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Look How Happy I'm Making You: Stories
A candid, ultimately buoyant debut story collection about the realities of the "baby years," whether you're having one or not.
In twelve thematically linked stories, Polly Rosenwaike offers a composite portrait of pregnancy and new motherhood, in all its anxiety and absurdity, darkness and wonder. The characters in these stories confront infertility, miscarriage and childbirth as well as the emotional upheaval of having a new baby in their lives.
In "Grow Your Eyelashes" a woman struggling with infertility rails against false marketing slogans, even as she fantasizes about the impossibly perfect husband and child she sees on her daily bus commute. In "The Dissembler's Guide to Pregnancy" a woman nervous about her biological clock "forgets" to take her birth control when sleeping with a younger man and finds herself facing single parenthood. In "White Carnations" four motherless women who meet in a bar every Mother's Day face their losses and the possibility of becoming mothers themselves. And in "Ten Warning Signs of Postpartum Depression" a new mother finds comfort during her difficult postpartum period with a man who is not her husband.
Look How Happy I'm Making You offers the rare, honest portrayal--witty, empathetic, and sharply observed--of how the prospect of motherhood and the experience of caring for a new baby deeply affect a woman's sense of self in a culture obsessed with her most intimate choices.
In twelve thematically linked stories, Polly Rosenwaike offers a composite portrait of pregnancy and new motherhood, in all its anxiety and absurdity, darkness and wonder. The characters in these stories confront infertility, miscarriage and childbirth as well as the emotional upheaval of having a new baby in their lives.
In "Grow Your Eyelashes" a woman struggling with infertility rails against false marketing slogans, even as she fantasizes about the impossibly perfect husband and child she sees on her daily bus commute. In "The Dissembler's Guide to Pregnancy" a woman nervous about her biological clock "forgets" to take her birth control when sleeping with a younger man and finds herself facing single parenthood. In "White Carnations" four motherless women who meet in a bar every Mother's Day face their losses and the possibility of becoming mothers themselves. And in "Ten Warning Signs of Postpartum Depression" a new mother finds comfort during her difficult postpartum period with a man who is not her husband.
Look How Happy I'm Making You offers the rare, honest portrayal--witty, empathetic, and sharply observed--of how the prospect of motherhood and the experience of caring for a new baby deeply affect a woman's sense of self in a culture obsessed with her most intimate choices.
256 pages, Paperback
First published March 19, 2019
97 people are currently reading
5852 people want to read
About the author
Polly Rosenwaike
2 books80 followersPOLLY ROSENWAIKE has published stories, essays, and reviews in The O. Henry Prize Stories 2013, The New York Times Book Review, Glimmer Train, New England Review, The Millions, and the San Francisco Chronicle. She is the fiction editor of the Michigan Quarterly Review and lives in Ann Arbor with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
January 24, 2020
I’m one of those people that doesn’t love short stories. I’m just not a fan. I feel that they lack in character development. On the other hand, I have read short stories that leave me amazed at how much an author packed in so few pages. Usually, with short stories, I end up liking some of the stories presented but am left underwhelmed by others. I am here to tell you that this was not the case with Look How Happy I’m Making You, I loved all of the stories. I had my favorites but even the ones that weren’t favorites were still such a great read. One of the things that fascinated me about every story is the author’s linguistic appreciation. She uncovers the meaning of words, their inception and the connection to events and how that changes the meaning of them. This thread follows each story, tightens their connection along with the stories on being a mother, a daughter, a witness to this natural miracle that should become ordinary but never is. I have my own thoughts on being a mother and I rarely read about motherhood. Maybe because I have this preconceived notion that every book on it will only expound on its brilliance and that rubs me the wrong way. I can’t even imagine what it is like to be a mother but I loved that this book provided nuances to the experience. It provided different perspectives on being a mother, a daughter, wanting to be childless but your partner wanting a child, simultaneously going through grief while growing a life, losing a mother, losing a baby through miscarriage, losing a baby to SIDS and all the other precarious everyday things involved with getting pregnant and raising a child. I loved that each short story is solid, the character’s insights and perceptions are presented to us in such charming language but yet they don’t undercut the deep perspective that the author gives us into motherhood. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and looked forward to picking it up every time life forced me to put it down. I would suggest giving it a chance. The stories keep getting better and better as we keep going. My favorites were Tanglewood, Field Notes, and June. The Dissembler’s Guide to Pregnancy was a hard read and if you read it and wish to discuss your thoughts please let me know. Overall, I give this short story book five stars!
February 27, 2020
5 Stars
It is rare to create a short story collection as strong as this one. Even the stories that weren't my absolute favourite were still engrossing and highly entertaining.
