What do you think?
Rate this book
The Opposite Of Fate: A Gripping Family Drama About Survival, Bravery, and the Fight to Reclaim Your Own
Who gets to choose? When a young woman emerges from a lengthy coma-like state she must face the decisions that were made about her body—without her consent—in this powerful novel of reclamation and hope.
Twenty-one-year-old Mallie Williams—scrappy, headstrong, and wise beyond her years—has just landed on her feet following a tumultuous youth when the unthinkable happens: she is violently assaulted. The crime leaves her comatose, surrounded by friends and family who are hoping against hopes for a full recovery.
But soon Mallie's small community finds themselves divided. The rape has left Mallie pregnant, and while some friends are convinced that she would never keep the pregnancy, others are sure that a baby would be the only good thing to come out of all of this pain. Who gets to decide? How much power, in the end, do we have over our own bodies? Mallie, her family, and her town find themselves at the center of a media storm, confronting questions nobody should have to face. And when Mallie emerges from the fog, what will she think of the choices that were made on her behalf?
The Opposite of Fate is an intense and moving exploration of the decisions we make—and don’t make—that forever change the course of our lives.
Twenty-one-year-old Mallie Williams—scrappy, headstrong, and wise beyond her years—has just landed on her feet following a tumultuous youth when the unthinkable happens: she is violently assaulted. The crime leaves her comatose, surrounded by friends and family who are hoping against hopes for a full recovery.
But soon Mallie's small community finds themselves divided. The rape has left Mallie pregnant, and while some friends are convinced that she would never keep the pregnancy, others are sure that a baby would be the only good thing to come out of all of this pain. Who gets to decide? How much power, in the end, do we have over our own bodies? Mallie, her family, and her town find themselves at the center of a media storm, confronting questions nobody should have to face. And when Mallie emerges from the fog, what will she think of the choices that were made on her behalf?
The Opposite of Fate is an intense and moving exploration of the decisions we make—and don’t make—that forever change the course of our lives.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published February 18, 2020
38 people are currently reading
1562 people want to read
About the author
Alison McGhee
54 books402 followersAlison McGhee writes novels, picture books, poems, and essays for all ages, including the just-published THE OPPOSITE OF FATE, a novel, and the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestseller SOMEDAY, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Her work has been translated into more than 20 languages. She lives in Minneapolis and California.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
December 27, 2022
I haven't disliked a book this much in a long time.
The premise sounded really interesting according to the blurb. A young woman is brutally assaulted and left in a coma, and when it's discovered that the attack has left her pregnant, those around her find themselves in a legal battle of what choice should be made for her: to let the pregnancy go to term or terminate it.
To me, that sounded like something that could be really, really compelling. And when I started reading it, those first few chapters were beautifully written.
And then... it just went to absolute s h i t.
The only way I can really describe just why I ended up disliking this book so much is to totally spoil it, so the remainder of my review will be under a spoiler cut. However, since I don't recommend this book at all, if you're curious to read my spoilery review I'd say just go for it.
The premise sounded really interesting according to the blurb. A young woman is brutally assaulted and left in a coma, and when it's discovered that the attack has left her pregnant, those around her find themselves in a legal battle of what choice should be made for her: to let the pregnancy go to term or terminate it.
To me, that sounded like something that could be really, really compelling. And when I started reading it, those first few chapters were beautifully written.
And then... it just went to absolute s h i t.
The only way I can really describe just why I ended up disliking this book so much is to totally spoil it, so the remainder of my review will be under a spoiler cut. However, since I don't recommend this book at all, if you're curious to read my spoilery review I'd say just go for it.
March 7, 2020
The Opposite of Fate by Alison McGhee (#16 in 2020)
Mallie Williams, 21 years young, wakes from a coma to uncover painful realization of what put her there-- a violent battery and rape. Mallie's family dynamic has changed considerably since her accident, and both the media and her community have become invested in the story around her recovery. Most of the media frenzy is a result of the sexual assault that left her pregnant, unable to communicate her desires for how to handle the unwanted pregnancy. Various individuals and institutions thought they knew what was best for Mallie, choices were made on her behalf, and Mallie now has to come to terms with the decisions she had no part in making.
