Certified Book Addicts's Reviews > The Godmothers

The Godmothers is the latest release from prolific Australian author, Monica McInerney. It is McInerney’s thirteenth novel and I loved this one just as much as I loved all the others. In a time when travelling around the world is impossible, McInerney takers her readers across the globe to Australia, England, Ireland and Scotland. Using three points of view that span two generations, McInerney investigates a variety of contemporary issues that are instantly relatable. Motherhood, friendship, alcoholism, secrets, love, forgiveness, healing and of course godmothers are candidly yet sensitively examined.

Eliza Miller is a thirty year old Australian woman who has been moulded by her past. Eliza’s mother raised her daughter as a single mother and her love for Eliza could not be denied. Larger than life, Eliza’s mother enjoyed weaving tales, until fact and fiction could not be separated. She did promise
Eliza that when she was old enough, she would reveal who her father was. Destiny had other ideas and when Eliza was a teenager, her mother passed away under slightly suspicious circumstances.
As an adult, Eliza is an introvert who is quiet yet loyal to her friends and family. For many years, Eliza’s family consisted of her two godmothers, Olivia and Maxine. Despite oceans separating the trio, Eliza regularly saw her godmothers and they had a relationship I envied. While Eliza travels often to see Maxine and Olivia, she is not a risk taker. I could understand why Eliza needed to be tricked into attending a family celebration involving one of the aunts!

On the trip, Eliza makes an unusual acquaintance. Sullivan is a very mature tween, perhaps too mature for his age. Many of his conversations did not ring true as Sullivan sounded more like an adult than a child. Still, I was proud of Eliza for making a growing connection with Sullivan. Eliza shows further personal growth when her curiosity about her father becomes a determination to find him. What will her investigation uncover? What is the family celebration?

Maxine is the perfect aunt. She loves Eliza like she is her own daughter, spoiling her from the time she was born. With this love comes a fierce need to protect Eliza from any harm. Maxine knows the truth about Eliza’s father so the question is how much will she reveal when Eliza demands the truth. Her love life is less complicated as Maxine is long term relationship with Hazel. The couple complimented each other as they were opposites in many ways. When Hazel is offered a career opportunity in New York after the secret celebration, will Maxine give up her own job as an actress to follow her soulmate?

Olivia, like Maxine is a wonderful aunt. She too loves Eliza like she is a blood relative, trying to balance indulging her goddaughter and shielding her from the truth about both her parents. Olivia knows how difficult family can be as she comes from her own fractured family. Her husband, Edgar, suffers from a disease and she has a difficult relationship with one of her two stepsons. To top it off, Maxine has the mother in-law from hell. Celine lives in one of the rooms of the family hotel, The Montgomery. This should be a place of solace for Olivia as she in charge of the artistic side of the business. Instead, Olivia is dealing with Celine’s temper tantrums. Will Maxine survive her own family dramas before and after the celebration?

Warm and moving, The Godmothers is classic Monica McInerney.