Cecilia gets her period, she wakes Etta from her nap to tell her, but Etta merely gives her two pills and goes back to sleep. Blythe notices the other things that are now missing from her relationship now that Violet is getting Foxs time and attention, like how they no longer do crosswords together. For financial reasons, Cecilia and Seb move out of the city and into his parents house in the suburbs. [Violet is at it again. Soon, Fox says hes resigning from his job. They watch a movie and laugh together, and Blythe feels sad about how rare these moments were with Violet. One day Fox takes Violet to his office, and Violet mention a new assistant, Gemma. Henrys sister suggests boarding school for Cecilia to get her away from Etta, but Henry disagrees. Blythe and Fox Connor are a couple who meet in college and get married at 25. But in the thick of motherhood's exhausting early days, Blythe becomes convinced that something is wrong with her daughtershe doesn't behave like most children do. Three months after the accident, the Connors move to a new house, and Blythe hopes a change will be good for them. This passage suggests that Blythe is beginning to empathize with her mothers own difficult circumstances and is starting to understand that her mother did the best she could under the circumstances. Thus, it appears Violet really may be a psychopath and Blythe, vindicated. Instead, it is Gemma. Her own mother and grandmother were not role models; each harbored . Later, Seb tells Blythe that people will believe untrue things about you, but the only thing that matters is what you think about yourself. Before the ending, Blythe has a conversation with her own mother, during which she begins to understand the ways in which her mothers own trauma affected her parenting. Her husband, Fox, says she's imagining things. As time passes, Blythe starts to doubt what she really saw that day and whether Violet really did push Sam. She finds Violets bracelet on the ground. Why do you think he is reluctant to send Violet to day care initially? I get this. Hear a sample of The Push on Audiobook on Libro.fm. After being caught by Fox, Blythe decides to stops writing and focus on Violet. Its now been over a year since the death of Sam. Watch for it's arrival in 6-10 weeks, June, 2022. The ending of The Push confuses me. But Gemma tells Blythe that Violet didnt push Sam. [Violet killed her brother. Then, Blythe makes the critical mistake of saying she wants to meet her family. Overall I did enjoy this and would definitely check out more from Audrain in . Their wedding bands previously belonged to Foxs great-grandmother, Violet. Gemma does as she instructs, and predictably afterwards, Fox is mad at her for leaving Violet by herself. Blythe has started therapy to try to move on. As someone without children, motherhood is not something I spend a lot of time thinking about, and to be totally honest, I generally avoid books that are focused on things like that because they dont tend to grab my attention. Seb insists they have the baby (Blythe). When her mother doesnt know, he insists that Blythe find it, and Blythe senses that theyve pushed Cecilia too far. 31 Best Character Driven Novels to Devour, 10 Best Harry Potter Boxed Sets of Books to Gift. Fox is out of town, and Gemma wonders whether she should take him to the hospital and if so whether to wake Violet (who is 11 now) in the middle of the night or just leave her there alone. When Fox gets home, they both downplay the incident. Its not a perfect book, and there are things you could nitpick about it if you were inclined to do so. The girl leaves cookies and carrots for Santa and his reindeer. What did you think of Blythes relationship with Foxs mother? As we have seen, the ending is open to interpretation and can be understood in various ways, depending on our own perspectives and experiences. A year and a half later, Blythe is in therapy now, working hard to try to let things go. At Penguin, she worked with bestselling authors including Khaled Hosseini, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Meg Wolitzer. When Blythe suggests couples therapy, Fox suggests that Blythe should see someone by herself instead. This book is so good. How The Book Ended. Blythe even purchases items from secondhand stores to give to Gemma (pretending they are Sams old things), and Gemma gives her a kids gift they didnt need in return. Blythe thinks Violet is violent and lacks empathy, but Fox thinks Blythe's insufficient love for Violet is the problem. The next morning is peaceful, and Blythe heads to the park with the kids. However, once her daughter is born, she sees this as a lot less wonderful than what she had hoped for. Yes but still kind of right or left, so great to get a validation :). At 25, he proposes, and they are married. When Blythe finally meets another new mom (with a baby named Harry) who admits to the difficulties of being a mom, she gives the other woman her phone number to keep in touch, but the other woman never reaches out. Foxs mother hires them a night nurse, and for that time things are better. Your email address will not be published. What do you think of the portrayals of the men and fathers in this novel in general? Could you please provide more details or insights? When the Connors go on a beach vacation, Violet buries another kid in the sand. As Blythe thinks about it, shes sure something is wrong and rushes out part-way through. Coraline: Your mother is made of