The Opposite of Fate may have been a fictional work, but the subject matter is a very real conversation. Mallie's situation touched on some serious social issues involving abortion, a woman's right to choose, and patient rights. While abortion seems to be the main topic in this story, readers also get a chance to follow along as Mallie struggles to come to terms with all of the lifestyle and familial changes that took place while she was comatose. Mallie may have only been unconscious for one year, but her feelings of having missed out echo those of Rip Van Winkle as both of those characters missed some very pivotal moments.
Mallie's challenges don't just come from readjusting to life and reacquainting herself with her friends and family, they also come in the form of Mallie being forced to accept the consequences for the choices that she wasn't able to make. 3 stars
Mallie Williams, 21 years young, wakes from a coma to uncover painful realization of what put her there-- a violent battery and rape. Mallie's family dynamic has changed considerably since her accident, and both the media and her community have become invested in the story around her recovery. Most of the media frenzy is a result of the sexual assault that left her pregnant, unable to communicate her desires for how to handle the unwanted pregnancy. Various individuals and institutions thought they knew what was best for Mallie, choices were made on her behalf, and Mallie now has to come to terms with the decisions she had no part in making.
The Opposite of Fate may have been a fictional work, but the subject matter is a very real conversation. Mallie's situation touched on some serious social issues involving abortion, a woman's right to choose, and patient rights. While abortion seems to be the main topic in this story, readers also get a chance to follow along as Mallie struggles to come to terms with all of the lifestyle and familial changes that took place while she was comatose. Mallie may have only been unconscious for one year, but her feelings of having missed out echo those of Rip Van Winkle as both of those characters missed some very pivotal moments.
Mallie's challenges don't just come from readjusting to life and reacquainting herself with her friends and family, they also come in the form of Mallie being forced to accept the consequences for the choices that she wasn't able to make. 3 stars
February 15, 2020
My review for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:
http://www.startribune.com/review-the...
Even if they haven’t read it, most people are familiar with the premise of Washington Irving’s 1819 short story “Rip Van Winkle.” In it, the title character mysteriously falls asleep for 20 years, waking to find that he’s missed, among other events, the American Revolution.
Alison McGhee’s third novel, “The Opposite of Fate,” is sort of a “Rip Van Winkle” for the 21st century. What her central character — 23-year-old massage therapist Mallie Williams — sleeps through, however, is a violent rape that leaves her in a coma, as well as pregnant. In the 16 months she spends unconscious, her body becomes a battleground for pro-lifers and pro-choicers, the outcome of which is that she gives birth via C-section to a child she never knew she was carrying. As the first chapter explains, “In the quiet white room with the double-glazed window, Mallie lay silent and asleep and unaware of the debate and protests and media coverage swirling around her. By all appearances, she was also unaware of the complicated emotions of the people who loved her, the ones who came and went from her bedside.”
The novel opens just as Mallie improbably awakens in the hospital near where she grew up “in the rural hinterlands north of Utica” and begins to piece together the almost incomprehensibly dreadful incidents that have taken place. From there, she must decide how she can possibly recuperate her life.
Present to help (and sometimes hinder) her are William T., a surrogate father who took over caring for Mallie and her younger brother Charlie after their mother, Lucia, got pulled into a conservative Christian congregation they jokingly refer to as a cult; William T.’s girlfriend Crystal, who runs the town diner; Burl, a friendly mailman who raised $37,692 for Mallie’s cause; Charlie himself, wracked with guilt over his role in Mallie’s assault; and Zach, Mallie’s boyfriend and first love.
McGhee puts her protagonist through agonizing suffering not dissimilar to that which Joyce Carol Oates sometimes puts hers through — “she has experienced overwhelming trauma,” the professionals at the hospital say. Unlike Oates’ typically Gothic bent, McGhee’s approach is optimistic and upbeat.
Even though McGhee pays some attention to the nature of experiencing this kind of anguish in the digital age — “Everything was public and everything was forever on the goddamn internet,” William T. laments — the book is less a cultural commentary and more the story of an unconventional family trying to figure out a way forward after an unfathomable crisis.
Laudable for its heartfelt attempts to give nuance to sweeping political questions, “The Opposite of Fate” rejects the idea of “the flat rightness and wrongness of things” in favor of a fraught and human complexity.
http://www.startribune.com/review-the...
Even if they haven’t read it, most people are familiar with the premise of Washington Irving’s 1819 short story “Rip Van Winkle.” In it, the title character mysteriously falls asleep for 20 years, waking to find that he’s missed, among other events, the American Revolution.
