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This Child of Mine
Sinéad Moriarty's breathtaking eighth novel, This Child of Mine, is the story of two daughters, two mothers and the extraordinary bond of motherly love. It's a unique blend of the storytelling genius of Jodi Picoult and the compassion and humour of Marian Keyes, in a complex and deeply involving story that will have readers arguing about the nature of motherhood and the rights and wrongs of the characters' actions.
Sophie is a happy 18-year-old living in London with Anna, her Irish mother. Anna has devoted her life to Sophie. It may be just the two of them but Anna has more than enough love to give. Sophie has everything she could ever need.
Laura is a not-so-happy artist. She too has a daughter, Mandy. But Laura is haunted by the loss of her first child, Jody. Happy-go-lucky as she is, Mandy lives in Jody's shadow and wonders why her mother can never let go.
Both mothers carry secrets and cannot forget the day their paths crossed. But a chance discovery is about to bring everything into the open and mothers and daughters, love and lies, past and future, will spectacularly collide.
Sinéad Moriarty's novels have sold over half a million copies in Ireland and the UK and she is a four times nominee for the popular fiction Irish Book Award. She has won over readers and critics telling stories that are funny, humane, moving and relevant to modern women. This Child of Mine is Sinéad at her very best.
Sinéad Moriarty lives with her family in Dublin. Her previous titles are: The Baby Trail; A Perfect Match; From Here to Maternity; In My Sister's Shoes; Whose Life is it Anyway?; Pieces of My Heart and Me and My Sisters.
Sophie is a happy 18-year-old living in London with Anna, her Irish mother. Anna has devoted her life to Sophie. It may be just the two of them but Anna has more than enough love to give. Sophie has everything she could ever need.
Laura is a not-so-happy artist. She too has a daughter, Mandy. But Laura is haunted by the loss of her first child, Jody. Happy-go-lucky as she is, Mandy lives in Jody's shadow and wonders why her mother can never let go.
Both mothers carry secrets and cannot forget the day their paths crossed. But a chance discovery is about to bring everything into the open and mothers and daughters, love and lies, past and future, will spectacularly collide.
Sinéad Moriarty's novels have sold over half a million copies in Ireland and the UK and she is a four times nominee for the popular fiction Irish Book Award. She has won over readers and critics telling stories that are funny, humane, moving and relevant to modern women. This Child of Mine is Sinéad at her very best.
Sinéad Moriarty lives with her family in Dublin. Her previous titles are: The Baby Trail; A Perfect Match; From Here to Maternity; In My Sister's Shoes; Whose Life is it Anyway?; Pieces of My Heart and Me and My Sisters.
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
809 people are currently reading
901 people want to read
About the author
Sinéad Moriarty
31 books496 followersSinéad was born and raised in Dublin where she grew up surrounded by books. Her mother is an author of children’s books. Growing up, Sinead says she was inspired by watching her mother writing at the kitchen table and then being published. From that moment on, her childhood dream was to write a novel.
After university, she went to live in Paris and then London. It was at the age of thirty, while working as a journalist in London that she began to write creatively in her spare time – after work, at lunch times … and, truth be told, during work hours.
After a couple of years toying with ideas, she joined a creative writing group and began to write The Baby Trail. The bitter-sweet comedy of a couple struggling to conceive hit a nerve in publishing circles. It was snapped up by Penguin Publishing in the UK and Ireland and has, to date, been translated into twenty languages.
Since writing The Baby Trail, Sinead has moved back to Dublin where she lives with her husband, two sons and baby girl.
Her second book A Perfect Match has been published worldwide. The US version of A Perfect Match is called The Right Fit. Her third novel – From Here to Maternity – is the third installment of the Emma Hamilton series. Her fourth book – In My Sister’s Shoes – is about two sisters who help save each other. Her fifth book has been published under two different titles: Whose Life Is It Anyway? in Ireland and Keeping it in the Family in the UK.
Her sixth book, Pieces of my Heart, about a family dealing with a terrible crisis, went straight in at number 1 in the Irish charts and was nominated for an Irish Book Award.
Her seventh book – Me and My Sisters – went straight in at number 1 in the Irish charts and was nominated for an Irish Book Award.
Her most recent novel Mad About You is the fourth novel in the Emma Hamilton Series.
After university, she went to live in Paris and then London. It was at the age of thirty, while working as a journalist in London that she began to write creatively in her spare time – after work, at lunch times … and, truth be told, during work hours.
After a couple of years toying with ideas, she joined a creative writing group and began to write The Baby Trail. The bitter-sweet comedy of a couple struggling to conceive hit a nerve in publishing circles. It was snapped up by Penguin Publishing in the UK and Ireland and has, to date, been translated into twenty languages.
Since writing The Baby Trail, Sinead has moved back to Dublin where she lives with her husband, two sons and baby girl.
Her second book A Perfect Match has been published worldwide. The US version of A Perfect Match is called The Right Fit. Her third novel – From Here to Maternity – is the third installment of the Emma Hamilton series. Her fourth book – In My Sister’s Shoes – is about two sisters who help save each other. Her fifth book has been published under two different titles: Whose Life Is It Anyway? in Ireland and Keeping it in the Family in the UK.
Her sixth book, Pieces of my Heart, about a family dealing with a terrible crisis, went straight in at number 1 in the Irish charts and was nominated for an Irish Book Award.
Her seventh book – Me and My Sisters – went straight in at number 1 in the Irish charts and was nominated for an Irish Book Award.
Her most recent novel Mad About You is the fourth novel in the Emma Hamilton Series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
July 13, 2017
This book is absolutely awful. The plot is too far-fetched and unbelievable. The writing style is extremely immature. It reminded me of the fan fiction twelve year olds write. The characters were poorly developed, one-dimensional, clichéd and did not behave in a realistic manner. Anna's holier-than-thou attitude was truly repulsive. The conversations between the characters did not seem real. The dialogue between the characters was forced and awkward throughout the entire book. The teenage characters sounded like 60 year olds at times. The supposedly "funny" scenes in this book didn't raise much of a smile from me.