buttons. In love with books? I finished the book simply for the sake of Sam and Blythe. Finally, Gemma asks to meet up. Join our community of book lovers and receive the best book recommendations straight to your inbox . Blythe mourns her son, she believes her daughter was the one that killed him. At the end of the day, The Push is a compelling novel that pushes us as a society to talk more about the darkest sides of motherhood and to be open to more interpretations to how women are supposed to feel about motherhood. Cecilia later explains that its because her mother once did something very cruel to her because there was something wrong with Etta. However, one day as Blythe crosses the street, Sam's stroller rolls into the intersection and he is killed. If Fox had done things different? Later in the book, Blythe has a moment of clarity where she realizes that she may be at risk of harming herself: The thought entered my mind that I could hurt myselfI pushed the thought away as quickly as it had come, but it left a residue of fear that made me feel like I was standing on the edge of a cliff. (Chapter 25). The strongest part of this book is the perspective of new motherhood, and just how awful the dichotomy of it can be. Later, Violet mentions that shes going to hurt a boy she dislikes, Noah. By delving into these themes, Ashley Audrain has created a novel that is both gripping and thought-provoking. Blythe still tells Gemma her suspicions about Violet anyway. Meanwhile, Violet makes constant remarks reminding her mother that her father is with the other woman now. The Literary Lifestyle is written by: Julianne a/k/a Jules Buono. Violet lies to make Blythe look bad, and she runs away while Blythe is watching her. What did you think of the end of the book? The novella The Mist ends pretty similar to the movie, with a daring escape being made by David, his son, and two others. As The Push unravels from here, it definitely keeps you guessing whos good and whos bad in this mother-daughter relationship, but more importantly, why. As Blythe grieves, Blythe and Fox's marriage disintegrates, ending with Fox's infidelity. Instead, Fox suggests that Blythe leave for a while to a wellness center. To what extent do you think each aspect came into play when it comes to Violet. The woman in the car thinks about her daughter (the girl) is beginning to look like her. Motherhood is just not what Blythe thought it would be, and it seems everyone is doubting her, including herself. Blythe and Gemma become close, but eventually Fox finds out Blythe has been pretending to be someone else to get close to Gemma. She and her husband, Fox, were happy newlyweds, and she was so excited about becoming a mother. Blythe and Violet both survive, and Blythe learns to be a better mother: A third possible interpretation of the ending is that Blythe and Violet both survive, and Blythe learns to be a better mother. As Violet gets older, Violet continues to be antagonistic and even violent towards Blythe. After Blythe and Fox divorce, he gets custody of Violet and moves in with his girlfriend, Gemma, with whom he has a son named Jet. Two weeks before she is to leave, the grounds people find Blythe in the stream, talking about wanting to take Sam home. ~Sheila. Blythe thinks about how Violet is growing up and will leave her behind. College sweethearts Blythe and Fox Connor have a charmed life and romance. Blythe and Fox both pretend not to recognize each other, but Gemma clearly senses something is off. When confronted, Violet denies doing anything bad. By now, Violet is around 13 years old. is a thriller novel published in 2021 by the Canadian author Ashley Audrain. Your email address will not be published. For a non-spoiler version of the plot synopsis, see The Bibliofile's review of The Push by Ashley Audrain. See the archives. Moreover, Blythe didnt realize till now that it bothered Violet. She attends, but refuses therapy. One of the messages she urgently conveys is, after all, that this reproduction business does not end simply, or easily - or, indeed, ever. The book is also a bit of a downer, and I would go so far as to say it occasionally toes the line into feeling like misery lit (or misery pn, for a less proper term), wrapped up in a thriller-esque package. She is taking steps to address her mental health and is seeking professional help. Blythe takes a seat and the other woman, Gemma, happens to sit beside her. I'm also surprised that this is Audrain's debut novel, because the pacing, structure and voice of the book . Follow along on Goodreads, or keep in touch via the newsletter. He had used Blythes presence to lure Cecilia home. As Violet gets older, Violet continues to be antagonistic and even violent towards Blythe. Blythe Connor is a woman who had an abusive and uncaring mother, so shes determined to be the best mother for her own daughter, Violet. The Push manages the difficult feat of being genuinely satisfying in terms of substance and telling a compelling (and multi-generational) story, all while maintaining a thriller-type atmosphere without feeling like genre fiction. These actions demonstrate a willingness to change and to take responsibility for her own actions. Fox is less attentive this time around, but Blythe wants only her baby. The one-paragraph summary of this book: Blythe and Fox have a daughter, Violet. I also interpreted the push literally like when Violet pushed Sam. The book tells the story of Blythe, a woman