Alison McGhee’s third novel, “The Opposite of Fate,” is sort of a “Rip Van Winkle” for the 21st century. What her central character — 23-year-old massage therapist Mallie Williams — sleeps through, however, is a violent rape that leaves her in a coma, as well as pregnant. In the 16 months she spends unconscious, her body becomes a battleground for pro-lifers and pro-choicers, the outcome of which is that she gives birth via C-section to a child she never knew she was carrying. As the first chapter explains, “In the quiet white room with the double-glazed window, Mallie lay silent and asleep and unaware of the debate and protests and media coverage swirling around her. By all appearances, she was also unaware of the complicated emotions of the people who loved her, the ones who came and went from her bedside.”
The novel opens just as Mallie improbably awakens in the hospital near where she grew up “in the rural hinterlands north of Utica” and begins to piece together the almost incomprehensibly dreadful incidents that have taken place. From there, she must decide how she can possibly recuperate her life.
Present to help (and sometimes hinder) her are William T., a surrogate father who took over caring for Mallie and her younger brother Charlie after their mother, Lucia, got pulled into a conservative Christian congregation they jokingly refer to as a cult; William T.’s girlfriend Crystal, who runs the town diner; Burl, a friendly mailman who raised $37,692 for Mallie’s cause; Charlie himself, wracked with guilt over his role in Mallie’s assault; and Zach, Mallie’s boyfriend and first love.
McGhee puts her protagonist through agonizing suffering not dissimilar to that which Joyce Carol Oates sometimes puts hers through — “she has experienced overwhelming trauma,” the professionals at the hospital say. Unlike Oates’ typically Gothic bent, McGhee’s approach is optimistic and upbeat.
Even though McGhee pays some attention to the nature of experiencing this kind of anguish in the digital age — “Everything was public and everything was forever on the goddamn internet,” William T. laments — the book is less a cultural commentary and more the story of an unconventional family trying to figure out a way forward after an unfathomable crisis.
Laudable for its heartfelt attempts to give nuance to sweeping political questions, “The Opposite of Fate” rejects the idea of “the flat rightness and wrongness of things” in favor of a fraught and human complexity.
March 24, 2020
I don't know whether to list this as read or DNF. I got to 40%, starting skimming, and then read the end....at which point I wish I hadn't bothered. Screw it, I invested that much time in it, I'm calling it read. And I read more than 15%, so I'm rating it.
I won't say why so as not to spoil it for someone who might like it better, but I haven't hated an ending to a book this much in a long, long time. I mean, what the actually hell kind of resolution was that?
Here's how utterly preposterous and cockamamie the ending is: I'm actually insulted on behalf of a fictional character. It's bad enough that most of the characters spent the whole book moaning about how THEY were affected by what happened to the main character while she got pushed into the background, but then the so-called resolution just...ugh.
I won't say why so as not to spoil it for someone who might like it better, but I haven't hated an ending to a book this much in a long, long time. I mean, what the actually hell kind of resolution was that?
Here's how utterly preposterous and cockamamie the ending is: I'm actually insulted on behalf of a fictional character. It's bad enough that most of the characters spent the whole book moaning about how THEY were affected by what happened to the main character while she got pushed into the background, but then the so-called resolution just...ugh.
March 16, 2020
The Opposite of Fate
is the very difficult story of a young woman, Mallie, who suffered a terrible assault that left her in a coma. And pregnant.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
When the story begins, Mallie has just woken up, and will soon discover her child is alive, and the fate of this child was debated hotly amongst pro-lifers and religious groups.
The author writes sensitively about such a painful and timely subject, but turns it into a story about a young woman coming to terms with this new normal and her family and those who love her.
The POVs flip flops between Mallie, as she struggles to comprehend a momentous decision made without her consent, and William T., a surrogate father who loves her deeply but is torn between rage and frustration at not being able to protect her.
Mallie was likable, believable, as was her social circle of family and friends.
I liked how the author used characters with different personalities and behaviors to denote how each adapted to Mallie's circumstances and learned to live with what happened.
William T. was the easiest to sympathize and empathize with; his sorrow and grief at almost losing Mallie, at his inability to protect her and his belief that he knew what she would want to do with an unwanted pregnancy is evidence in his anger, his frustration and how he relates to everyone around him.
But, there was a friend of his, Burt, who maintained his good cheer and positivity despite everything, by doing good, by paying it forward, by creating charity boxes for Mallie's future.