In fact, I found this novel to be completely and utterly offensive. In this book the author has made the assumption that if you grow up in an underprivileged area you are automatically exposed to drugs, alcohol, abuse, poverty, neglect and violence and you will become a "bad parent" when you have children and live off "welfare". This is simply just not true!! And that is coming from someone who grew up in an underprivileged area in Dublin like the one the author describes in the book. I thought it was extremely unrealistic to have every child in a class of 30 suffer such abuse. That is simply unbelievable. One or two children would have been believable -- not every single child from a poor area! The author seems to think that "language delays, stuttering, inability to engage with other children and classwork, hyperactivity, disruptive behaviour and inability to concentrate" are signs that a child is being neglected and abused. They are not! These are signs of conditions like autism and ADHD! Conditions children from ANY background can have. I showed this novel to my sister who is actually a teacher in an "underprivileged area" and she was horrified by the crap the author was harping on about and agreed the classroom scenes were completely unrealistic, insulting and nasty.
The abduction plot was too unbelievable. It's not possible that a child would be abducted off a ferry like that, especially one travelling from one country to another where you'd need identification to allow you to pass immigration checks, etc. Plus there would be security cameras everywhere on the boat. Anna would not have gotten off the boat with that child! It would never happen in a million years! It annoyed me that Anna never took responsibility for her actions and I hated the ending of the novel. The so called "happy" ending was ludicrous and ridiculous! I don't have anything positive to say about this book. It is one of the worst books I have ever read in my entire life!
Novels tend to give you an insight into the author's mind and tell you something about the person writing the book. This book told me the author was a complete snob, and a very ignorant and judgmental person. I won't be reading another novel by this author.
This is definitely one of those la-la-land books. I don't believe anyone would actually enjoy this book. Avoid at all costs. One Star!
In fact, I found this novel to be completely and utterly offensive. In this book the author has made the assumption that if you grow up in an underprivileged area you are automatically exposed to drugs, alcohol, abuse, poverty, neglect and violence and you will become a "bad parent" when you have children and live off "welfare". This is simply just not true!! And that is coming from someone who grew up in an underprivileged area in Dublin like the one the author describes in the book. I thought it was extremely unrealistic to have every child in a class of 30 suffer such abuse. That is simply unbelievable. One or two children would have been believable -- not every single child from a poor area! The author seems to think that "language delays, stuttering, inability to engage with other children and classwork, hyperactivity, disruptive behaviour and inability to concentrate" are signs that a child is being neglected and abused. They are not! These are signs of conditions like autism and ADHD! Conditions children from ANY background can have. I showed this novel to my sister who is actually a teacher in an "underprivileged area" and she was horrified by the crap the author was harping on about and agreed the classroom scenes were completely unrealistic, insulting and nasty.
The abduction plot was too unbelievable. It's not possible that a child would be abducted off a ferry like that, especially one travelling from one country to another where you'd need identification to allow you to pass immigration checks, etc. Plus there would be security cameras everywhere on the boat. Anna would not have gotten off the boat with that child! It would never happen in a million years! It annoyed me that Anna never took responsibility for her actions and I hated the ending of the novel. The so called "happy" ending was ludicrous and ridiculous! I don't have anything positive to say about this book. It is one of the worst books I have ever read in my entire life!
Novels tend to give you an insight into the author's mind and tell you something about the person writing the book. This book told me the author was a complete snob, and a very ignorant and judgmental person. I won't be reading another novel by this author.
This is definitely one of those la-la-land books. I don't believe anyone would actually enjoy this book. Avoid at all costs. One Star!
February 16, 2013
This was my first time to read a book by this author. It will be my last. I only persevered because it is my book club read for this month, otherwise I would have given up after the first chapter. There was absolutely nothing I enjoyed about this read. I disliked the writing, the story and the characters. It was boring, repetitive and unrealistic. A waste of my money and time.
November 24, 2013
Thank you to Penguin Ireland for the unexpected but welcomed review copy.
Sophie is a happy 18-year-old living in London with Anna, her Irish mother. Anna has devoted her life to Sophie. It may be just the two of them but Anna has more than enough love to give. Sophie has everything she could ever need.
Laura is a not-so-happy artist. She too has a daughter, Mandy. But Laura is haunted by the loss of her first child, Jody. Happy-go-lucky as she is, Mandy lives in Jody's shadow and wonders why her mother can never let go.
Oh where to start. Well first of all you should know that by the end of this book I was emotionally wrung out and had a major book hangover - so that probably tells you all you need to know about this one, however I shall of course expand.
For me it was all about the children not the mothers. Both Anna and Laura are polar opposites when it comes to parenting - both made extraordinarily bad choices which haunt them, both attempt to make amends, and their story is compelling - however I spent the majority of the read wanting to smother both of them with a pillow for the simple fact that the situation they find themselves in is entirely of their own making. Now of course no-one goes through life making perfect unselfish choices, and I forgave Laura hers - but could not really forgive Anna even though I can understand utterly what drove her. Hey the very fact that this novel set off this type of emotional response in me tells you something as well....
Their children are the key - they live very much with the choices of their parents (don't we all in a way?) and so my heart and soul was with them for the entire reading experience. Sophie is lovely - balanced, well adjusted, friendly and kind - but one act committed by her mother many years ago is about to rip her life apart and send her down an emotional rabbit hole. Mandy is a stroppy teenager with a very authentic outlook on life for her age, again choices made by her mother form her very being - and she is about to join Sophie down that rabbit hole...