Look How Happy I'm Making You, does the opposite of what the title suggests and shows us the struggles of motherhood; whether it's trying to become a Mother, feeling overwhelmed in your new position as a Mother, or perhaps choosing not to be a Mother. It is real, raw and beautiful in the midst of a day and age where you are constantly bombarded with fake instagram perfect families, and women who seem to be able to wear stilettos while 7 months pregnant draped in pastel claiming they've never felt better. I love reading books that truly highlight the complexity and ever changing emotions surrounding Motherhood. More books like this please and thank you World!
I think Polly Rosenwaike did an amazing job with this collection and absolutely cannot wait to read her next book.
It is rare to create a short story collection as strong as this one. Even the stories that weren't my absolute favourite were still engrossing and highly entertaining.
Look How Happy I'm Making You, does the opposite of what the title suggests and shows us the struggles of motherhood; whether it's trying to become a Mother, feeling overwhelmed in your new position as a Mother, or perhaps choosing not to be a Mother. It is real, raw and beautiful in the midst of a day and age where you are constantly bombarded with fake instagram perfect families, and women who seem to be able to wear stilettos while 7 months pregnant draped in pastel claiming they've never felt better. I love reading books that truly highlight the complexity and ever changing emotions surrounding Motherhood. More books like this please and thank you World!
I think Polly Rosenwaike did an amazing job with this collection and absolutely cannot wait to read her next book.
August 25, 2019
This short story collection chronicles the complex range of emotions that accompany pregnancy and new motherhood, focusing on everything from infertility to miscarriage and abortion to the mundane day to day of life with a newborn.
Rosenwaike’s insights and observations are so spot on: the best parts are those sentences (of which there are many) that reveal a truth so accurate that it makes you feel a little bit less alone.
Anyone who is a parent or who has ever thought about becoming one will surely find something that speaks to them deeply in this collection.
Rosenwaike’s insights and observations are so spot on: the best parts are those sentences (of which there are many) that reveal a truth so accurate that it makes you feel a little bit less alone.
Anyone who is a parent or who has ever thought about becoming one will surely find something that speaks to them deeply in this collection.
October 31, 2018
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
'A woman’s body was suppsed to know exactly what to do.'
In Polly Rosenwaike’s debut collection of stories, women are confronting more than just motherhood. There are relationship struggles, bodies that are failing to behave as nature intended, and conflicting emotions within their own minds. Growing up girls are rarely privy to the reality of pregnancy and childbirth. It isn’t like all those movies where an unexpected pregnancy is a happy blessing, or the moment you try for a baby its immediate succes, the men are all adoring, the mother to be is glowing and when the time comes the couple has supportive family, friends, money and boom her body is back to its pre-pregnancy shape. Of course the baby and mother bond instantly, there isn’t any struggle breast-feeding, absolutely no sign of postpartum depression!
The reality is, there is jealousy particularly when you can’t get pregnant and all around you everyone else seems fruitful. Some women wait for a partner to arrive and realize they are stuck in a constant state of expecting, better maybe to have a child alone, for another her child’s birth represents the cycle of life and death as her beloved aunt is dying, a moment of joy tangled in grief. Pregnancies themselves aren’t one size fits all, for some months are spent consumed by illness, stress, pain. Some women get desperate and lie, their desire to grasp at their last chance to have a child before their biological clock turns everything off. Maybe forcing a man who is too young, who hasn’t chosen to be a father, through deceit. That sometimes, dishonesty feels like the only way to get what you want.Then there is the depths of postpartum depression, because expectant mothers never truly think it will happen to them. Your emotions turning you against your own nature, a dual person who can love and then feel resentment towards the baby, repulsed with breast-feeding, exhausted, visualizing doing terrible things to your child. Oh no, you would never! Courting thoughts of your own demise…all the panic within’. This is just one window to look through at the characters within.
A woman psychologist is a ‘curator’ of babies laughter, but one infant’s silence is a tragedy that forces her to face her own cowardice. A childless couple (by choice, in agreement) find a shift in their desires when the husband changes his mind, because men can feel the tick of a daddy clock too. The manuals will tell you a lot, but not everything. There is so much advice about pregnancy, parenthood in books, from friends, doctors, family, strangers and online, and still yet it might not speak to your situation. Parenthood makes you hate and love your partner, it can seal your bond or break it. A woman may dream of being a mother her whole life, idealizing motherhood but when the moment comes may feel like an absolute failure. Another woman may become a mother on accident, with reluctance and fall head over heels, discover she was born for it, a natural! Others may decide to go it alone, or to never have a child at all. The kingdom of parenting never truly runs smoothly. It is a land dominated by disruption, illness, surprise attacks as much as celebration and love. Our bodies through pregnancy are the same, they can be foe or friend. Our thoughts can betray us just as much as those we love, and that bundle of joy along with our hormones can wreak havoc too, reminding mothers “Look How Happy I’m Making You”. Yes, read it! There has been quite a bit of fiction recently delving into the territory of motherhood and I champion it! We need to explore every crevice of what can go wrong (or even just feel wrong) as much as the good. When a woman is struggling, it shouldn’t be a desert period with no one to help. It’s good to know that it isn’t all teddy bear picnics, that women just like you struggle sometimes. There really isn’t a solid ‘supposed to’ in pregnancy, parenthood. It isn’t ‘one size fits all’. What pressure to be told what you should feel, how you’re meant to engage as if each baby is quiet, peaceful. Some babies come into this world squalling and how can you not resent the smugness of mothers whose little sweatpea sleeps like an angel bragging about their special bond. I wish I could have read such fiction when I was a young mother. This will be out in the new year!