There was the hospital worker who was astounded by Mallie's second chance at life, and relished in that miracle, maintaining a healthy relationship with her by providing humor and another outlook on life.
Yet, I was looking for more perspective.
There was so much more to be discussed, to rage about and though I appreciated the familial aspect the author chose to go with, there is so much more to debate and talk about with such a painful decision being made and its aftermath.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
When the story begins, Mallie has just woken up, and will soon discover her child is alive, and the fate of this child was debated hotly amongst pro-lifers and religious groups.
The author writes sensitively about such a painful and timely subject, but turns it into a story about a young woman coming to terms with this new normal and her family and those who love her.
The POVs flip flops between Mallie, as she struggles to comprehend a momentous decision made without her consent, and William T., a surrogate father who loves her deeply but is torn between rage and frustration at not being able to protect her.
Mallie was likable, believable, as was her social circle of family and friends.
I liked how the author used characters with different personalities and behaviors to denote how each adapted to Mallie's circumstances and learned to live with what happened.
William T. was the easiest to sympathize and empathize with; his sorrow and grief at almost losing Mallie, at his inability to protect her and his belief that he knew what she would want to do with an unwanted pregnancy is evidence in his anger, his frustration and how he relates to everyone around him.
But, there was a friend of his, Burt, who maintained his good cheer and positivity despite everything, by doing good, by paying it forward, by creating charity boxes for Mallie's future.
There was the hospital worker who was astounded by Mallie's second chance at life, and relished in that miracle, maintaining a healthy relationship with her by providing humor and another outlook on life.
Yet, I was looking for more perspective.
There was so much more to be discussed, to rage about and though I appreciated the familial aspect the author chose to go with, there is so much more to debate and talk about with such a painful decision being made and its aftermath.
July 11, 2019
An INCREDIBLY disturbing subject -- girl is raped and assaulted and is in a coma and gets pregnant and carries the baby to term and delivers ALL WHILE IN A COMA. Like, SO hard to watch. And this was executed well: the pull between pro-choicers and pro-lifers; her trauma when she wakes up; what happens to the baby..............but I just don't know. It is SO MUCH to unpack in a book that's only 260 pages. I could have easily seen this lasting 500 pages and while it didn't FEEL underdeveloped, again, there's SO MUCH to discuss and debate and feel and be TORN about in this story, and it wasn't long enough to really dig your fingers into. I just don't know that it gives this topic the gravity it deserves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2019
I have just finished The Opposite of Fate. I am in awe. The quality of the writing. The tangle of emotions. The metaphor of the birds. The darkness. The love. The questions. So many questions. Does one have to answer them to move forward or is moving forward the answer?
March 3, 2020
Trigger warning: sexual assault, rape, unplanned pregnancies, family deaths, and abortion.
•
You know how you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover? Unfortunately, I do. And this cover was STUNNING. So when I began seeing this book pop up all over #bookstagram, I knew I needed to see what it was about.
•
This book, “The Opposite of Fate” by Alison McGhee, reminded me so much of “Know My Name” by Chanel Miller. I know it isn’t fair to compare a heartbreaking memoir to the storyline in a fiction book, but the entire time I read about Mallie’s struggles in this book, I was thinking about Chanel in her book.
•
Needless to say, I LOVED everything about this book. I’m not even going to try and write a review because I won’t do it justice. But I will share some of my favorite quotes, because the author’s writing was beautiful.
1. “Mallie never had to make up a place where she felt safe, because everyone she had Zach. Zach Miller has been the place where nothing bad could happen to her”.
2. “Once upon a time there was a sister, whose brother wished he could turn back time”.
3. “The truth was that no one could be who they used to be. Minute by minute, everyone was becoming the person they would be. Minute by minute, all the possible fates were being decided”.
•
This will definitely be one of my top ten books of 2020, so y’all should go pick it up and read it too, so we can discuss it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Star Rating.
•
You know how you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover? Unfortunately, I do. And this cover was STUNNING. So when I began seeing this book pop up all over #bookstagram, I knew I needed to see what it was about.
•
This book, “The Opposite of Fate” by Alison McGhee, reminded me so much of “Know My Name” by Chanel Miller. I know it isn’t fair to compare a heartbreaking memoir to the storyline in a fiction book, but the entire time I read about Mallie’s struggles in this book, I was thinking about Chanel in her book.