who struggles to connect with her daughter Violet and who is haunted by the memory of her own mothers neglect. But Violets behavior seems off. Blythe thinks Violet hates her and may even be malicious. She keeps screaming at Cecilia until Henry comes in. But when life as they know it is changed in an instant, the devastating fall-out forces Blythe to face the truth. I think the book shows how easily we raise evil people and how parents cannot see bad in their kids. Seb insists they have the baby (Blythe). One day, Foxs mother comes over and gives Violet a doll. Author: Ashley Audrain. She and Lenny continue on and she considers leaving Seb for Lenny, but then Cecilia learns she is pregnant. Sorry for that. She is surprised when Violet is upset, saying that Blythe is all too willing to give her up and that Blythe hates her. This passage suggests that Blythe is beginning to understand that her own failures as a mother have contributed to the distance between her and Violet. This realization may be a turning point for Blythe, suggesting that she may be able to heal from her own trauma and build a healthier relationship with her daughter. Fox claims hes not seeing the other woman anymore. As they are there, Violet tells Blythe that she wants Blythe to leave, so it will just be her and her father alone. General Hospital (GH) spoilers for Tuesday, May 2, tease that Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) will make some bold moves on The Haunted Star. At 11 months, Violet says Mama, and Blythe and Fox are delighted. The author captured it beautifully and so accurately in the beginning. Soon, she starts to resents Fox for seeing her solely as Violet's caregiver, and Fox thinks Blythe is deficient as a mother. Blythe starts thinking that perhaps its time for her to let it go. Try audio books or writing classes for free for 30 days.. After that, Blythe stops taking his mothers calls. The Push is a domestic-slash-family thriller that can appeal to most adults, and its a book I imagine a lot of people can benefit from reading. Blythe remembers her father telling Cecilia that Youll end up just like Etta before finally giving her a drink to calm her down. Even when Cecilia is seven, she still clings to her doll, Beth-Anne. She imagines it would be the tiles from the changing room at the public pool. My essay was published in the bookBut I'm a Gilmore! The Push is a really well-crafted novel, and it would be so perfect as a book club read. They talk about kids in their future. Cecilia continues to hide these things from Henry, and Etta brightens up when Henry is around. Blythe learns they had another son, Jet. Blythe discards any writing from before Sams death and starts anew. She is surprised, but curious. With her, the woman has a stack of papers, a manuscript explaining her side of the story. I just finished reading 'the Push' by Ashley Audrain. Cecilia instead takes money from Ettas purse and goes to the store to buy pads. I was really impressed by The Push by Ashley Audrain. Angel. Questions that even those in the book may not have gotten answers to. Fox doesnt want a funeral, so there isnt one. I hope you enjoy it if you end up reading it :). Blythe enters, but quickly leaves. Based on the 1929 Nella Larsen novel of the same name, Passing is the black-and-white feature directorial debut of Rebecca Hall (The Prestige). One day Fox comes home early to the sound of Violets cries, and he is furious. After Blythe is born, she thinks of how she looks like her doll from childhood. She falls down the stairs with that push. Like, not every comment from a child needs to have a 24-hour reaction time. Great exploration of nature vs nurture. Do you think he was a good husband and/or a good father? Mrs. Leda Ellington was kind and caring towards Blythe, but Cecilia disliked her. It has been a year and a half since shed spoken to Fox. Blythe is shocked, knowing that the baby mustve been born in June, considering how Fox only moved out in January of that year. Violet hints to Blythe that theres a reason Fox has prevented this meeting from happening. By the end, the reader will feel wrung out in the way only the best of books leaves you. The title: Dark Secrets, A Legacy of Memories from 1939 Sweden. Spoilers. Do you think Gemma was always being truthful with Blythe about her feelings for Violet? Laughed out loud at how on a site dedicated to helping people assess whether they want to read a book someone would take a question about a book, make, Laughed out loud at how on a site dedicated to helping people assess whether they want to read a book someone would take a question about a book, make assumptions,and feel the need to provide acondenscending respond . She senses Violet prefers Fox, but Fox insists it's all in her head. And why do you think he brushes off Blythes suggestion to send Violet to a child psychologist? Its not the most unpredictable ending, but whats so haunting about it is the chilling truth that Violet is the culmination of generations of parental trauma. Cecilia responds that she wished she were different in some ways. Before he leaves, Fox also admits to something from a long time ago. Then, she asks Gemma whether shes ever wondered if her son was safe with Violet? Next day, after help from his sister, he tells that when he was 6 years old, he accidentally shot is older brother in the head. She later cheats on him and wants to leave him, but then they find out she is pregnant. I need to know how it