Publication Date: March 19, 2019
Doubleday Books
'A woman’s body was suppsed to know exactly what to do.'
In Polly Rosenwaike’s debut collection of stories, women are confronting more than just motherhood. There are relationship struggles, bodies that are failing to behave as nature intended, and conflicting emotions within their own minds. Growing up girls are rarely privy to the reality of pregnancy and childbirth. It isn’t like all those movies where an unexpected pregnancy is a happy blessing, or the moment you try for a baby its immediate succes, the men are all adoring, the mother to be is glowing and when the time comes the couple has supportive family, friends, money and boom her body is back to its pre-pregnancy shape. Of course the baby and mother bond instantly, there isn’t any struggle breast-feeding, absolutely no sign of postpartum depression!
The reality is, there is jealousy particularly when you can’t get pregnant and all around you everyone else seems fruitful. Some women wait for a partner to arrive and realize they are stuck in a constant state of expecting, better maybe to have a child alone, for another her child’s birth represents the cycle of life and death as her beloved aunt is dying, a moment of joy tangled in grief. Pregnancies themselves aren’t one size fits all, for some months are spent consumed by illness, stress, pain. Some women get desperate and lie, their desire to grasp at their last chance to have a child before their biological clock turns everything off. Maybe forcing a man who is too young, who hasn’t chosen to be a father, through deceit. That sometimes, dishonesty feels like the only way to get what you want.Then there is the depths of postpartum depression, because expectant mothers never truly think it will happen to them. Your emotions turning you against your own nature, a dual person who can love and then feel resentment towards the baby, repulsed with breast-feeding, exhausted, visualizing doing terrible things to your child. Oh no, you would never! Courting thoughts of your own demise…all the panic within’. This is just one window to look through at the characters within.
A woman psychologist is a ‘curator’ of babies laughter, but one infant’s silence is a tragedy that forces her to face her own cowardice. A childless couple (by choice, in agreement) find a shift in their desires when the husband changes his mind, because men can feel the tick of a daddy clock too. The manuals will tell you a lot, but not everything. There is so much advice about pregnancy, parenthood in books, from friends, doctors, family, strangers and online, and still yet it might not speak to your situation. Parenthood makes you hate and love your partner, it can seal your bond or break it. A woman may dream of being a mother her whole life, idealizing motherhood but when the moment comes may feel like an absolute failure. Another woman may become a mother on accident, with reluctance and fall head over heels, discover she was born for it, a natural! Others may decide to go it alone, or to never have a child at all. The kingdom of parenting never truly runs smoothly. It is a land dominated by disruption, illness, surprise attacks as much as celebration and love. Our bodies through pregnancy are the same, they can be foe or friend. Our thoughts can betray us just as much as those we love, and that bundle of joy along with our hormones can wreak havoc too, reminding mothers “Look How Happy I’m Making You”. Yes, read it! There has been quite a bit of fiction recently delving into the territory of motherhood and I champion it! We need to explore every crevice of what can go wrong (or even just feel wrong) as much as the good. When a woman is struggling, it shouldn’t be a desert period with no one to help. It’s good to know that it isn’t all teddy bear picnics, that women just like you struggle sometimes. There really isn’t a solid ‘supposed to’ in pregnancy, parenthood. It isn’t ‘one size fits all’. What pressure to be told what you should feel, how you’re meant to engage as if each baby is quiet, peaceful. Some babies come into this world squalling and how can you not resent the smugness of mothers whose little sweatpea sleeps like an angel bragging about their special bond. I wish I could have read such fiction when I was a young mother. This will be out in the new year!
Publication Date: March 19, 2019
Doubleday Books
April 23, 2020
Thank you to Doubleday Books for this copy!
Wow, this collection was honestly meant for me. It covers so many topics, and all facets of mothers and motherhood (or lack thereof for both). There were so many stories and passages that spoke to something deep within myself, and the fact that I have never wanted to be a mother. I definitely feel that as more of my friends have children, the more I don't want them. I spend time with family members and can't wait to escape my cousins who are children. I also have had a complicated relationship with my own mother, and she with hers (though completely different) and this book somehow understood everything about myself that I rarely speak about. Yes, there were a few stories that I didn't connect with, but I felt this collection got better as each new story started. It has given me a lot to think about with the things that I normally push aside and try to not deal with, and I applaud Rosenwaike for her ability to make me feel so much within such short stories.
