Strong Mother Characters (Good or Bad)

[Claire]

Please recommend books with strong mother or female guardian roles. I'm gearing up for a mother's day book club and need some book ideas.
The mothers can be good or bad, but no horror film, please. Fiction is best, but if you have a favorite Autobiography, please share. Thanks!

[Betsy]

Would Room qualify? I haven't read it, but it looks like it's about a mother and small child in a very stressful situation.

[peg]

The Language of Flowers is about a young girl who is a victim of the foster care system. It is an interesting story that provokes a lot of discussion about motherhood.

[Claire]

Betsy wrote: "Would Room qualify? I haven't read it, but it looks like it's about a mother and small child in a very stressful situation."

Yes! Thank you... I've read Room, and it most certainly qualifies... It's a great story for B/C discussion. Thank you for the recommendation!

[Claire]

peg wrote: "The Language of Flowers is about a young girl who is a victim of the foster care system. It is an interesting story that provokes a lot of discussion about motherhood."

This sounds perfect, too! Thank you for the recommendation. It'll be interesting to see which book we pick. Thanks for the help!

[Sarah]

Sharp Objects

This book definitely qualifies!

[Jess ❈Harbinger of Blood-Soaked Rainbows❈]

The Monsters Of Templeton is one of my all-time favorites and examines motherhood in terms of a mother-to-be examining her life and her own unique relationship with her mother.

Left Neglected is one about a mother recovering from a brain injury and the trials and tribulations that go along with healing.

The Mermaid Chair definitely has many underlying themes of motherhood going on.

Angels of Destruction was not my personal favorite, but I think I chalk it up to personal preference as many others in my book club enjoyed it. Motherhood is most definitely the focal point here and examines the lengths and pains a mother will go through for her child.

[Jess ❈Harbinger of Blood-Soaked Rainbows❈]

Also White Oleander comes to mind. I have not personally read it but I know that motherhood is an underlying theme.

[Claire]

Sarah wrote: "Sharp Objects

This book definitely qualifies!"

Good one!

[Claire]

Jess wrote: "Also White Oleander comes to mind. I have not personally read it but I know that motherhood is an underlying theme."

Thank you!

[Claire]

Jess wrote: "The Monsters Of Templeton is one of my all-time favorites and examines motherhood in terms of a mother-to-be examining her life and her own unique relationship with her mother.

[boo..."
These are great suggestions... Thank you!

[Sarah]

another great non fiction one is Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress: Tales of Growing up Groovy and Clueless
the mother daughter relationship is good, just really funny

another good one is The Glass Castle: A Memoir

[karen, future RA queen]

i would offer The Kept, which is a really interesting mother, and definitely a strong character, and that's all i will say about that.

there is also Above, which is the same basic idea as Room, but i personally didn't think it was as good.

and in a way-out-of-left-field suggestion, which is completely inappropriate for a book club because its structure is a pain in the ass to a lot of people, but i am putting in here for other people who might want to read it for their own purposes: Our Ecstatic Days is a book i adore, and a standalone sequel to a book i love even more: The Sea Came in at Midnight, and very focused on motherhood

[Claire]

Thanks Karen! I really appreciate your suggestions!

[reading is my hustle]

Hanna's Daughters

Kaaterskill Falls

The Patron Saint of Liars

The Joy Luck Club

Not Without My Daughter

Wives and Daughters

[Jaye]

The World According to Garp by John Irving.

I've read the book a few times and enjoyed the movie which starred Robin Williams, John Lithgow and Glenn Close as the strong mother Jenny Fields.

[Claire]

I love this book! Thank you for the reminder... I may go back and read this one again.

[Claire]

Elizabeth wrote: "Hanna's Daughters

Kaaterskill Falls

The Patron Saint of Liars

The Joy Luck Club

Not Without My Daughter

[book:Wives and Daughte..."

Thank you for the recommendations... These will keep me busy for a while!