This novel covered a myriad of issues - maternal love, the need for a child, nature v nurture, all done in a very real, very addictive, extremely fascinating rollercoaster ride of emotional turmoil. Intelligent impassioned prose and a very real voice given to each of the characters involved means that once started it is almost impossible to put down until you are done.
And I have to give an honourable mention to Lexie - a character once removed in a way from the drama unfolding around her - she absolutely became one of my favourite people ever to emerge from fiction. I wish she was not a character and that I knew her in real life.
Some suspension of disbelief is required here - without giving anything away I can say that some of the parts of this story seemed unlikely in the extreme, especially when it came to consequences for actions - however that is not what this story is about at its heart so allow it that foible...
Highly Recommended.
Sophie is a happy 18-year-old living in London with Anna, her Irish mother. Anna has devoted her life to Sophie. It may be just the two of them but Anna has more than enough love to give. Sophie has everything she could ever need.
Laura is a not-so-happy artist. She too has a daughter, Mandy. But Laura is haunted by the loss of her first child, Jody. Happy-go-lucky as she is, Mandy lives in Jody's shadow and wonders why her mother can never let go.
Oh where to start. Well first of all you should know that by the end of this book I was emotionally wrung out and had a major book hangover - so that probably tells you all you need to know about this one, however I shall of course expand.
For me it was all about the children not the mothers. Both Anna and Laura are polar opposites when it comes to parenting - both made extraordinarily bad choices which haunt them, both attempt to make amends, and their story is compelling - however I spent the majority of the read wanting to smother both of them with a pillow for the simple fact that the situation they find themselves in is entirely of their own making. Now of course no-one goes through life making perfect unselfish choices, and I forgave Laura hers - but could not really forgive Anna even though I can understand utterly what drove her. Hey the very fact that this novel set off this type of emotional response in me tells you something as well....
Their children are the key - they live very much with the choices of their parents (don't we all in a way?) and so my heart and soul was with them for the entire reading experience. Sophie is lovely - balanced, well adjusted, friendly and kind - but one act committed by her mother many years ago is about to rip her life apart and send her down an emotional rabbit hole. Mandy is a stroppy teenager with a very authentic outlook on life for her age, again choices made by her mother form her very being - and she is about to join Sophie down that rabbit hole...
This novel covered a myriad of issues - maternal love, the need for a child, nature v nurture, all done in a very real, very addictive, extremely fascinating rollercoaster ride of emotional turmoil. Intelligent impassioned prose and a very real voice given to each of the characters involved means that once started it is almost impossible to put down until you are done.
And I have to give an honourable mention to Lexie - a character once removed in a way from the drama unfolding around her - she absolutely became one of my favourite people ever to emerge from fiction. I wish she was not a character and that I knew her in real life.
Some suspension of disbelief is required here - without giving anything away I can say that some of the parts of this story seemed unlikely in the extreme, especially when it came to consequences for actions - however that is not what this story is about at its heart so allow it that foible...
Highly Recommended.
September 10, 2016
I haven’t read any of Sinéad’s books before so when Catherine of Penguin Ireland kindly asked me if I would like to review this, I jumped at the chance.
This is the story of two mothers – Laura and Anna, and their daughters. One woman had suffered more than her share of tragedy and the other was a teenager lacking any sense of responsibility and seeing her baby as a burden rather than a joy.
We then move forward 20 years or so and discover the devastating consequences of one woman’s actions. Much heartache and grief has been caused in the intervening years and now someone has to be held to account.
I don't want to give too much of the story away as it is one you need to discover for yourself but I was gripped by this book from the very start and by the end, felt as if I had been on an emotional rollercoaster. The characters are so well developed and although they are not all likeable, they all have a strong voice. I didn’t want to like either Laura or Anna, but I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for them when the secrets of the past finally came to light. Laura and Anna apart, there are many wonderful characters here, including Sophie, whose life is suddenly torn apart. Her friend Holly, a typical teen but loyal to the end and then there is Lexie. On reflection, Lexie was my favourite character – she may have been cast as the stereotypical WAG but she had a heart of gold and became a true friend. Mandy was a typical moody angst ridden teenager and although I really disliked her at times, I did feel a bit sorry for her at the way her life had suddenly changed.
Sinéad has dealt expertly with this emotional and controversial subject; there is humour as well as heartbreak and there are times when the desire to shake a character and bring them to their senses is just overwhelming. This story will draw you in and won’t let go until the very last page.
My thanks to Penguin Ireland for the copy to review.
This is the story of two mothers – Laura and Anna, and their daughters. One woman had suffered more than her share of tragedy and the other was a teenager lacking any sense of responsibility and seeing her baby as a burden rather than a joy.
We then move forward 20 years or so and discover the devastating consequences of one woman’s actions. Much heartache and grief has been caused in the intervening years and now someone has to be held to account.
I don't want to give too much of the story away as it is one you need to discover for yourself but I was gripped by this book from the very start and by the end, felt as if I had been on an emotional rollercoaster. The characters are so well developed and although they are not all likeable, they all have a strong voice. I didn’t want to like either Laura or Anna, but I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for them when the secrets of the past finally came to light. Laura and Anna apart, there are many wonderful characters here, including Sophie, whose life is suddenly torn apart. Her friend Holly, a typical teen but loyal to the end and then there is Lexie. On reflection, Lexie was my favourite character – she may have been cast as the stereotypical WAG but she had a heart of gold and became a true friend. Mandy was a typical moody angst ridden teenager and although I really disliked her at times, I did feel a bit sorry for her at the way her life had suddenly changed.
Sinéad has dealt expertly with this emotional and controversial subject; there is humour as well as heartbreak and there are times when the desire to shake a character and bring them to their senses is just overwhelming. This story will draw you in and won’t let go until the very last page.
My thanks to Penguin Ireland for the copy to review.