"Seeing her friends become mothers had only solidified her lack of interest in becoming one herself..."
Wow, this collection was honestly meant for me. It covers so many topics, and all facets of mothers and motherhood (or lack thereof for both). There were so many stories and passages that spoke to something deep within myself, and the fact that I have never wanted to be a mother. I definitely feel that as more of my friends have children, the more I don't want them. I spend time with family members and can't wait to escape my cousins who are children. I also have had a complicated relationship with my own mother, and she with hers (though completely different) and this book somehow understood everything about myself that I rarely speak about. Yes, there were a few stories that I didn't connect with, but I felt this collection got better as each new story started. It has given me a lot to think about with the things that I normally push aside and try to not deal with, and I applaud Rosenwaike for her ability to make me feel so much within such short stories.
December 28, 2018
I enjoyed these fine short stories so much! Each catches a woman at a transitional moment, whether she’s a new mom or ending a pregnancy, trying to start a family or resisting pressures to do so. I love the humor and honesty here, the wisdom and the ambivalence, the characters who are all so different and want such a variety of things but are all good company as they grapple with what life has dealt them.
December 14, 2018
I don’t normally like short stories, but I absolutely LOVED this collection. These brought me back to the uniquely awful days of early motherhood; to the time when I was considering becoming a mother; to the first days, months and months in, where I felt like maybe things would be okay and I had the hang of it; to those hellish nights of (failed) sleep training, and more. These stories manage to capture all the nuances of motherhood, even in the characters who aren’t mothers. All without being saccharine or sentimental. Which is to say, these stories are the real deal.
October 2, 2018
Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for the advanced read.
What a gem collection of short stories about mothers, mothers to be, or women who have a motherly role. This intimate collection captures their ups and downs during pregnancy and new motherhood. I wished that some of the stories continued into novels, which is a good complaint to have.
What a gem collection of short stories about mothers, mothers to be, or women who have a motherly role. This intimate collection captures their ups and downs during pregnancy and new motherhood. I wished that some of the stories continued into novels, which is a good complaint to have.
February 17, 2019
Pregnancy. Birth. Abortion. Miscarriage. Parenting. These are all themes of the stories in this lyrical, thoughtful volume. Amusing at times, tear shedding at others, the stories here offer something the reader can relate to. I read it in one sitting. I will definitely look for more from this author.
Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley
Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley
May 15, 2019
Look How Happy I'm Making You by Polly Rosenwaike features stories about women who want to be mothers, who reluctantly come into motherhood, who struggle with the identity of motherhood, who deal with post-partum depression, who never want(ed) to be mothers, who have lost mothers, who choose to terminate their motherhood.
I have mixed feelings about this book of short stories on motherhood -- probably because I am on the cusp of motherhood myself, less than 3 months away from giving birth to a miraculous baby boy. Some of the stories made me uncomfortable, and even a bit scared, especially the ones that referenced stillbirths or miscarriages. You never know real fear until you are pregnant, I've realized. The miraculous process of growing a human, whose heart is formed and beating even before there are structures to contain it, brings into sharp relief the fragility of human life. So, reading about how seemingly easy it is for a life to be snuffed out before it is truly lived is, yes, frightening. For expecting mothers, then, this may not be the book for you. And for those who have lost a child, some of the stories may arouse unpleasant memories and emotions.
With that said, however, I do think the stories are well written and realistic, and the myriad emotions experienced by each story's mother/not-mother will strike home with many. I think my favorite story may have been the last one, because it doesn't romanticize motherhood (which I admit I do) and shows how normal it is for a bond between mother and child to take time. Not every mother gives birth and immediately falls in love, even if she desperately wants to. I also think the stories accurately capture both the fear and the love that mothers have in their hearts; fear that they "don't know how to do this" or "can't do this," and the love for another human being that swells hearts they thought were already full.
I wish more of the stories had been more hopeful or that they at least highlighted the happier, more positive aspects of motherhood, but maybe I'm romanticizing again... Ultimately, I think any woman who is a mother, wants to be a mother, or has thought about becoming a mother will find something within these pages that resonates with them.
I have mixed feelings about this book of short stories on motherhood -- probably because I am on the cusp of motherhood myself, less than 3 months away from giving birth to a miraculous baby boy. Some of the stories made me uncomfortable, and even a bit scared, especially the ones that referenced stillbirths or miscarriages. You never know real fear until you are pregnant, I've realized. The miraculous process of growing a human, whose heart is formed and beating even before there are structures to contain it, brings into sharp relief the fragility of human life. So, reading about how seemingly easy it is for a life to be snuffed out before it is truly lived is, yes, frightening. For expecting mothers, then, this may not be the book for you. And for those who have lost a child, some of the stories may arouse unpleasant memories and emotions.