ends before I decide if I want to read it. Monster? When she goes to tell Fox, he has a gift for her and she doesnt say anything to avoid upsetting him. This multi-layered family drama is downright chilling, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat until you uncover the most disturbing truths. Blythe still tells Gemma her suspicions about Violet anyway. Blythe struggles with Violet, who cries all the time and doesnt latch well, and Blythe thinks the baby hates her. Julie Clark | The Lies I Tell. I so hope, whoever makes the movie or series, will focus on the "smells" that the protagonist talks about all the time. Blythe thinks Violet is violent and lacks empathy, but Fox thinks Blythe's insufficient love for Violet is the problem. The Push by Ashley Audrain is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of motherhood and the lasting impact of childhood trauma. Be advised that there are spoilers ahead, obviously, so be entirely sure you want to continue reading. And as always, I wish you happy reading! As Blythe grieves, Blythe and Fox's marriage disintegrates, ending with Fox's infidelity. When Mrs. Ellington later tell her that you made him very happy to comfort her, Blythe thinks about how it is a kind lie. Blythe thinks Violet is violent and lacks empathy, but Fox thinks Blythe's insufficient love for Violet is the problem. The Push by Ashley Audrain. Despite knowing it is bad advice, Blythe strongly advises Gemma to go to the hospital immediately and leave Violet. I think you missed the actual ending. The Push by Ashley Audrain began on Christmas Eve as Blythe watched Fox and Violet's new family from the street outside their house. I still wonder if Gemma suspected she was more. There were periods of time when Etta managed to act the way others expected her to be. Cecilia dislikes being a mother, and she leaves permanently when Blythe is 12. Blythe continues to pursue a friendship with Gemma to get information about the goings-on in her household, and in turn Gemma often would turn to Blythe for advice on things. Sapphire is the pen name of author Ramona Lofton. They talked frequently. Her father, Seb West, had found something in Cecilias pocket and was upset over someone named Lenny. Blythe instinctively calls out the name Sam, and when Violet catches her fathers attention, she stops what shes doing. The next day, the doctor attributes her action to normal parental anxiety. I hope you enjoyed this ending explanation for The Push by Ashley Audrain! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Good call above on the "Push" title. The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Audrain, Ashley. However, Talia has also gotten to know Chanel Dupree (Raven Bowens) and Paulina Price (Jacke Harry) on a personal level since she came . Violet has trouble getting along with other kids and there's incidences of violence towards them, too. The leader of the group, Sydney, welcomes her warmly. Here are a few possible explanations: 1. Blythe and Fox Connor are a couple who meet in college and get married at 25. Blythe recalls her parents arguing when she was 8. Blythe goes to a museum exhibit about children who have been perpetrators of gun violence. When Blythe finally saw Cecilia/Annie and Richard together, she wished her mother had died rather than become someone she no longer could recognize. At one point, Blythes expensive clothes had gone missing after they tried out a new cleaning company. Blythe senses that Gemma is upset with her later. What follows is a longer driving sequence that hits . . Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Her grandmother Etta's first husband died in a horrified farming accident. Thomass younger brother, Daniel, adored her. For the next few months, Blythe is exhausted. How did your perceptions of Blythe change as the book progressed or did it stay the same? Foxs parents send over boxes of his old baby things. For example, Audrain overuses a narrative structure of having kids say a certain loaded thing or question and then the very next day, X major event happens. When Mrs. Smith dies, Cecilia takes the money, $680, that the old woman had stored in a tin. Blythe's kind neighbor Mrs. Ellington instead acts as a maternal figure to her. Blythe never sees her mother again. The book ends by implying that Gemma suspects Violet has now harmed Jet. Daughter. Cecilia knows she is beautiful and heads to the city and meets Seb, who is a doorman at a fancy hotel. When Fox goes in, Violet perks up and asks him to stay. Near what would have been Sams birthday, Violet shows Blythe a viral video of a womans heroics preventing her son from harm multiple times. But that didn't bother me. Violet has trouble getting along with other kids and there's incidences of violence towards them, too. But The Push was consistently engrossing nonetheless and made me reconsider in some ways my own relationship with my mother, who Ive not always had the smoothest relationship with (and who, in turn, had very difficult relationships with her own parents). I loved it myself, the different generations of motherhood. Fox also makes a comment about Blythe calling his mom about his job resignation, and Blythe knows that Foxs mother told him about their call. To think he let Krissy suffer like that for so long. Later, Blythe purchases a wig and attends another meeting for the moms group, going by the name Anne. He tells Blythe that hed actually caught Violet cutting them up. Whether