March 7, 2017
Sinéad Moriarty has written yet another emotionally intense novel guaranteed to have you reaching for a box of tissues. This Child of Mine tells the story of two mothers, two daughters, and decisions made long ago that affected the course of all their lives.
There’s very little I can mention in this review that wouldn’t be a major spoiler, which makes this an extremely difficult review to write. Instead, I’ll make a few brief observations.
Personality-wise, Anna and Laura are complete opposites. The two things they have in common is that they are both single mothers, and the unconditional love they have for their children. Both are willing to do what’s best for their children, no matter how difficult or painful it may be for them to do it.
Sophie has always been close with her mother, but a secret Anna kept from her leaves her feeling shocked and confused. Working out how she feels about it is made harder because she’s always turned to Anna for guidance, and she’s unable to do this now.
Mandy has a difficult relationship with Laura.She loves her, but often feels suffocated by her, which makes her push Laura away even though she understands why her mother is over-protective.
I felt a great deal of sympathy (most of the time) for all of them, but there were times Anna and Laura really got on my nerves (which was fitting given the particular points in the story where it happened). There was only one portion of the story—concerning Sophie and Mandy—that I didn’t care for, because I didn’t find it believable for Sophie’s character to be in that situation. It felt a little too cliché, in my opinion.
Overall, this was a great book that I enjoyed reading very much, and I definitely recommend it to others.
I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley and Bookouture.
There’s very little I can mention in this review that wouldn’t be a major spoiler, which makes this an extremely difficult review to write. Instead, I’ll make a few brief observations.
Personality-wise, Anna and Laura are complete opposites. The two things they have in common is that they are both single mothers, and the unconditional love they have for their children. Both are willing to do what’s best for their children, no matter how difficult or painful it may be for them to do it.
Sophie has always been close with her mother, but a secret Anna kept from her leaves her feeling shocked and confused. Working out how she feels about it is made harder because she’s always turned to Anna for guidance, and she’s unable to do this now.
Mandy has a difficult relationship with Laura.She loves her, but often feels suffocated by her, which makes her push Laura away even though she understands why her mother is over-protective.
I felt a great deal of sympathy (most of the time) for all of them, but there were times Anna and Laura really got on my nerves (which was fitting given the particular points in the story where it happened). There was only one portion of the story—concerning Sophie and Mandy—that I didn’t care for, because I didn’t find it believable for Sophie’s character to be in that situation. It felt a little too cliché, in my opinion.
Overall, this was a great book that I enjoyed reading very much, and I definitely recommend it to others.
I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley and Bookouture.
May 22, 2013
I’ve enjoyed a few of Sinead’s previous novels, and so I was looking forward to reading this. It had been sat on my to-read pile, and I was so pleased when I was finally able to pick it up.
This book is very well written. I don’t feel I can talk about the plot line because I don’t want to give any of it away, and as you read the book you discover a bit more with each chapter, so all I can do is strongly urge anyone reading this to give This Child Of Mine a chance.
The blurb does not give much away and so I didn’t know what to expect when I opened the book, but within the first chapter I was gripped. The story is riveting, it is compelling and I literally could not put the book down. The reader is taken through a variety of issues and dilemmas within the pages and it is a very emotional story that grips your heart and pulls you in even further. Sinead writes very beautifully, tackling the issues in the book with sensitivity, and her writing style draws the reader in and absorbs them into the tale.
The characters were very well written and developed. The chapters are written from the different characters perspectives and this works well as it gives different angles and opinions to the story. As a reader we begin to learn more about the characters, what motivates them, what their thoughts and feelings are, and Sinead allows us to understand them on many levels.
This is an emotional story, it is very well-written, it is moving, and fans of Sinead will enjoy this one.
This book is very well written. I don’t feel I can talk about the plot line because I don’t want to give any of it away, and as you read the book you discover a bit more with each chapter, so all I can do is strongly urge anyone reading this to give This Child Of Mine a chance.
The blurb does not give much away and so I didn’t know what to expect when I opened the book, but within the first chapter I was gripped. The story is riveting, it is compelling and I literally could not put the book down. The reader is taken through a variety of issues and dilemmas within the pages and it is a very emotional story that grips your heart and pulls you in even further. Sinead writes very beautifully, tackling the issues in the book with sensitivity, and her writing style draws the reader in and absorbs them into the tale.
The characters were very well written and developed. The chapters are written from the different characters perspectives and this works well as it gives different angles and opinions to the story. As a reader we begin to learn more about the characters, what motivates them, what their thoughts and feelings are, and Sinead allows us to understand them on many levels.
This is an emotional story, it is very well-written, it is moving, and fans of Sinead will enjoy this one.
October 27, 2013
It has been well over six years since I read Sinead Moriarty's trilogy about Emma Hamilton; The Baby Trail, A Perfect Match and From Here To Maternity. I remember really enjoying the series, but for some reason I've not read any of her later novels. I've just finished This Child Of Mine, her eighth novel which was published in Penguin Paperback on September 26th 2013, and am wondering why/how I missed out on the others?
I was totally and utterly hooked by This Child of Mine from the very first page. Sinead Moriarty's writing flows beautifully, her characters are charming and very realistic - they are flawed, but with very good reason. The subject matter is dark and emotional, the consequences of the character's actions are devastating, causing long-term suffering, yet this is not a harrowing or morbid read. There is humour amongst the angst and warmth amongst the heartbreak, and Moriarty has expertly balanced this story.
To talk too much about the actual plot line would give away the detail and would spoil the novel for anyone who has not yet read it. However, the reader is aware of what has happened long before most of the characters find out, and as the story unfolds and more is learnt about each character, the story and the sympathies alter.
Polished and almost perfect, this is a novel that kept me gripped until the very last page.