With that said, however, I do think the stories are well written and realistic, and the myriad emotions experienced by each story's mother/not-mother will strike home with many. I think my favorite story may have been the last one, because it doesn't romanticize motherhood (which I admit I do) and shows how normal it is for a bond between mother and child to take time. Not every mother gives birth and immediately falls in love, even if she desperately wants to. I also think the stories accurately capture both the fear and the love that mothers have in their hearts; fear that they "don't know how to do this" or "can't do this," and the love for another human being that swells hearts they thought were already full.
I wish more of the stories had been more hopeful or that they at least highlighted the happier, more positive aspects of motherhood, but maybe I'm romanticizing again... Ultimately, I think any woman who is a mother, wants to be a mother, or has thought about becoming a mother will find something within these pages that resonates with them.
September 13, 2019
Look How Happy I'm Making You is a beautifully written story collection! These stories are replete with humor and pathos, with the biological itch that causes us to become parents and the (perhaps) inevitable fracturing of our vision of what parenthood might mean. These stories do not just center of the women contemplating (or being dismayed) by parenthood. The author spreads her arms wide and shows us the generations before--what these prospective mothers' own mothers and aunts wanted and the subtle toll caused by needing to meet relatives' expectations. Many characters stop telling the truth, even to themselves.
The story of the young woman in the grip of postpartum depression especially touched me, as the did the story about the death of a favorite aunt, the one person in the protagonist's life who did not gloss over issues of divorce, life, or death.
Although these stories are generally about women standing at turning points in their lives, the author does a wonderful job of creating male characters who are nuanced and sympathetic. To my mind, these stories embody the best in fiction--women and men (and even babies) who cannot be reduced to "type." Nor could I apply the psychological terms "victim" or "aggressor" or "dysfunctional family" to the one story that might have seemed--on the surface--to be a demonstration of dysfunction. That's because the folks in these stories refused to stand still. They were evolving, changing, experiencing new pressures and desires.
A fabulous reading experience, all in all, with many facets of life ordinarily not touched on in fiction, perhaps because authors are generally squeamish about putting in details about women's bodies on the page. I thought the author quite brave to do this, and that, plus the exquisite prose, kept me turning the pages.
Normally, when I read a short story collection, I allow a little time to go by before entering the world of the next story. Here, I couldn't do that. The stories compelled me to keep reading.
The story of the young woman in the grip of postpartum depression especially touched me, as the did the story about the death of a favorite aunt, the one person in the protagonist's life who did not gloss over issues of divorce, life, or death.
Although these stories are generally about women standing at turning points in their lives, the author does a wonderful job of creating male characters who are nuanced and sympathetic. To my mind, these stories embody the best in fiction--women and men (and even babies) who cannot be reduced to "type." Nor could I apply the psychological terms "victim" or "aggressor" or "dysfunctional family" to the one story that might have seemed--on the surface--to be a demonstration of dysfunction. That's because the folks in these stories refused to stand still. They were evolving, changing, experiencing new pressures and desires.
A fabulous reading experience, all in all, with many facets of life ordinarily not touched on in fiction, perhaps because authors are generally squeamish about putting in details about women's bodies on the page. I thought the author quite brave to do this, and that, plus the exquisite prose, kept me turning the pages.
Normally, when I read a short story collection, I allow a little time to go by before entering the world of the next story. Here, I couldn't do that. The stories compelled me to keep reading.
June 29, 2019
LOOK HOW HAPPY I'M MAKING YOU is about the complicated and complex thoughts and emotions women experience based around motherhood in all it's forms and shapes. It tackles themes like pregnancy, birth, death and children and being female in a world where that is associated with the possibility of having them. This collection of stories perfectly captures the messy nature of female feelings and behavior and layers of action and reaction, past and present and interaction between mother and child. It's introspective and retrospective and doesn't pull any punches.
LOOK HOW HAPPY I'M MAKING YOU is delightfully and heartbreakingly insightful and staggering in it's raw intensity and hardhitting directness.
Favorite stories: June, Ten Warning Signs of Postpartum Depression, A Lady Who Takes Jokes + Love Bug, Sweetie Dear, Pumpkin Pie, Etc.
Content warning: miscarriage, cancer, postpartum depression, sudden infant death syndrome, mention and description of bulimia.
LOOK HOW HAPPY I'M MAKING YOU is delightfully and heartbreakingly insightful and staggering in it's raw intensity and hardhitting directness.
Favorite stories: June, Ten Warning Signs of Postpartum Depression, A Lady Who Takes Jokes + Love Bug, Sweetie Dear, Pumpkin Pie, Etc.