•
Needless to say, I LOVED everything about this book. I’m not even going to try and write a review because I won’t do it justice. But I will share some of my favorite quotes, because the author’s writing was beautiful.
1. “Mallie never had to make up a place where she felt safe, because everyone she had Zach. Zach Miller has been the place where nothing bad could happen to her”.
2. “Once upon a time there was a sister, whose brother wished he could turn back time”.
3. “The truth was that no one could be who they used to be. Minute by minute, everyone was becoming the person they would be. Minute by minute, all the possible fates were being decided”.
•
This will definitely be one of my top ten books of 2020, so y’all should go pick it up and read it too, so we can discuss it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Star Rating.
September 22, 2021
"You had to fight. You had to fight darkness with what you had in you to fight."
As a lover of books that make you stop and think long after you turn the last page, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Was initially drawn in by the premise of the story - a girl left unconscious and pregnant after being a victim of rape who awakens a year and a half later and is left to grapple with what has unfolded. This book especially intrigued me because it does touch on the issue of abortion, which had been on the forefront of my mind recently due to my state (Texas) making headlines for implementing one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the U.S. As someone who personally would never choose abortion for myself but still identifies as pro-choice, my biggest fear was this book harping a pro-life stance. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by the way the author handles an impossibly intricate and difficult situation and focuses not just on abortion, but on the wider implications that it connects with. I especially love the realistic voice of strength she gives the main character and how we are able to journey with her through her recovery. Would definitely want to buy this book and read it again to mull over the beautiful story-writing and all the broader themes the author touches on, from life and family, love and loss, and, as the title alludes to, fate and the choices we can and cannot make.
As a lover of books that make you stop and think long after you turn the last page, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Was initially drawn in by the premise of the story - a girl left unconscious and pregnant after being a victim of rape who awakens a year and a half later and is left to grapple with what has unfolded. This book especially intrigued me because it does touch on the issue of abortion, which had been on the forefront of my mind recently due to my state (Texas) making headlines for implementing one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the U.S. As someone who personally would never choose abortion for myself but still identifies as pro-choice, my biggest fear was this book harping a pro-life stance. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by the way the author handles an impossibly intricate and difficult situation and focuses not just on abortion, but on the wider implications that it connects with. I especially love the realistic voice of strength she gives the main character and how we are able to journey with her through her recovery. Would definitely want to buy this book and read it again to mull over the beautiful story-writing and all the broader themes the author touches on, from life and family, love and loss, and, as the title alludes to, fate and the choices we can and cannot make.
December 21, 2021
This one has sat on my shelf for a few years, and I finally picked it up. It presents one of the hardest conundrums - a woman was brutally attacked and is in a coma in the hospital for sixteen months. She is also pregnant, so who gets to decide if the baby should be carried to term or aborted? And who should retain guardianship if the baby is kept?
McGhee did a great job of presenting all sides of the dilemna and I got super attached to the story and the characters. This would really make for a lively book club discussion!
McGhee did a great job of presenting all sides of the dilemna and I got super attached to the story and the characters. This would really make for a lively book club discussion!
October 4, 2023
I recognize I’m in the minority in giving this a five. I loved Zack’s view of how her got to his conclusions and why. I appreciated everyone’s point of view being explored. The only thing that bothered me a little was that it was unrealistic to have Mallie up and walking as soon as she came out of her coma. I’ve known three people who’ve been in a coma, and the longest one was about three months. She had to relearn everything, including how to swallow food, so this little thing had to be accepted for me to get past it and get into the story.
February 29, 2020
How can we make sense of the trauma and challenges this world throws at us? It is through the stories we tell ourselves. Throughout her novel Alison McGhee reveals how these broken characters are able to move forward with their lives. We are taken on this journey which eventually moves upward and outward, leading us to realize the place our experiences, our relationships and ultimately our decision to move forward hold in determining our future.
March 2, 2020
This is a very well written book about an exceptionally delicate subject matter. The characters are all unique and you really get to know them as you read.
April 19, 2020
A storyline that is hard to fathom, but told with honesty and beauty. Metaphoric writing and thought provoking. You won’t quickly forget this one.
October 21, 2020
WOW...so thought provoking. It was interesting to see through different viewpoints and all the tangles of emotions.
February 29, 2020
This book was a page turner start to finish! Through my tears, I was left pondering some of life's hardest questions. It is a book meant to be talked about and never to be forgotten. It is not often that a book will reach into the depths of one's soul but this book will not only reach it but stay there forever!
