Motherland: A Novel

by Amy Sohn

With her trademark blend of “social satire, interpersonal drama, and urban glamour” (<I>The New York Times</I>), Amy Sohn delivers a candid, unsentimental look at modern marriage. <BR><BR>In her acclaimed novels, Amy Sohn has beguiled us with her pinpoint observations of how we live and love, giving voice to our innermost thoughts and everyday anxieties. Now, in <I>Motherland</I>, her most diverting book to date, she introduces us to five mothers and fathers in Cape Cod, Park Slope, and Greenwich Village who find themselves adrift professionally and personally. <BR><BR>Rebecca Rose, whose husband has been acting aloof, is tempted by the attentions of a former celebrity f lame; Marco Goldstein, saddled with two kids when his husband, Todd, is away on business, turns to anonymous sex for comfort; Danny Gottlieb, a screenwriter on the cusp of a big break, leaves his wife and children to pitch a film (and meet young women) in Los Angeles; fallen sanctimommy Karen Bryan Shapiro, devastated by her husband’s infidelity and abandonment, attempts a fresh start with a hot single dad; and former A-list actress Melora Leigh plots a star turn on Broadway to revive her Hollywood career. As their stories intersect in surprising ways and their deceptions spiral out of control, they begin to question their beliefs about family, happiness, and themselves. <BR><BR>Equal parts moving and richly entertaining, <I>Motherland </I>is a fresh take on modern marriage that confirms Amy Sohn as one of our most insightful commentators on relationships and parenting in America today.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, New York, Adult Fiction, Novels, Relationships

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 14, 2012

About the author

Amy Sohn is the author of the upcoming novel The Actress, which will be published by Simon & Schuster in July 2014. Her other novels are Motherland, Prospect Park West, My Old Man, and Run Catch Kiss. She has been a columnist at New York magazine, New York Press, the New York Post and Grazia (UK). She has also written for The New York Times, The Nation, and Harper's Bazaar. She has written pilots for ABC, Fox, HBO, and Lifetime. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her family.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars. This book is dreadful. I gave it an extra +0.5 because I managed to finish it and the writing was alright and not too cliché-ridden or cheesy, minus the part where a character “tucks away” information like a transvestite “tucks away his penis.” There was context there but still… are you kidding me?

This is told through multiple viewpoints of folks living in and around Park Slope, Brooklyn. In my estimation this is a satire, which is all well and good, who doesn’t love a satire? The problem with such form is the characters are extreme and without nuance and, in this case, unlikeable. CC and Karen are alright I guess but god I just didn’t care what happened to any of these people. And the satire piece didn’t really offer any sharp insight. Not once did I nod my head and think, wow, so observant. Maybe I would appreciate it more if I lived in Brooklyn.

Then there’s this: “Rebecca noticed Sean Penn a few tables away…” I just opened a random page and found that sentence. At least 30% of the book consists of random name-dropping. From Jon Hamm to Scarlett Johansen to Blythe Danner. Someone with a lot of time really should count the number of celebrities mentioned. It has to be at least 500. No joke. I’m sure this is supposed to be “satirical” but Jesus it got old.

And I must address the character “Gottlieb” (of course from Brooklyn) who spends a lot of time surfing at Swami’s in Encinitas, where “Kelly Slater had paid him a compliment.” I live by Swami’s. I see Swami’s every day. There’s no way Gottlieb from Brooklyn is going to be surfing out there and double no way would Kelly Slater even acknowledge his existence. So ridiculous though Gottlieb gets in even more ridiculous scenarios. Ugh! Enough already! I can’t believe I finished this.

[Judith Hannan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think Motherland is supposed to be a social satire, but a satire without compassion is just mean and their is very little compassion in this story. Park Slope in Brooklyn is a newly refashioned neighborhooed of young families. It is these mothers, fathers, and children that Sohn targets. Unfortunately, not one person is likeable, not even the children, and they remain that way for most of the book. Even at the end, when Sohn places each of her characters in some form of resolution, it is as if they were dropped there rather than having arrived through a process of growth and development. Sex scenes are sprinkled throughout; they are more clinical than erotic, as if performed in an examining room, although one has to be impressed by Sohn's up-to-date slang terminology of the many ways one can have sex.