Content warning: miscarriage, cancer, postpartum depression, sudden infant death syndrome, mention and description of bulimia.
October 24, 2019
Do you have a list of books you borrowed from the library, loved, and want to own? I have a decent list going, and this was swiftly added—before I'd even finished. It was one of those impulsive moments at the library when I picked this up. I'd gone by on my way outta town to pick up my hold of AMERICAN SPY. As I was leaving, I saw this staring out at me. My brain sparked, recalling the loving reviews from some trusted friends and I grabbed it and went back to the checkout desk. I was supposed to finish AMERICAN SPY on that lakeside excursion, but instead I finished this one.
All this lead up only because I am *that* person that recalls the moment a really great book came into my life. Rosenwaike's short stories are all centered on women. The protagonists of each of her tight, compact stories are at various points of change regarding pregnancy, birth, parenting, and/or babies. She winds these tales through the characters' intimate thoughts—funny, genuine, heartbreaking—I had such a strong emotional reaction to various parts.
The story "June" contained a 'birth story' scenario that so closely resembled mine I had to put the book aside for a minute. I wondered: if I had read this story while pregnant or before ever becoming pregnant—would I have felt less fear in the situation? I've said this before, but I tend to learn more about the world and relate to it through fiction than through textbooks. I read (and was utterly bored by) a bevy of pregnancy and birth and parenting books. They did nothing for me. But, maybe, if I had read this collection before as my younger self, maybe I would have felt just a ~tad~ less anxiety (lol I mean, no, but). But regardless, it came to me when it did, and that was the right time, too. When I finished it, I sent a copy of the novel to my three friends in Los Angeles; we all had our daughters within two weeks of each other. I hope they recognize the beauty in Rosenwaike's collection as I recognize the beauty in each of them and what we share. I hope the last line sears through their hearts the way it did mine. I'm so glad this book exists; and I can't wait to own it.
All this lead up only because I am *that* person that recalls the moment a really great book came into my life. Rosenwaike's short stories are all centered on women. The protagonists of each of her tight, compact stories are at various points of change regarding pregnancy, birth, parenting, and/or babies. She winds these tales through the characters' intimate thoughts—funny, genuine, heartbreaking—I had such a strong emotional reaction to various parts.
The story "June" contained a 'birth story' scenario that so closely resembled mine I had to put the book aside for a minute. I wondered: if I had read this story while pregnant or before ever becoming pregnant—would I have felt less fear in the situation? I've said this before, but I tend to learn more about the world and relate to it through fiction than through textbooks. I read (and was utterly bored by) a bevy of pregnancy and birth and parenting books. They did nothing for me. But, maybe, if I had read this collection before as my younger self, maybe I would have felt just a ~tad~ less anxiety (lol I mean, no, but). But regardless, it came to me when it did, and that was the right time, too. When I finished it, I sent a copy of the novel to my three friends in Los Angeles; we all had our daughters within two weeks of each other. I hope they recognize the beauty in Rosenwaike's collection as I recognize the beauty in each of them and what we share. I hope the last line sears through their hearts the way it did mine. I'm so glad this book exists; and I can't wait to own it.
May 15, 2019
WOW. I am in pieces on the floor, reeling and desperate for whatever Polly Rosenwaike's next book will be because right now I feel like only more of her words will be able to put me back together. I am not a mother, I've not had an abortion or a miscarriage or lost a child but... these stories shook me to the core, easily handing me the empathy I needed to be rocked by the good times and the very bad had within these pages. Each time I was comfortably following along, getting to know the characters, I was hit with the confusion of a casual couple's discovery that they'd accidentally conceived, or a happy new mother's world rocked by a newborn lost to SIDS, or complex family drama over who decides a baby's upbringing, or postpartum depression, or a single woman forced to choose between an abortion or raising the baby alone- as she watched her older friend decide after too many failed attempts that she'd adopt, etc.
I am simply astounded at Rosenwaike's transformative ability to write broad stories that fit into such a brief number of pages. If you're a fan of fiction but don't tend to pick up short story collections- I'm pretty sure this book will change your mind. I'm sort of a recent convert myself. Over the last 2 years I've read perhaps a dozen collections and loved more than half, but Rosenwaike has fully opened my eyes to the potential of a brilliant story, she is truly something else. Incorporating second person narratives, lists, and wonderfully succinct character arcs- I savored it all.
I am simply astounded at Rosenwaike's transformative ability to write broad stories that fit into such a brief number of pages. If you're a fan of fiction but don't tend to pick up short story collections- I'm pretty sure this book will change your mind. I'm sort of a recent convert myself. Over the last 2 years I've read perhaps a dozen collections and loved more than half, but Rosenwaike has fully opened my eyes to the potential of a brilliant story, she is truly something else. Incorporating second person narratives, lists, and wonderfully succinct character arcs- I savored it all.