February 27, 2020
I loved this book so much. My only complaint is I wish I had been longer. I wish I had more of the story, learned more about the future. Like at least 100 more pages. It was moving & well written. It went by too quickly!
February 28, 2020
Alison McGhee's characters lives filled me with emotions from admiration and respect to despair and disgust. She takes a tragic issue and candidly presents different sides to personal choice.
February 28, 2020
What a pleasure to inhabit these complex, caring people, to live in a world of such precise and nuanced language. This is a story not to change minds but to enlarge hearts.
February 20, 2020
There are a lot of trigger warnings and heavy material in The Opposite of Fate. I think what I appreciated the most is experiencing Mallie's thought process as she figures out her life after she wakes up. There are no easy answers in anyone's life, but Mallie's is especially complicated. Being in her head as she processed her world was fascinating. She has so many complex issues to work through and so do the people around her. There was so much to think about in this book. It really was great!
May 7, 2025
Wish I could give 3.5 stars. Halfway in, I thought I was going to hate this book, but kept reading in hopes that there would be a redemption arc, and I'm glad I kept reading.
The author clearly has some warped views of Christianity and talked about some pretty basic biblical convictions like they were cultish and restrictive, which was off-putting to me, but there was some nuance by the end.
The author clearly has some warped views of Christianity and talked about some pretty basic biblical convictions like they were cultish and restrictive, which was off-putting to me, but there was some nuance by the end.
May 23, 2021
I rate this novel 3.5. I found it in the Book Club section at my public library. Usually these novels lend themselves to good group discussions - thus Book Club section.
This is a story of an unconventional family trying to figure out a way forward after an unimaginable crisis. The main character, Mallie Williams, was only 21 years old when she was violently attacked and raped. She is in a coma for 1.5 years and others make choices for her.
This novel shows how family is not always defined by blood but by loving relationships over time. Life struggles are shown not only from Mallie's perspective, but each loving person surrounding her as the chapters slowly unfold the whole story. There are a couple of interesting techniques (games) that she uses to help deal with the unfathomable.
This is a story of an unconventional family trying to figure out a way forward after an unimaginable crisis. The main character, Mallie Williams, was only 21 years old when she was violently attacked and raped. She is in a coma for 1.5 years and others make choices for her.
This novel shows how family is not always defined by blood but by loving relationships over time. Life struggles are shown not only from Mallie's perspective, but each loving person surrounding her as the chapters slowly unfold the whole story. There are a couple of interesting techniques (games) that she uses to help deal with the unfathomable.
September 23, 2019
My review will appear in Booklist! This is a good readalike for Jodi Picoult - less of a thriller, more of a contemplative book, but a lot to think about here.
February 28, 2020
This had a great idea but wasn't executed well
June 14, 2020
The Opposite of Fate is a really heavy book.
For a little history, I saw this suggested somewhere and so I requested it from the library. Hence was born the four-month sequence of checking it out. I had it in my possession no less than half a dozen times in one form or another, but I never read it. I never read the synopsis. I had nothing to go off of. And so now I have it again and forced myself to finish it. It was a struggle. I believe because the subject matter was so heavy it takes a certain mindset, and I acknowledge I was not in that mindset.
Mallie is a young woman who is assaulted and left for dead. The book follows her from the time of her miraculous recovery over the next little bit as she comes to the realization (through reluctant information of her friends and friends become family.) Her assault not only left her comatose for over a year but bearing a baby who no one knew what to do with because she couldn't tell them what she wanted. And so the baby was delivered and the whereabouts unknown.
So what I liked was the writing. Alison McGhee is a beautiful novelist. I appreciated her descriptions and the tasteful descriptions of a very hard subject. There are definite trigger warnings (rape, abortion, assault) but everything was described in a way that is not offensive and lets you imagine what you want to. I appreciated the characters. The worried father, the lost and confused woman, the hurting brother, the caring and concerned friends, and strangers.
What I didn't like is I wanted a story. I like there to be apexes and there just weren't. It fell flat for me.
I will certainly read another book by this author, next time I'll just do a bit more research and make sure when I do read it it's a good time.
For a little history, I saw this suggested somewhere and so I requested it from the library. Hence was born the four-month sequence of checking it out. I had it in my possession no less than half a dozen times in one form or another, but I never read it. I never read the synopsis. I had nothing to go off of. And so now I have it again and forced myself to finish it. It was a struggle. I believe because the subject matter was so heavy it takes a certain mindset, and I acknowledge I was not in that mindset.