you found the ending satisfying or frustrating, one thing is clear: The Push is a book that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. Blythe is a good baby who rarely cries, and each day Seb comments on how lucky they are. She tells Cecilia where to find it, then shuts Cecilia in the tiny space and then Etta gets distracted. The next day, Blythe starts apologizing profusely (about acting like a psycho), but Gemma simply expresses her condolences about Blythe losing Sam. Sensing something more is going on, Blythe checks his e-mail and learns that he was fired over some type of incident, and it seems it involved his assistant Gemma in some way. After that weekend, Blythe gets the idea to drive over to Foxs house to watch them at night. Their marriage falls apart. After Cecilia is born, Etta is remarried to Henry, a nice man who manages a candy factory. Sapphire continued the story with a 2011 sequel called The Kid, which focuses on Abdul, Precious's son. Be advised that there are spoilers ahead, obviously, so be entirely sure you want to continue reading. Cecilia is scared and shits herself. Then, in the final lines, she learns from Gemma that something has happened to Jet (with the implication that it was Violet's fault.). Did this story make you reflect on your personal experiences, and if so how? There, Blythe meets a woman named Iris, who she likes immediately. Finally they will have to believe Blythe. I didn't think it was her. I felt like this book was about refuting the idea that motherhood is this inherently blissful joyride and that women should find it endlessly fulfilling, that they should want to abandon their careers to solely mother their kids, that there's a special bond between mothers and their children that transcends . When Blythe and Fox have their second child, a boy named Sam, Blythe's connection with him is immediate, and she adores him. Blythe and Gemma become close, but eventually Fox finds out Blythe has been pretending to be someone else to get close to Gemma. Then, Violet turns around and walks home. It was okay in the sense that I couldn't put it down. But when their second child, Sam, is later born, Blythe connects deeply with him and they share a beautiful love, until another questionable moment with Violet changes everything in their lives forever. The book ends a year and a half after that point. Three months after the discovery of the affair, Blythe packs up Foxs things. Blythes mental health deteriorates, and she ends up harming or killing herself: Throughout the book, Blythe struggles with her mental health, and she experiences several episodes of dissociation and depression. Welcome back. For all of these reasons, it also makes a great book for book clubs that want a really provocative discussion. She was someone else entirely, someone who felt like she was fading away into nothingness. (Chapter 22). Some readers may interpret this as a sign that Blythe is beginning to understand her daughters needs and to develop a better relationship with her. Blythe was such a likeable character--proof that just because your own parents [emailprotected], doesn't mean you will too. Violet then brings over a bucket of water, and Blythe is unsure whether Violet plans to dump water on the kid to make him choke while he is immobilized. It has a thriller vibe in terms of a suspenseful and tense atmosphere, its relatively quickly paced, and there are even some shifts in perspective or new pieces of information introduced that feel something like twists, but to be clear, the book still doesnt read like genre fiction if you read lots of thrillers. . How so and why do you think things turned out differently for her? Blythe knows Fox wouldnt like that, so she settles on taking long walks with Violet. She often feels overwhelmed and frustrated by Violets defiance and resistance. This isnt the way the book ends. Blythe recalls how after Cecilia left their home, she reinvented herself and met a new man, Richard, who referred to her as Annie because her middle name was Anne. Required fields are marked *. Violets teacher asks Blythe to help chaperone a school trip, and Blythe reluctantly agrees. When Cecilia (Blythe's mother) is born, Etta marries her second husband Henry, but Etta struggles with motherhood and is often intentionally cruel to Cecilia. Publisher: Penguin Books. I'm always impressed when an author can keep me on edge until the last sentence of the book. One day, Blythe attends a meeting for mothers whose children are in jail. Its beautiful, but the dress doesnt fit and Cecilia cant get it on. like. Blythe is hopeful that motherhood will come naturally to her, like it seems to for most women. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Violet never goes to see her. They take a family holiday photo. Publication Date: January 4, 2022. You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Yes, only on the internet and to answer where the internet would be without people asking question about books, the obvious answer is without Goodreads :-). WARNING: THIS SECTION CONTAINS BOOK SPOILERS! Blythe is initially excited and starts taking prenatal classes. Blythe has started therapy to try to move on. The next day, she tells Fox that she hates her mother and only want to live with him. She writes poetry, but takes a job as a caregiver for an elderly woman, Mrs. Smith. Blythe and Violet's relationship is still fraught.
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