June 5, 2019
Started off quite strong.
The first three stories: Grow Your Eyelashes, Field Notes & Period, Ellipsis, Full Stop were fantastic, but then it devolved into levels of the same sort of complex topics around childbirth, pregnancy, rearing, raising, resisting, losing, throwing away, loneliness, etc and by the time I got to the fifth or sixth story I was exhausted and minimally engaged. By the time I got to the last story, I was happy all these stories were over.
So the problem here is the topic. I don't relate to it. Maybe there's a lot of people who do, but I realized halfway through this book that I'm not one of them.
The plus side is that Polly Rosenwaike is a great writer. Polly's writing style is what made me hold out through this book and not throw it down and walk away. The emotion that pours through these stories are powerful, sometimes nuanced and cerebral, other times visceral; they're complex and calculated and I enjoyed that. The content tho, I can't. I couldn't vibe with it and maybe that says something about me, an early 30s woman, not thinking about motherhood. Maybe it says something about me, but I couldn't fuck with it.
On a level, it probably got to me, more than I realize.
The first three stories: Grow Your Eyelashes, Field Notes & Period, Ellipsis, Full Stop were fantastic, but then it devolved into levels of the same sort of complex topics around childbirth, pregnancy, rearing, raising, resisting, losing, throwing away, loneliness, etc and by the time I got to the fifth or sixth story I was exhausted and minimally engaged. By the time I got to the last story, I was happy all these stories were over.
So the problem here is the topic. I don't relate to it. Maybe there's a lot of people who do, but I realized halfway through this book that I'm not one of them.
The plus side is that Polly Rosenwaike is a great writer. Polly's writing style is what made me hold out through this book and not throw it down and walk away. The emotion that pours through these stories are powerful, sometimes nuanced and cerebral, other times visceral; they're complex and calculated and I enjoyed that. The content tho, I can't. I couldn't vibe with it and maybe that says something about me, an early 30s woman, not thinking about motherhood. Maybe it says something about me, but I couldn't fuck with it.
On a level, it probably got to me, more than I realize.
August 9, 2019
In her glummer moments, she thought that reading was the only thing she was good at, and what sort of skill was that for an adult to rely on in this world?
The short stories in this collection all concern women of that age when relatives and acquaintances feel free to ask about one's plans for having children. And in each story, a woman deals with pregnancy or not being pregnant, the struggles of having and caring for a baby, or the determination to not have children.
Eve was made of wailing, of banshee mouth and fighter fists. She might well have been called There There, or What's The Matter, or Please Shut Up Already. Two states of being were known to her: fury and sleep.
The women in these stories are intelligent and their concerns don't primarily focus on the quest to have a baby, but because of age and gender, they are forced to reckon with the issue, willingly or not. Rosenwaike is a talented writer and I'm happy to have gotten to know her writing.
April 1, 2019
What a book! A fabulous debut. Here is 500 words I did on this for our local magazine, but I fear I should have effused even more:
https://annarborobserver.com/articles...
https://annarborobserver.com/articles...
March 9, 2021
Look how happy I'm making you? Oh Polly. You ripped my heart out (twelve times to be exact).
I love short story collections and this is ranked among my few favorites. A truly kaleidoscopic look at motherhood and the myriad of complexities women go through during the "reproductive stage" in their lives. Each story perfectly complemented the next, never repeating too much of the same narratives or motifs. That said though, I would have appreciated a more diverse set of protagonists.
Rosenwaike is a gifted writer, embellishing these stories with language that sings, curious metaphors, and details that will make you pause. I had to take it one story at a time to let the weight of each one settle on me.
PSA: you don't need to be a parent to enjoy this book
I love short story collections and this is ranked among my few favorites. A truly kaleidoscopic look at motherhood and the myriad of complexities women go through during the "reproductive stage" in their lives. Each story perfectly complemented the next, never repeating too much of the same narratives or motifs. That said though, I would have appreciated a more diverse set of protagonists.
Rosenwaike is a gifted writer, embellishing these stories with language that sings, curious metaphors, and details that will make you pause. I had to take it one story at a time to let the weight of each one settle on me.
PSA: you don't need to be a parent to enjoy this book
April 5, 2019
Oh I loved everything about this book. Even though these stories aren’t connected, I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn’t a novel; the theme was just so cohesive. I loved the voice and the writing and the insight and I think I’m an instant Polly Rosenwaike superfan.
October 18, 2023
I was very pleasantly surprised by this book, I am not always blown away by short stories but I enjoyed every single one in this book. Definitely recommend, it was a touching read and very comprehensive collection.
April 25, 2019
Pros:
At least 4 or 5 of the stories were good in some way. The one about postpartum depression is good, is clever and sheds light on a difficult subject. There's one where a woman "accidentally" gets pregnant by a guy she's been seeing, that story has a little suspense and tension that I liked.
Cons:
The subject of every single story is kinda boring. Has a boring job/boring husband or is 36 and desperately single and sad. Like bad romcom characters.
Most of them are kind of depressing. Abortions, miscarriages, unwanted babies, postpartum depression, infant death, the horrors of breastfeeding, ceaselessly screaming babies, women trapping their partners. Each story on it's own was fine but it gets to be a bit much, I started feeling exhausted just reading about a crying baby.
Some of these don't have a point and are just boring people doing things while pregnant. A woman gets an abortion, that's the story. A woman's aunt dies while she's pregnant, end of story.
At least 4 or 5 of the stories were good in some way. The one about postpartum depression is good, is clever and sheds light on a difficult subject. There's one where a woman "accidentally" gets pregnant by a guy she's been seeing, that story has a little suspense and tension that I liked.
Cons:
The subject of every single story is kinda boring. Has a boring job/boring husband or is 36 and desperately single and sad. Like bad romcom characters.
Most of them are kind of depressing. Abortions, miscarriages, unwanted babies, postpartum depression, infant death, the horrors of breastfeeding, ceaselessly screaming babies, women trapping their partners. Each story on it's own was fine but it gets to be a bit much, I started feeling exhausted just reading about a crying baby.
Some of these don't have a point and are just boring people doing things while pregnant. A woman gets an abortion, that's the story. A woman's aunt dies while she's pregnant, end of story.
April 15, 2019
I had really high expectations for this book, but judging from the other reviews, I'm one of the few who didn't find it to be outstanding. The concept of a book of short stories about motherhood sounded intriguing to me, but unfortunately, none of these really resonated with me. I didn't care for the characters and the writing often felt too heavy-handed with details. I'd been hoping to be moved and take a look at some different perspectives on the struggles surrounding motherhood, but these stories didn't really inspire any emotions in me at all, aside from frustration that I felt so bored with the book at times.
April 23, 2019
A very smart collection of compelling short stories surrounding all stages of parenthood, that acknowledges how parents are people, flawed and imperfect and scared and angry and helpless people.
The stories progress from fear of pregnancy to fear of miscarriage to birth and what comes after. Each character is developed along with their circumstances and you really feel for everyone in these lessons of empathy (less so than the parents-behaving-badly positioning of the marketing around the book).
I’m glad to have read it, but not sure I’d read it again - this is heavy material to deal with, as if real life weren’t heavy enough, the author captures and presents it with much realism.
The stories progress from fear of pregnancy to fear of miscarriage to birth and what comes after. Each character is developed along with their circumstances and you really feel for everyone in these lessons of empathy (less so than the parents-behaving-badly positioning of the marketing around the book).
I’m glad to have read it, but not sure I’d read it again - this is heavy material to deal with, as if real life weren’t heavy enough, the author captures and presents it with much realism.
August 29, 2025
a book outside my comfort zone and i’m shocked how much i enjoyed it!! short stories and fiction but i loved getting the closer of a story in twenty pages instead of a whole arc of a book much more than i thought. plus, the icosagonal prism from which she looks at motherhood is impressive and imaginative in ways that only illuminated my own previous narrow mindedness on the subject. a very relevant topic being of child bearing age in the midwest when all my friends are getting married and thinking about kids and this book gave me a lot to think about what kind of place motherhood would take in my life — if i want it.
January 20, 2022
this made me contemplative over parenthood in a way i have never experienced. how imperfect and turbulent becoming a parent can be is often lost to the "joy of children". honestly this gave me so much to think about as i grow older. beautiful and diverse to the experience of motherhood in particular, both love and loss alike. i will say, extreme lack of racial diversity as well as no lgbtq+ representation.
April 6, 2022
The topic of babies has been surrounding my life recently (My thesis is on fetuses and newborns, egg donation, etc). This book was funny but extremely gut-wrenching and honest about motherhood (gained or lost) and its hidden struggles. Highly recommend everybody reads !!
January 12, 2020
A really well done collection of short stories around the theme of motherhood in many forms. I looked forward to this one and thought the stories were consistent in poignancy and quality. Would recommend!
November 5, 2019
Truly excellent collection of short stories and the rare instance I'm engaged in every one. Might be triggering for some--miscarriage, infertility, stillbirth, pregnancy termination. I think I enjoyed this more a decade+ removed from childbearing than I would've otherwise. (Also: great title).
April 8, 2019
Beautiful, genuine, heartfelt, insightful. Real. Poetic. A wonderful book.
June 24, 2019
I liked how it covered a large range of experiences and feelings about pregnancy and motherhood (or lack thereof), but overall it left me feeling bleak and depressed about it. I feel very strongly about being candid and frank about pregnancy and birth and motherhood, but you also need to talk about the good things.
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