Mallie is a young woman who is assaulted and left for dead. The book follows her from the time of her miraculous recovery over the next little bit as she comes to the realization (through reluctant information of her friends and friends become family.) Her assault not only left her comatose for over a year but bearing a baby who no one knew what to do with because she couldn't tell them what she wanted. And so the baby was delivered and the whereabouts unknown.
So what I liked was the writing. Alison McGhee is a beautiful novelist. I appreciated her descriptions and the tasteful descriptions of a very hard subject. There are definite trigger warnings (rape, abortion, assault) but everything was described in a way that is not offensive and lets you imagine what you want to. I appreciated the characters. The worried father, the lost and confused woman, the hurting brother, the caring and concerned friends, and strangers.
What I didn't like is I wanted a story. I like there to be apexes and there just weren't. It fell flat for me.
I will certainly read another book by this author, next time I'll just do a bit more research and make sure when I do read it it's a good time.
April 4, 2025
Mallie Williams has just woken up from a 16 month coma and learns of the unthinkable changes that have occurred. There were decisions made for her that she’s having trouble coping with, along with trying to deal with the fact that she’s missed out on a year and a half of her life. While no one knows who was responsible for the violent assault that led to her being in a coma, Mallie works on managing her thoughts and reactions to the mysterious figure. The fact that she was unable to make the huge life decisions that were made while she was unconscious is not only affecting herself, but also her father figure. William T adopted Mallie and her brother when they were younger and feels a duty to protect them at all costs, and if he couldn’t even speak up for his comatose daughter, he wonders if he can at least help her in the aftermath of the terrible things that happened to her.
This story brought up a huge fundamental question over rights; who had the rights to say what’s best for someone unable to make their own decision, the rights over women’s own bodies and their choice about a pregnancy, the rights on how to feel when someone close to you is going through so much. I think this book did a wonderful job of portraying what it would feel like to be in the situation of the main character, as well as how friends/family might feel. I throughly enjoyed the narration, especially since it was done by the author herself, and it made me really listen and think about my own thoughts/emotions on these subjects. Highly recommend, but I would urge you to check any warnings about content (even though the author handled them very gently, it might upset some people).
*Audiobook 🎧
This story brought up a huge fundamental question over rights; who had the rights to say what’s best for someone unable to make their own decision, the rights over women’s own bodies and their choice about a pregnancy, the rights on how to feel when someone close to you is going through so much. I think this book did a wonderful job of portraying what it would feel like to be in the situation of the main character, as well as how friends/family might feel. I throughly enjoyed the narration, especially since it was done by the author herself, and it made me really listen and think about my own thoughts/emotions on these subjects. Highly recommend, but I would urge you to check any warnings about content (even though the author handled them very gently, it might upset some people).
*Audiobook 🎧
September 26, 2023
This book is a little bit strange to review, because I actually liked reading it. But as soon as it was over, all I could think about were the things that I thought could be improved.
The story has an interesting premise - Mallie Williams is assaulted and left for dead. She's in a coma because of a head injury and several months later, it's discovered that she became pregnant by the attacker. A battle goes up over whether to terminate the pregnancy or not - her super religious mother obviously votes for keeping the pregnancy going, while everyone else in Mallie's life knows what her wishes would have been if she could voice them (not wanting to have a baby under these circumstances). The problem with this book is that all of this action happens off the page before the action of the book takes place. I feel like there was a stellar novel with this idea and these characters and their motivations. Instead, McGhee decided to focus on the aftermath of the decision that was made. This didn't even feel like the most relevant part of the story to me.
And then there's the issue with the end. I hated it. It's way too open-ended and it felt extremely rushed (especially given the pacing of the other parts of the novel). I really did love these characters and respected all of their points of view, so I'll give this three stars. But the other blatant missteps by the writer drag my score down considerably.
*Free copy provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
The story has an interesting premise - Mallie Williams is assaulted and left for dead. She's in a coma because of a head injury and several months later, it's discovered that she became pregnant by the attacker. A battle goes up over whether to terminate the pregnancy or not - her super religious mother obviously votes for keeping the pregnancy going, while everyone else in Mallie's life knows what her wishes would have been if she could voice them (not wanting to have a baby under these circumstances). The problem with this book is that all of this action happens off the page before the action of the book takes place. I feel like there was a stellar novel with this idea and these characters and their motivations. Instead, McGhee decided to focus on the aftermath of the decision that was made. This didn't even feel like the most relevant part of the story to me.