In addition to its tone, Motherland is of only parochial interest. While some of the themes it attempts to elaborate on--self-involved parents, inequality in relationships, gay marriage--could and do interest a broader population, Sohn keeps the story local so if you don't live in NYC (and even that is a stretch since I live in NY but not Park Slope and still feel distant from the subject) there's little you would care about.

The star I have given this book is for the fact that it found a publisher.

[Dana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I strongly disliked this novel and forced myself to finish it, hoping Ms. Sohn would redeem herself and turn the novel into something other than a deviant sexual odyssey acted out by a group of Park Slope (Brooklyn) yuppies. Everyone was cheating on everyone else, lying, deceiving, lusting after someone (and acting on those feelings) despite a perfectly good spouse or partner at home. Some characters were based on shallow Hollywood types, and were, thus, involved in a great deal of partying (i.e. drugs and meaningless encounters).
Each short chapter was about a different character, which is a good gimmick (short chapters which left me wanting to know how the character would resolve his/her issue later on). That is about it for positive remarks. I was left feeling I wasted my time, and my money (have to pay a fine to the library because this book was so difficult to force myself to read, that I went over the time limit!)
I didn't respect a single character in the book. The highlight of the novel was when I closed it and knew I never had to read another book by Amy Sohn.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a difficult book to review...on the one hand, I could not put it down and found it very engaging. But at the same time, it completely depressed me. All these 'park slope' moms and families were so f'd up, I kept hoping that my friends and I wouldn't turn into them. I also felt like the author didn't really like her characters which is a really strange thing...definitely a good summer read but with summer ending, I'm not sure that I would recommend this book.

[☮Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just won this from goodreads first reads (thank you very much!).

Did not think a book about New Yorkers, and particularly the stroller set, would capture my attention, but I ended up enjoying it pretty much. A bit much on the Semitic this, Semitic that, and the name dropping, which I usually don't mind but again, a bit much. A quick easy read.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 2 out of 5]

Motherland is a follow up of sorts to Sohn's Prospect Park West, with a few of the characters reappearing in this satirical exploration of parenthood and relationships in upper class Brooklyn.

Half a dozen or more narratives intertwine to reveal a cluster of shallow, privileged men and women who parent only when it doesn't interfere with their latest affair, high or career goals. Actually that is probably a bit unfair, but it's hard to find sympathy for Sohn's characters who all want more, despite having so much. With the cushion of money and status, they tend to manufacture their own drama in a search of the elusive holy grail of happiness, but I can't see any of them ever finding satisfaction.

Amy's characters are certainly PC enough in terms of of race, ethnicity and orientation. Three of the main characters are married, mostly unhappily with the pressures of parenthood a factor in their misery. Rebecca is hiding the fact that her youngest son is not her husband's but the result of an affair with a celebrity, Danny Gotlieb is ambivalent about both fatherhood and marriage with his longed for career his priority and Marco resents being a house husband to his wilful adopted son and newborn baby. Karen is newly a single mother after her husband abandoned her for a transvestite escort, divorced Melora's fondness for her son is easily eclipsed by her desire for fame while it is revealed that the stroller thief refers to her ex husband as The Bastard even more than 18 years after he left.
None of them are particularly likeable though I felt more for the circumstances of some than others.
The children of these characters, mostly young (under 6) are barely present, safely cared for by nannies or private pre schools which seems odd when these parents very rarely do any parenting at all.

Perhaps if I was more familiar with the rarefied world of the Upper East Side I would have enjoyed Motherland more, instead I found I was mainly annoyed with it, especially with the excessive celebrity name dropping. Sohn likes to shock with some salacious sexual encounters, including Marco's cruising of Grindr, an incestuous hook up and a toe sucking masseuse. Titillating perhaps, but largely ridiculous.

I can't really fault the writing or much else, it's just I didn't care for the story or characters. While Motherland is not for me, I am sure New Yorkers will enjoy gossiping about the source of the author's inspiration and celebrity hounds will find plenty to keep them satisfied.

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel is told in the alternating voices of 5 people in their 30s living in Park Slope. Their paths cross in interesting ways and seem to intersect more than you would think, but it's a book, so that wasn't a worry. What was a worry was all the weird sex, cheating, drugs, drinking and illegitimate parenting that made most of the characters unlikeable overall. While some of the stories were compelling at times and at other times boring, the novel was not completely un-readable, but it was just too weird and too unbelievable to give more than 2 stars. This is not to say that all novels have to be believable, but there needs to be some grains of truth and in this one, there were just too many crazy things going on in large group of people.

Also, I'm pulling this from the review of another book she wrote - a reader review: I don't know why I keep reading Amy Sohn's books. I have some sick fascination with them. Her characters are deplorable. I start out enjoying snarking on them, but by the end I just want them to all kill themselves or each other so we can all be put out of our misery.

This is not altogether an inaccurate view. I did like one character a lot, but only one.

[Meryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sequel to Prospect Park West started off interesting but grew tiring. All of the characters who headlined the chapters became involved in deceit and drama, but having so many interrupted perspectives slowed down the pace of the ones I was most interested in. There was a strange undertone that suggested that everyone feared anti-Semitism or hated Jews (I’ve never read the word Semitic so many times) but the secret to success was to act or look more Jewish. As a Brooklyn resident who is not a mother, I am intrigued by the inner-lives stroller-wielding warriors that patrol the neighborhood, but this novel felt too far-fetched to provide insight.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Amy Sohn's fascinating, in-depth look at parenting in specific communities. I absolutely could not put this one down until I reached the very last page, and then I wished there was more! A great summer read!

[Charletta Carter-Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked this sequel better than Prospect Park West. The characters seemed more relatable or likable. Not sure which. She still has some plot twists that gross me out but the story was more enjoyable than its predecessor.

[karo&#x1f48c; · Rating 1 out of 5]

- pomoc
- ani jedna postava nebyla dobra
- proc se vsichni navzajem podvadeli
- proc tato kniha byla napsana

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a Goodreads First Read. Thanks, Goodreads and Amy.

I want to start out by pointing out that I started this book yesterday and finished it today. It is wholly readable.

I opened this book, read the first five pages, and said to my boyfriend, "Why did I request this book? I hate rich suburban mothers." And this book does go on about rich mothers who live in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. Several of them, in fact.

A few definite positives for this book:
- I didn't hate anyone in it so much that I dreaded their chapter approaching, as sometimes happens in multiple perspective works.
- Similarly, no characters were cliched in their presentation. Everyone is a bit of a specter of the midlife crisis that manifests itself in many ways, but each is an amalgamation of their own flaws--the gay alcoholic unhappy with his husband and adopted children; the unattentive Jewish screenwriter hoping to get his *real* big break as he approaches 40; the enterprising single mother whose husband left her for a transsexual prostitute. The gang's all here.
- Motherland is set in the present and contains many new media references to things like Twitter, Grindr, Skype, and the like. I thought these were inserted in an unobtrusive and successful way. This is difficult to do because it is so easy for literature to misrepresent the common uses of media.

I felt that Sohn tried too hard to make sure every character in the book was somehow interconnected. Every other page, you would learn that this woman whose woes you had been listening to was the ex-wife of a character you met a few chapters ago. I am comfortable with the vignette. I would have preferred just to take each story as it happened.

I might have enjoyed this more at a different time in my life, I guess. I am an early-twenties millennial who has trouble feeling sympathy for these unhappy parents and their troubling choices. I don't care about any of them, in the end--I am only left with a reinforced sense that I would work quite hard never to have to spend time with anyone like them.

[Davida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as raunchy and soap-opera-esque as Prospect Park West, and highly enjoyable. I think Sohn's skill as an author is being able to tap into the zeitgeist of today's people in their 30s and 40s and she really gets into a diverse group of people: gay, Latino, male, female, Jewish, wasp, and presents from each of their points of view. Lots of pop culture, lots of cute references and just like before, some surprising twists and turns. I had a lot of fun with this book and it wasn't total fluff. I think she has some good insights while keeping things light and interesting at the same time.

Two of my favorite quotes:

I like this one about changing technology and how we relate to people.

The cabbie took Vanderbilt Avenue, and as they reached the roundabout near Grand Army Plaza, she started to give him directions.
"I know how to go," he said. "I have GPS." She remembered the elaborate driving instructions her mother used to give on the phone when they had company coming to Midwood--all the landmarks and lights and the ways you'd know you'd gone too far. Her mom had taken pride in it, in her skill at communicating complicated information so people understood. The problem with the world was that no one needed directions anymore."

And I like this one about young people's dependence on their parents:

Melora didn't care for Cassie's circle: the young artists, DJs, and actors. They dressed like hobos and stared at their cell phones. Sometimes they were talking to their parents. It was impossible to imagine the crown at Max's Kansas City in 1970 calling their parents. There would have been no pop art, no punk, no new wave, if youth then had been like the youth today."

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is well-written, and when I read that the author is also a screenwriter, I could see that in the book. It's feels like you are watching it while reading. And also, the book is so very New York. I had to dig deeper and the author actually lives in the area in the book. It feels real, like you are sitting there watching the Park Slope mums take over the neighborhood.

Anyway, on to the review. At first, all the Povs seemed daunting, but Sohn saved me by giving the chapters the title of the character in question. We have Rebecca, who has secrets, Marco who does not want a second kid but he boyfriend does not take no for an answer, Danny who is tired of domestic life (but then most in this book are), Karen, a newly single mum who wants to date again, and Melora, an A-list actress trying to make it on Broadway. Some of these people are friends, and some come together later on. So yes there are a lot of POVS, but it works, sure I mistook someone now and then, because they are all so alike. Bad sex lives, kids running amok, and wanting more from life. But I got there.

The book is rather depressing when I think about it. No one is happy. There is quiet drama and self doubting, jealousy and affairs. It makes me wonder if anyone can ever be happy being married and having kids. See, I told you it was a bit depressing. But that makes it real, people argue, they do not have time for sex, and there are to many things to juggle in life. And then things go to hell.

At one time I wondered if I even liked the book. I knew the writing was terrific, but did I like it? That question bothered me for a while, since nothing was wrong with the book, but later on I did come to a conclusion, I liked the book. Maybe it was the satire, and namedropping that did it.

[Kara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would like to start this review by saying thank you to Goodreads for allowing giveaways, as I won this book from one of them. Also, they may wish they had picked someone else. Also, I am going to be really picky when choosing which giveaways to participate in from now on.

Anyway, I put this book down and am loathe to bring myself to pick it up again. So, I am giving up on it, which I don't like to do, but life is short and there are a ton of other books I'd rather be reading right now.

There were too many characters in this book and I couldn't give a damn about nearly every one of them. There was one I almost liked (the one that almost started a restaurant?), but she was kind of passive. I hated that there were so many points of view with so many names, but it didn't matter because they were all basically the same character rehashed over and over again. Just soulless, uninteresting rich people with stupid problems that they tried fixing with unenjoyable and forced sex.

The author tried really hard being clever and interesting with all of the slang and stuff, but that was the problem: she tried too hard and it was pathetic to read. She could be an excellent author, or editor, but she should start by making up people that might have growth potential or the ability to have mental catharsis.

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

What to say about this book...it was a quick read, but it won't be for everyone. To me the book is like a mix of The Springer Show, Real Housewives of NY with a touch of any reality TV show thrown in. The characters are a little over the top and the author moves a little into the "EWWWW - really" territory.

Now having said all that if you like sneaking a peek into others lives and enjoy a dose of reality TV every now and then you may enjoy this book. I did get into it to the point of I wanted to find out where the characters all wind up and how things end. I will say the author did bring up some thought provoking scenes about marriages in a "mid-life" crisis that i found a little bit relatable too.

If you are looking for a deep read that will make you think - this is not the book. If you want something above a trashy romance novel to while away the afternoon - this would be a good pick.

While this is a continuation of some characters from her book Prospect Park West one does not need to read that first in order to follow along in this book - it helps a little bit with the backstory, but the author sufficently explains the backstory in a brief summation where needed.

[Staci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Motherhood is a satirical novel regarding relationshps and people in and around Brooklyn New York. Not really my kind of book. That being said, the writing is done well in that I could picture the scenes in my mind as I was reading the text. It earns a 3 star from me.
My rating system is as follows:

5 stars - Excellent, Worth Every Penny, Made It Into My Personal Library!
4 stars - Great book, but not a classic.
3 stars - Good overall, generally well written.
2 stars - Would not recommend based on personal criteria.
1 star - Difficult to read, hard to finish, or didn't finish. Wouldn't recommend purchasing or reading.

In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book I review was provided to me by the publisher, media group or the author for free and no financial payments were received, unless specified otherwise.

[Bonnie G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

So.Much.Drama.
Srsly.

Anyway, it was a nice fast-paced summer read, it made me miss and not miss the east coast snobbery/fast paced way of life. Each chapter
Is stressful, filled with adultery, park slope weed, star-fuking, air place fingering, shrimping, Grindr, adoption, addiction, gentrification, and self-involvement. But I like the tone of hope, you do care for some of these characters, and you get invested in things ending well for them. It was a bit of a chore to read sometimes, she's a much better screenwriter than novelist, but it was a thoughtful throwaway.

[Rieko · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading Motherland but when I saw that Prospect Park West was the "prequel" to Motherland, I dropped Motherland to read PPW.
Sohn's books are amusing and strikes a chord with 40ish mothers, like me. I can't say I appreciate all the name or place dropping that she does, but it, at least makes for an interesting and funny read.

UPDATE: This book finished with a sequel in mind which i guess is okay. The characters were a little more likable in this book compared to PPW. If you had to choose between Sohn's PPW or Motherland, choose Motherland.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe I'm giving this trashy book five stars but I loved it! I was so excited when I heard there was going to be a sequel to Prospect Park West, which I also loved. No one makes fun of Brooklyn helicopter parents better than Amy Sohn. Everything turned out exactly the way I would have written it myself. I was especially happy with how things turned out or Karen who was actually my least favorite person in the first book. Can't wait for the next one!

[Laura Hogensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely engaging, but I kept getting the sense that she dislikes the place, and types of people she writes about, so much that she creates characters just to make them miserable. Not to say I didn't enjoy reading the book, but I definitely feel everyone involved was sufficiently punished by the end. A note: some of the characters in this novel also appear in her first novel. I'd start with that one.

[Rebecca Soodak · Rating 4 out of 5]

MOTHERLAND satisfies on many levels—none sentimental. Fast-paced, witty and told in sentences that pack a punch, Sohn’s flawed characters are compelling. The unpredictable (and often un-pretty) sex scenes may shock some readers, but I appreciated the voyeuristic opportunity. More Coupleland (or Separateland) than the title would suggest, it was a welcome break from maudlin, neat tales similarly labeled.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts of it were really good. Some, not so much. Lots of couples becoming disillusioned with each other, annoyed by parenting, acting out in various ways, etc. There was a character who stole strollers, ostensibly for comic relief. It was like a Prospect Park West II in some ways, with some of the same characters. Overall though, I enjoyed Prospect Park West way more.

[elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Gossip Girl continued to season 20, it might look like this. Flashy fun NYC elite/hipster drama, now with marriages on the rocks and affluent ladies who are ho-hum about motherhood. More brand name dropping than I can usually stomach (usual tolerance 0%), but fun in the GG way of outlandishly OMG drama. Perfect for the beach.

[Jaimie Sassone · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is one step up from awful. Most of the characters were deeply flawed and not in the likable way. The author seems to have a name dropping fetish which was inexplicably off-putting. I gave this book 1star because I wasn't quite annoyed enough to not finish it. So, there you go. Don't waste your time with this unless you enjoy books about unhappy, morally bankrupt urbanites.

[Mom · Rating 1 out of 5]

Name dropping is not enjoyable, paragraph after paragraph of celebrities that the characters knew or ran into. Too much trite detail. No real plot. "Superfun Brooklyn desperate Housewives," not even close. Made it to the end (by skipping a lot) hoping for some redemption in the book, but it never happened.

[Katelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this peak into the relationships between different New York couples. It's a little depressing in that all of the couples fail, but it's always interesting to look at other people's lives, and Sohn's characters are realistically portrayed.

[Nette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yup, this one was just as awful and fun-to-read as I had expected! Terrible rich people messing up their lives in so many delicious ways, ridiculous plot twists, and more name-dropping than an "Us" cover story. (Jon Hamm has a surprisingly large role. I wonder how he feels about that?)

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Motherland was a fun vacation read. You really dislike all the characters (a lot) but at the same time it is well-written, flows easily and you just can't help but want to see how their lives unwind a little bit more on every page.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar group of characters as in PPW. Still complaining. Very funny parts. Lots of First World problems. Stroller situation hysterical!