I was totally and utterly hooked by This Child of Mine from the very first page. Sinead Moriarty's writing flows beautifully, her characters are charming and very realistic - they are flawed, but with very good reason. The subject matter is dark and emotional, the consequences of the character's actions are devastating, causing long-term suffering, yet this is not a harrowing or morbid read. There is humour amongst the angst and warmth amongst the heartbreak, and Moriarty has expertly balanced this story.
To talk too much about the actual plot line would give away the detail and would spoil the novel for anyone who has not yet read it. However, the reader is aware of what has happened long before most of the characters find out, and as the story unfolds and more is learnt about each character, the story and the sympathies alter.
Polished and almost perfect, this is a novel that kept me gripped until the very last page.
October 24, 2012
Sinead Moriarty is one of my favourite writers so when I found out she was bringing out a new book I was very pleased. The blurb at the back doesn't give much away and this made me even more intrigued to read it. The book is mostly written in the present tense of Sophie, Anna and Laura but does go back to Anna and Lauras past to explain the situation they've found themselves in.
My favourite character was Holly, who is Sophies best friend and is full of energy and life and gives great advice to Sophie and is always there for her. She's the best friend every girl wants. Joan who is Laura's mother got on my nerves a bit but in some ways it's understanding the way she was.
Although I prefer Sinead writing about babies and families in her Emma Hamilton series, I did enjoy this book. Once the secret was revealed I didn't find much happened but it was nice to find out what the outcome was. The story itself and the twist at the end seemed a bit unbelievable to me and that's why it is a 4 star.
My favourite character was Holly, who is Sophies best friend and is full of energy and life and gives great advice to Sophie and is always there for her. She's the best friend every girl wants. Joan who is Laura's mother got on my nerves a bit but in some ways it's understanding the way she was.
Although I prefer Sinead writing about babies and families in her Emma Hamilton series, I did enjoy this book. Once the secret was revealed I didn't find much happened but it was nice to find out what the outcome was. The story itself and the twist at the end seemed a bit unbelievable to me and that's why it is a 4 star.
July 18, 2013
Can't understand the bad reviews on this book, sure the outcome is not what would happen in real life but we need to remember its a story, a piece of fiction, for me this is the best SM book I have read, I was gripped with the story from the start right through to the end, loved it
September 14, 2017
I was a little shocked after reading the last Sinéad Moriarty book to find that I genuinely didn’t like this one. Normally, if I like a book from an author, I will find I like others. Maybe to differing degrees, but still within a similar range. Not so in this case.
The main thing for me was that I could not, in any way like ANY of these characters. Anna was this perfect, infallible person but she never really truly admits to any wrong doing. Laura is a joke, horribly messed up, knows she is horribly messed up, but again it feels like she never takes takes any actual responsibility, not in any real way. Sophie’s reactions just all feel extreme and off for what her history has been. Yes, I could see justification and motivations and all of that. I understood it, but none of it came off as truly believable.
The other thing, and one that nearly killed this book for me, was the constant confusion of which character’s perspective I was reading. Each chapter started with one of the three main characters, as a heading, indicating that chapter was dedicated to that person’s perspective. Then, you are suddenly reading from a different character’s perspective, without warning or obvious shift, sometimes even getting little glimpses from the secondary characters like Mandy or Holly. It was seriously confusing at times. Normally I enjoy multi-perspective books, but when you are expecting one and are suddenly thrust into another it is not only confusing, but it is distracting and takes away from the story.
Between the confusion and the serious lack of likability of any of the characters, I just did not like this one.
The main thing for me was that I could not, in any way like ANY of these characters. Anna was this perfect, infallible person but she never really truly admits to any wrong doing. Laura is a joke, horribly messed up, knows she is horribly messed up, but again it feels like she never takes takes any actual responsibility, not in any real way. Sophie’s reactions just all feel extreme and off for what her history has been. Yes, I could see justification and motivations and all of that. I understood it, but none of it came off as truly believable.
The other thing, and one that nearly killed this book for me, was the constant confusion of which character’s perspective I was reading. Each chapter started with one of the three main characters, as a heading, indicating that chapter was dedicated to that person’s perspective. Then, you are suddenly reading from a different character’s perspective, without warning or obvious shift, sometimes even getting little glimpses from the secondary characters like Mandy or Holly. It was seriously confusing at times. Normally I enjoy multi-perspective books, but when you are expecting one and are suddenly thrust into another it is not only confusing, but it is distracting and takes away from the story.
Between the confusion and the serious lack of likability of any of the characters, I just did not like this one.
April 9, 2018
I loved this book! It was such an easy, lovely read. I kept changing who I disliked the most, I can see both sides of the story but it is still wrong what happened but all the same it was lovely!
October 14, 2013
This Child of Mine is an Irish chick-lit with engaging characters who do awful things but somehow manage to redeem themselves.
My Recap :
This Child of Mine is a story about motherly love; two mothers and one daughter, too many broken hearts and one big, ugly mess. I don’t want to say much more than that as it would be a spoilery.
My Thoughts:
My initial thought on this book is that both mothers Anna and Laura are at times lovely and at other times so wrong, so blind-sighted in their thinking that you want to scream at them. They are both messed up from what life has thrown at them but both do unforgiveable things. I can’t pick which one I prefer as they both screw up so badly at various times.
Sophie (the daughter) feels very realistic, I think her actions and feelings on the foot of some major discoveries about herself are spot on. She is easy to empathise with and my heart felt torn on her behalf.
The plot felt somewhat predictable and somewhat unrealistic however thinking over the morals of their choices made this a very engaging read. The mystery element isn’t held for very long as you quickly know what is happening, this is fine though as the humour and characters more than sustain my interest.
I love the wit in Sinead’s books and they always make me laugh. I do at times find it all gets a bit OTT but at the end of the day that is part of the fun and the hilarity was badly needed here to balance our some of the darker elements of the book.
Two of the characters in the book have synaesthesia, a condition where you see emotions, numbers and names in colour. I first heard about this condition when Kelley @ Another Novel Read described how it affected her and I have been fascinated with it ever since. It was fun to get another insight into how exactly this manifests itself into everyday life through these characters.
Overall this book is equal parts; a fun read, a thought-provoking read and an emotional read. I really enjoyed it despite having a few issues along the way.
Who should read This Child of Mine?
I’d recommend This Child of Mine to fans of chick-lit books who like books that mix in heavy issues with lots of humour.
My Recap :
This Child of Mine is a story about motherly love; two mothers and one daughter, too many broken hearts and one big, ugly mess. I don’t want to say much more than that as it would be a spoilery.
My Thoughts:
My initial thought on this book is that both mothers Anna and Laura are at times lovely and at other times so wrong, so blind-sighted in their thinking that you want to scream at them. They are both messed up from what life has thrown at them but both do unforgiveable things. I can’t pick which one I prefer as they both screw up so badly at various times.
Sophie (the daughter) feels very realistic, I think her actions and feelings on the foot of some major discoveries about herself are spot on. She is easy to empathise with and my heart felt torn on her behalf.
The plot felt somewhat predictable and somewhat unrealistic however thinking over the morals of their choices made this a very engaging read. The mystery element isn’t held for very long as you quickly know what is happening, this is fine though as the humour and characters more than sustain my interest.
I love the wit in Sinead’s books and they always make me laugh. I do at times find it all gets a bit OTT but at the end of the day that is part of the fun and the hilarity was badly needed here to balance our some of the darker elements of the book.
Two of the characters in the book have synaesthesia, a condition where you see emotions, numbers and names in colour. I first heard about this condition when Kelley @ Another Novel Read described how it affected her and I have been fascinated with it ever since. It was fun to get another insight into how exactly this manifests itself into everyday life through these characters.
Overall this book is equal parts; a fun read, a thought-provoking read and an emotional read. I really enjoyed it despite having a few issues along the way.
Who should read This Child of Mine?
I’d recommend This Child of Mine to fans of chick-lit books who like books that mix in heavy issues with lots of humour.
November 10, 2013
A review copy was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review
Warning this review may contain spoilers!
This child of Mine started off really well. Anna was a content women, infants with colourful backgrounds in the suburbs of Dublin. I had to actually stop reading this on the train because I was laughing out loud at the "Dublin Jackeen" humour. The kids were true to life and extremely funny. The nativity play is priceless and the writing, brilliant.
However I found that once Anna left Ireland that the humour slowly faded away. I understand that this was due to circumstances but I felt the novel would have benefited from a further injections of the same humour throughout.
For me the situation on the ferry was a little unrealistic and predicable. I really can't see how anyone could take a child from a boat and not be spotted on any camera either on the ship or afterwards as she left the both. She would have been caught within 24 hours. However this is fiction and so I didn't dwell on it too much.
The real problem is that the characters were, for me, unappealing. Anna never once sees any wrong in her actions. She ruined the lives of so many people. She judged a person based on one incident and decided to play God. Joan pretty much forces her daughter to go through with a pregnancy she clearly didn't want. I think adoption would have been the best option. As for Mandy, she is the typical clichéd teen. Dark and depressing.
Some real suspense would have been great. It would have been a lot more exciting if there was a risk of Anna getting caught at least once throughout the 17 years!
If you are a long time fan of Sinead then you'll probably enjoy this novel. Others may find it a little flat after the initial humorous few chapters.
Warning this review may contain spoilers!
This child of Mine started off really well. Anna was a content women, infants with colourful backgrounds in the suburbs of Dublin. I had to actually stop reading this on the train because I was laughing out loud at the "Dublin Jackeen" humour. The kids were true to life and extremely funny. The nativity play is priceless and the writing, brilliant.
However I found that once Anna left Ireland that the humour slowly faded away. I understand that this was due to circumstances but I felt the novel would have benefited from a further injections of the same humour throughout.
For me the situation on the ferry was a little unrealistic and predicable. I really can't see how anyone could take a child from a boat and not be spotted on any camera either on the ship or afterwards as she left the both. She would have been caught within 24 hours. However this is fiction and so I didn't dwell on it too much.
The real problem is that the characters were, for me, unappealing. Anna never once sees any wrong in her actions. She ruined the lives of so many people. She judged a person based on one incident and decided to play God. Joan pretty much forces her daughter to go through with a pregnancy she clearly didn't want. I think adoption would have been the best option. As for Mandy, she is the typical clichéd teen. Dark and depressing.
Some real suspense would have been great. It would have been a lot more exciting if there was a risk of Anna getting caught at least once throughout the 17 years!
If you are a long time fan of Sinead then you'll probably enjoy this novel. Others may find it a little flat after the initial humorous few chapters.
May 25, 2013
I was intrigued by this book from the beginning, as the blurb didn't give much away, and the opening chapters were indeed engaging and got me into the story. However, as I read on I was a bit disappointed that the overall plot line seemed to be very unrealistic. There were some very funny and relatable characters, but I didn't find the main characters very likeable.
The idea of a child going missing on a boat, and being presumed drowned, seems very far fetched. Surely there would have been some sort of investigation? Also Laura doesn't seem very angry when she finally comes face to face with Anna. Had my child been taken for seventeen years, and I met their kidnapper, they wouldn't be leaving the scene unharmed, never mind uncharged! Laura seemed too accepting of the situation and I just didn't find that believable.
There were some redeeming features to the book. It was well written, I liked how it changed points of view in each chapter so that we got read every side of the story. I found Laura, Anna and Sophie difficult to like, but I did like Mandy and Lexie. And the story was very engaging and a good idea for a plot, but I just felt it wasn't quite written in a credible way.
The idea of a child going missing on a boat, and being presumed drowned, seems very far fetched. Surely there would have been some sort of investigation? Also Laura doesn't seem very angry when she finally comes face to face with Anna. Had my child been taken for seventeen years, and I met their kidnapper, they wouldn't be leaving the scene unharmed, never mind uncharged! Laura seemed too accepting of the situation and I just didn't find that believable.
There were some redeeming features to the book. It was well written, I liked how it changed points of view in each chapter so that we got read every side of the story. I found Laura, Anna and Sophie difficult to like, but I did like Mandy and Lexie. And the story was very engaging and a good idea for a plot, but I just felt it wasn't quite written in a credible way.
December 18, 2013
This is the emotional story of the bond between two mothers and two very different daughters. Sophie has been brought up in London by her adoring mother, Anna, whilst Mandy has been brought up in Ireland, by her arty mother, Laura. The story evolves gradually and the devastating consequences of long buried secrets are about to tear two families wide apart.
I found that this was a quick read , not because the book is light on content but because once I started to read , I really couldn't put the book down and became engrossed in the way the author drew me into the back story of Anna and Laura's past lives. Each story is equally compelling with neither outshining the other and there are enough twists and turns in the plot to keep you guessing right until the end. I don't want to reveal any of the plot as this is one of those stories which is better for the not knowing and deserves to be read with no preconceptions.
Recommended if you like books by Diane Chamberlain, Jodi Picoult, Susan Lewis.
My thanks to Penguin UK and Netgalley for my copy of this book.
I found that this was a quick read , not because the book is light on content but because once I started to read , I really couldn't put the book down and became engrossed in the way the author drew me into the back story of Anna and Laura's past lives. Each story is equally compelling with neither outshining the other and there are enough twists and turns in the plot to keep you guessing right until the end. I don't want to reveal any of the plot as this is one of those stories which is better for the not knowing and deserves to be read with no preconceptions.
Recommended if you like books by Diane Chamberlain, Jodi Picoult, Susan Lewis.
My thanks to Penguin UK and Netgalley for my copy of this book.
October 22, 2016
This Child Of Mine By Sinead Moriaty is a women's fiction and general fiction (adult) read.
How far would you go to save a child?
Single mom Anna and her eighteen-year-old daughter Sophie have always got along like two peas in a pod. But for the past seventeen years, Anna has been keeping a dark secret from Sophie.
When Sophie sees a woman who is her spitting image on TV, talking about the loss of her daughter at sea, seventeen years earlier, her whole world is turned upside down.
Can she forgive Anna?
Does she want to find out the truth?
Does she want to know her real mother?
Does she really want to search for the truth?
Where does she belong?
Who is her real mother?
What should she do?
And is the mother-daughter bond strong enough to withstand the devastating truth?
Absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. I was torn between Anna and Laura. I really felt for Sophie. I felt tears and joy. I loved the ending too. Highly recommended. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.
How far would you go to save a child?
Single mom Anna and her eighteen-year-old daughter Sophie have always got along like two peas in a pod. But for the past seventeen years, Anna has been keeping a dark secret from Sophie.
When Sophie sees a woman who is her spitting image on TV, talking about the loss of her daughter at sea, seventeen years earlier, her whole world is turned upside down.
Can she forgive Anna?
Does she want to find out the truth?
Does she want to know her real mother?
Does she really want to search for the truth?
Where does she belong?
Who is her real mother?
What should she do?
And is the mother-daughter bond strong enough to withstand the devastating truth?
Absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. I was torn between Anna and Laura. I really felt for Sophie. I felt tears and joy. I loved the ending too. Highly recommended. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.
October 29, 2016
I absolutely loved this book from the first page to the last. When Anna loses a child after many miscarriages, has a failed marriage, she tries to. Make a new life for herself. She leaves her hometown, and is on a boat to London when she see a situation where a mother is passed out drunk and her baby is being neglected. She feels she has no other option than to rescue the baby. She raises the baby as her own, but after 17 years, the truth comes out. It is a struggle for Jody/Sophie between the mother who raised her and the mother who gave birth to her. How do you forgive both mothers and try to have a relationship with both of them. This was a real page turner.
October 17, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed this wonderfully written, raw, emotional story. I thought the author did a great job laying out the background information for both "mother's" and I was able to sympathize with both in the end. All of the characters were so well done. It doesn't get anymore emotional or heartbreaking than this. I highly recommend this book!
November 1, 2014
sinead one of my favourite author and this did not let me down. had worked it out quite early loved insight into laura and annas life loved Sophie and her relationship with mandy brilliant
October 31, 2016
Beautiful, emotional, heartbreaking, intense. Kept me engrossed until the very last word. Absolutely loved this amazing story.
January 14, 2017
3.5 out of 5.
August 16, 2018
Bookouture and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of This Child of Mine. I was under no obligations to review this book and my opinion is freely given.
Laura was just a teenager when her daughter Jody was born, relying on her mother and brother to take care of the child so that she could continue her wanton ways. After tragedy takes the child away, will Laura find the strength to mature and change her life?
After Anna and her husband suffer the loss of several pregnancies, their world is torn apart. Choosing to make a fresh start, will a split second decision on Anna's part set in motion heartache for some and happiness for others?
When eighteen year old Sophie sees a woman on television that bears a strong resemblance to her, will her search for the truth lead to heartache?
This Child of Mine should have been a compelling story, but I never quite felt the emotional upheaval that the characters experienced. The rage, the anger, the fear, the love, the loss, and the hope that swirled through the book were just words on a page for me. The only character that felt remotely real was Sophie, for her reactions seemed realistic and genuine. There were points in the plot that seemed to exist only to move the story along, instead of being a logical step in the lives of the characters. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend This Child of Mine to other readers.
Laura was just a teenager when her daughter Jody was born, relying on her mother and brother to take care of the child so that she could continue her wanton ways. After tragedy takes the child away, will Laura find the strength to mature and change her life?
After Anna and her husband suffer the loss of several pregnancies, their world is torn apart. Choosing to make a fresh start, will a split second decision on Anna's part set in motion heartache for some and happiness for others?
When eighteen year old Sophie sees a woman on television that bears a strong resemblance to her, will her search for the truth lead to heartache?
This Child of Mine should have been a compelling story, but I never quite felt the emotional upheaval that the characters experienced. The rage, the anger, the fear, the love, the loss, and the hope that swirled through the book were just words on a page for me. The only character that felt remotely real was Sophie, for her reactions seemed realistic and genuine. There were points in the plot that seemed to exist only to move the story along, instead of being a logical step in the lives of the characters. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend This Child of Mine to other readers.
February 14, 2018
I downloaded this novel as soon as I finished reading The Way We Were by the same author. I had enjoyed that one so much that I assumed I’d like other books by Moriarty. This one was quite a disappointment. The dialogue was so unnatural and stilted it was hard to read; kindergarteners spoke like vulgar teenagers; the teacher’s interaction with her students was laughable. The characters were unrealistic and cardboard. The basic plot has a lot of potential; it is a shame that the tone of the book is so flat. I abandoned this one at the 30% mark. The second star is in recognition of the fact that the book was structured well, the writing is grammatically correct, and the plot idea is interesting and original.
March 27, 2018
The blurb for this book makes it sound like it’s going to be some huge mystery, but it’s not. I seriously figured out the whole plot from the blurb. I kept plodding through, although I don’t know why. I guess I wanted to like it, but I just never did.
Most of the characters in this book are complete assholes. Especially Joan and Mandy. And Anna! Talk about pretentious! She was so judgmental about her students’ parents it was crazy. Also, I have worked with 4-5 year olds myself and while they’ll tell lots of things their parents wish they hadn’t, most of them do not pick up on the sex and drug conversations these kids seem to hear. It just wasn’t realistic. Most of this book was unrealistic.
It read like a sappy “young adult” novel. Just not my kinda read. Blah.
Most of the characters in this book are complete assholes. Especially Joan and Mandy. And Anna! Talk about pretentious! She was so judgmental about her students’ parents it was crazy. Also, I have worked with 4-5 year olds myself and while they’ll tell lots of things their parents wish they hadn’t, most of them do not pick up on the sex and drug conversations these kids seem to hear. It just wasn’t realistic. Most of this book was unrealistic.
It read like a sappy “young adult” novel. Just not my kinda read. Blah.
May 13, 2019
This is a fantastic read that asks so many questions- can you just take an abused child and run off with her? Even if you can give them the best life? Should a grandmother-to-be insist that her child keep a baby even though the daughter doesn't want to? How long should a person be blamed for a mistake? Is forgiveness possible? A story full of emotion and twists.
I found this by accident. I was looking for Lianne Moriarty's books and saw this one nearby and was pulled to the title and more intrigued when i read the back of the book. And i'm so glad i did! Sinead is a fabulous story teller and i can't wait to read more of her books!
I found this by accident. I was looking for Lianne Moriarty's books and saw this one nearby and was pulled to the title and more intrigued when i read the back of the book. And i'm so glad i did! Sinead is a fabulous story teller and i can't wait to read more of her books!
February 9, 2023
Too far fetched
I have read several books by this author, she is usually a very good writer. Sadly, this offering is nowhere near her best. Far too many coincidences and unbelievable twists. From the very beginning, where Sophie sees someone on TV who looks just like her, to the end (which I won’t spoil), there are a series of ridiculous events. Too many things to list, but the whole birth certificate scenario is irritating. The father would have been named, and Sophie must have celebrated on the wrong date every year. I kept trying but I just couldn’t feel engaged with any of the characters.
I have read several books by this author, she is usually a very good writer. Sadly, this offering is nowhere near her best. Far too many coincidences and unbelievable twists. From the very beginning, where Sophie sees someone on TV who looks just like her, to the end (which I won’t spoil), there are a series of ridiculous events. Too many things to list, but the whole birth certificate scenario is irritating. The father would have been named, and Sophie must have celebrated on the wrong date every year. I kept trying but I just couldn’t feel engaged with any of the characters.
November 12, 2017
An appalling book, the start was the worse part, surprised I didn't give up on it, but I do hate not giving a book a chance. The relationships between the characters were so unbelievable and poorly written and so ridiculously argumentative.
It did get a little better towards the end and I was interested to know how it would end, but certainly cannot recommend.
It did get a little better towards the end and I was interested to know how it would end, but certainly cannot recommend.
March 2, 2018
Two stars
Although the book was supposed to tell a story, I believe it was way over done. Perhaps author felt it necessary to repeatedly retell the circumstances of the abduction throughout the book for some reason...but, I saw no point to that other than making book unnecessarily longer and redundant in many chapters.
Although the book was supposed to tell a story, I believe it was way over done. Perhaps author felt it necessary to repeatedly retell the circumstances of the abduction throughout the book for some reason...but, I saw no point to that other than making book unnecessarily longer and redundant in many chapters.
March 22, 2018
Wow what a book! I completely enjoyed this story of 2 women and the daughters that changed their lives. Though it took me a while to get into the story, by the mid way point, I couldn't read fast enough. The end, although fairly predictable, was extremely satisfying. I look forward to reading more from this author.
September 9, 2018
I got very emotionally invested in this book - although far fetched, i could understand both mothers’ points of view. There were a wide range of characters - Holly and Mandy added humor to the dramatic storyline. I think being an adoptive mom made the storyline even more interesting and relatable.
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