And then there's the issue with the end. I hated it. It's way too open-ended and it felt extremely rushed (especially given the pacing of the other parts of the novel). I really did love these characters and respected all of their points of view, so I'll give this three stars. But the other blatant missteps by the writer drag my score down considerably.
*Free copy provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
February 25, 2020
There was definitely a lot of heavy material in the Opposite of Fate, but it was written really well. I think what I appreciated the most was experiencing Mallie’s thought process as she was experiencing it herself. She had so many complex issues and questions to work out, as did the people around her.
One of my favorite quotes from the book: “You have to figure out a way not to get stuck in others’ pain, and there was no one way to do it.” As a massage therapist for the women’s shelter, these are the words Mallie lived by because the job required her to carry a lot of weight listening to the trauma of her clients. After experiencing her own trauma, it was interesting as a reader to see how Mallie had to apply these words to her life.
Another aspect of the book I really enjoyed was Mallie’s One Hard Thing “game” that she played with Zach after a rough day. Finding one impossible thing and one hard thing on a rough day can be easy, and a lot of the time you really have to look hard for the one good thing, but finding that good thing can really chamhe your perspective. I believe it is importance to find the good in situations, no matter how hard it may be.
One of my favorite quotes from the book: “You have to figure out a way not to get stuck in others’ pain, and there was no one way to do it.” As a massage therapist for the women’s shelter, these are the words Mallie lived by because the job required her to carry a lot of weight listening to the trauma of her clients. After experiencing her own trauma, it was interesting as a reader to see how Mallie had to apply these words to her life.
Another aspect of the book I really enjoyed was Mallie’s One Hard Thing “game” that she played with Zach after a rough day. Finding one impossible thing and one hard thing on a rough day can be easy, and a lot of the time you really have to look hard for the one good thing, but finding that good thing can really chamhe your perspective. I believe it is importance to find the good in situations, no matter how hard it may be.
April 12, 2020
There is a huge amount to unpack in this novel about choice and fate. The premise reminds me of the sort of theme Jodi Picoult might address in a novel - Mallie comes from a dysfunctional family who is just putting her life together and getting on top of things with the help of her other built family when she is attacked, raped and left in a coma. While in a coma she gives birth to a baby, the result of the rape, despite the battle that goes on around her about whether or not that was the decision she would have made. The novel picks up the aftermath when Mallie wakes up and tries to absorb, understand and deal with what happened while she was sleeping.
The difference between Picoult (who I am also a fan of) and McGhee, is the way the latter weaves her story with metaphor, imagery and poetic language. Told in short chapters of alternating voices (Mallie and William T who is her replacement father figure), it also explores how a tragedy like this affects the people around the victim. It is a really powerful novel.
The difference between Picoult (who I am also a fan of) and McGhee, is the way the latter weaves her story with metaphor, imagery and poetic language. Told in short chapters of alternating voices (Mallie and William T who is her replacement father figure), it also explores how a tragedy like this affects the people around the victim. It is a really powerful novel.
March 24, 2020
A young woman, Mallie, is raped and hit in the head and ends up in a coma for over a year And is not expected to recover. She is also pregnant by the rapist and becomes the subject of a national media storm (think Terry Schiavo) because of the Right to Lifers and Pro-Choice folks. Mallie’s mother belongs to a cult-like church who fights for the life of the baby to be born no matter what will happen to the mother.
I liked this book, but at times it got tedious and somewhat repeated itself, especially with the character of William T, who loved Mallie like a father. I don’t want to give away too much plot except to say the book did keep my interest and there were some likable characters in Mallie’s orbit who we readers got to know through their own chapters.
I think readers of Jodi Picoult would like this book. Jodi is not my favorite author but she takes different polarizing situations and writes about them and makes you think. This book does that too.
I liked this book, but at times it got tedious and somewhat repeated itself, especially with the character of William T, who loved Mallie like a father. I don’t want to give away too much plot except to say the book did keep my interest and there were some likable characters in Mallie’s orbit who we readers got to know through their own chapters.
I think readers of Jodi Picoult would like this book. Jodi is not my favorite author but she takes different polarizing situations and writes about them and makes you think. This book does that too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews