Good Mothers Don't

by Laura Best

It's 1960, and Elizabeth has a good life. A husband who takes care of her, two healthy children, a farm in the Forties Settlement. But Elizabeth is slowly coming apart, her reality splintering. She knows she will harm her children, wants to harm her children, wants to be stopped from harming her children. She doesn't sleep, becomes incoherent. Elizabeth is taken away.

We rejoin her in 1975, "well" once again, living in a group home and desperately trying to fill in the enormous gaps electric shock therapy has left in her memory. She remembers five words from her past and knows they are significant, but their meaning is slippery and she can't grasp more. She knows that Jewel and Jacob are her children, though she can't picture their faces, and more than anything, she longs to find them and explain that she never meant to leave for so long.

Shifting through time and points of view, acclaimed author Laura Best's first novel for adults allows us to see the ripple effects of mental illness and its treatment in the mid-twentieth century. Good Mothers Don't is a moving exploration of illness, memory, and how we fight for who we love.

Genres: Fiction, Canada, Historical Fiction

330 pages, Paperback

First published June 21, 2020

Reviews

[George Ilsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Multiple points of view provide personal slants and shifting insight on family drama and conflicts in 1960s Nova Scotia.

The main character, Elizabeth, struggles with what now might be called anxiety, depression, and isolation, and lacks community support. Unfortunately, her mental health becomes even worse after her beloved father dies, uncovering a complicated legacy.

Since I grew up in this part of the world, it was easy to picture the landscape and hear the voices of the different characters. The book however at 330 pages feels long, and I wondered if all those voices needed to be heard at such a length. I noticed that son Jacob was there, as a young child, but he was the only first person male voice. I wondered why him, but not Elizabeth's husband? Why Jacob when he was young but not as an adult?

However, there is a supreme realism with this novel, in that it perfectly captures an uncomfortable setting and a range of bickering voices. For many reasons, it reminded me of my own family.

[Darlene Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do if you were a mother and felt you were losing your mind? This incredible book introduces us to Elizabeth, a wife and mom in the early 1960s who is grappling with her sanity. Then something happens to push her over the edge, resulting in a family that is torn apart. This well written, gripping story is told by Elizabeth and those affected by her. I have enjoyed everything Laura Best has written in the past, but she has outdone herself with this story. She has created characters so believable you begin to think you have met them somewhere before, perhaps a neighbor or a family member. I felt the pain, the hope and most of all, the love. I closed the book and wanted to start reading it all over again. This story will stay with me for a long time. Thank you Vagrant Press for the ARC.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

GOOD MOTHER'S DON'T written by Laura Best is a powerful work of literary fiction about motherhood and mental illness set in 1960s Nova Scotia.

"Shifting through time and points of view, acclaimed author Laura Best's first novel for adults allows us to see the ripple effects of mental illness and it's treatment in the mid-twentieth century. GOOD MOTHER'S DON'T is a moving exploration of illness, memory, and how we fight for who we love."
-Quote from front flap of book cover

The story is told from from several points of view - Elizabeth's, her children Jewel's and Jacob's, and her sister-in-law's - and has two timelines. This is a heartbreaking story, and I confess to my eyes filling up near the end.

"Some people belong to a place and time along with every cloud and bit of the greenery in their world. They fit in as if they have always been there, as if they couldn't exist without that place and that place couldn't exist without them. They blend in like the sweet scent of apple blossoms on a spring afternoon with a breeze pushing them along; the sun forever shining on their face. I've never belong to a place or a time, never sat down any roots, never felt content. Never. Ever. Never."

"There's a smug look on her face as she sits there watching me like a gull waiting to dive into the ocean after bait. She can always find a way to take the wind from my sails."

Laura Best has had over forty short stories published in literary magazines and anthologies. Her first young adult novel, Bitter, Sweet, was shortlisted for the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People. She lives in East Dalhousie, Nova Scotia, with her husband, Brian. Visit lauraabest.wordpress.com
4.5 stars

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Laura Best’s first novel for adults, it is 1960. Young mother Elizabeth MacKay lives with her husband Cliff, daughter Jewel and son Jacob in the farming community of The Forties, in Nova Scotia. Everything should be fine. Her children are happy and healthy. The farm is doing well. But all is not well with Elizabeth, who is losing her grip on reality. Suffering from paranoid delusions, she is afraid of harming her children. She’s been prescribed medication to regulate her moods, but she doesn’t know who to trust and refuses to take the pills. One day, to keep her children safe from the threat she poses, she leaves the house and spends the night in the forest. We next encounter Elizabeth in 1975. She is living in a group home where she is in the latter stages of recovery from the mental illness that brought her life to an abrupt halt. Like the other residents in the home, she is making a careful re-entry into society. But Elizabeth’s trauma is deep and profound. Years of medication and electro-shock therapy have not just rendered her docile and compliant, but also wiped her mind clean (one of the other residents of the home calls her a “cardboard dummy”). She has no memory of who she was before all this happened, no recollection of family or friends. But the memories are starting to return, and when she encounters a clerk at the local Frenchy’s wearing a nametag that says JEWEL, some of the fragments start to fall into place. The remainder of the novel chronicles Elizabeth’s slow and tortuous journey back into her past as she tries, despite misgivings, to recover the lost memories, and searches for the person she used to be and anyone who might remember her. In Good Mothers Don’t, Laura Best has written a poignant, quietly gripping novel that tells of the devastating effects that mental illness has on people’s lives. The onset of Elizabeth’s illness—her terror and feelings of helplessness—is rendered with heart-rending empathy; her volatile state of mind and irrational fears are vividly depicted. Especially persuasive and tragic is Best’s portrayal of the shame and confusion with which Elizabeth’s family and the people of The Forties respond to her illness: their willingness to erase her from the collective consciousness once she is removed from their midst. In the end it is Elizabeth’s perseverance and determined spirit that makes it possible for her to reconnect with a world that left her for dead and begin the process of reassembling her shattered life.

[carcinoGeneticist · Rating 5 out of 5]

After five years of being mildly upset that there was a book of my Grandma's that I was not yet allowed to read, finally I've been permitted to read Good Mothers Don't, and it was definitely worth the wait. Good Mothers Don't is Laura Best's first more mature novel (cause for another minor authorial cranial explosion, I'd say) about a woman named Elizabeth who suffers from mental issues and is taken away to what I believe is some sort of mental institute? Either way, I still refuse to make my review of the book into just a retelling, so here's my opinions on it now. It was a GOOD book. I enjoyed getting to see the multiple perspectives of Elizabeth, Jewel, and Jacob. The story is interesting and draws in readers, and I feel so horribly for the family involved. I liked that Elizabeth reunited with her children at the end as I was worried the book would have a more unhappy ending. Like Dear Dad, I am of the belief that this book should be added to a school curriculum of some sort (albeit for older students than Dear Dad -- I'd say Good Mothers Don't should be read in maybe a tenth-grade class, or eleventh. Though I'm one to talk; I'm only in ninth.) The one way I think this book could have been improved was if there had been chapters in the first segment of the book that were from the perspective of Cliff. I believe this could have helped the whole picture be more clear and give us a better window into the life of the family portrayed in the book. It doesn't take anything away, though, that it lacked this. I loved this book (and am very glad to be finally old enough to read it). Love you and your books Nanny! <3 xoxo

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It's impossible for me to explain what takes place in the mind, how your fears can be so overwhelming that you're desperate for relief even when you become aware that each treatment pushes you further and further away from the person you once were. You try not to think about that, concentrating on the moment you are presently in and what feels right and manageable. You see your past slipping away, and yet succumb to the notion that it is worth hanging onto in the first place."
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Thoughts~
I really enjoyed this one! A intimate and compelling tale of motherhood and mental illness set in 1970's Nova Scotia.

We meet Elizabeth, a young mother of two. She has a good life, healthy, happy children, a husband that provides for his family, their farm is thriving, but Elizabeth is unsettled, her hold on reality is faltering, dark thoughts plague her. She ends up being institutionalized. Told through multiple perspectives we are taken through Elizabeth's journey in the institution and her families life on the outside without her.

Best does an amazing job showcasing both sides of this senario. And bringing to light how mental illness was handled and regarded in the 60's and 70's. I fell hard for Elizabeth's character, her grief, regret and endless love. My favorite chapters where we hear her voice. But it was also interesting seeing how her children and family managed too. Best's prose are affecting and elegant. The way she culminated the story was so satisfying. I would love to see this one on the Giller Prize list!

Definitely reccomend checking this #canlit title out!
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Thank You to the publisher for sending me this book opinions are my own.
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[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thought-provoking story about mental illness and a family trying to function when mental illness takes the mother away from her husband and children. Told from several points of view, it keeps the reader paying close attention.

A woman struggles to survive and exist in a world that often makes no sense to her. Her father is the one who holds her together, who understands her best, and when he dies it is as if she is cut adrift. Her world collapses around her. As she struggles to get well many changes occur in the family she had to leave.

I marvel that writers come up with such amazing stories. Laura Best is very convincing, writing as if she has personal knowledge and understanding of what goes on in the mind of someone so distraught, whose life is so disjointed, that no one in her family knows how to help her anymore. The reader wants to hang in there to find out what happens to this woman, why does she think that way and feel that way. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would.

I am doing three year-long reading challenges this year.
For the Indigo challenge, I chose this book as my read for the category "A book by a local author."
For the 52 Books in 52 Weeks challenge, I placed it in the category "a book with multiple character POV." There are other prompts it would have fulfilled as well, such as "a book you'd rate 5 stars", "a dual timeline", "a character on the run" if you want to stretch it a little and consider the main character is running from her 'demons'; "a character with a disability."

Laura Best is a talented writer who takes the reader on a marvellous journey every time.

[Ramona Jennex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am deeply moved by this compelling novel about mental illness, memory and love. I highly recommend you read this powerful book.

[Dicey100 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful novel about a housewife & mother living with mental illness in the 1960s & 70s and its impact on herself, her husband, children, relatives and her local farming community.

[Wendy Dines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Step inside the mind of a woman who experienced a mental breakdown and endured mind debilitating electroshock treatments and careless abandonment by family.....the author creates the sense of uncertainty she feels when she is finally released from hospital and is now deemed ‘well’ . She wonders who she is? Did she ever have family? What is the meaning of five special words? Do they hold the key to her past?

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great novel from my favorite author!!

[Edwina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was confused at the beginning, different voices, but maybe the same person, maybe not. Getting mixed up about who is Cliff, Daddy or Poppy? or both? It took me a while but then I got the groove of it. (I had a bit of a worry when I discovered that Elizabeth counts things to block out what she doesn't want to see or here, as I do that too).

At the end of of part two, I said to myself, "It could end here, and I would be happy". I was a bit put out that there would be more, but it was okay. I approve. I won't say anything more, just that, I wouldn't change a thing.

[Emilylutzns · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down. It was interesting and captivating but I found the narrative a little jumpy and hard to follow. I almost feel like I need to read it again to fully understand the story. Really interesting and I’ve never read a book like this, one that shows the viewpoint and perspective of someone like the main character.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laura Best outdid herself with “Good Mothers Don’t”. An honest look into the suffering of mental illness. Told in the voice of Elizabeth (who struggles with this insidious disease) and those that are close to her, this story is an accurate depiction and a compelling tale. A compulsive read not only about the person who suffers from mental illness but also the ramifications for those who love her. Well done!

[Kaylie’s Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content Warning: mental illness

Laura Best’s Good Mothers Don’t follows Elizabeth McKay and her experience with mental illness in the 1960s and 1970s while living in a small farming community in Nova Scotia. Elizabeth has two young children, Jacob and Jewel, and a husband named Cliff, who all love her dearly; she’s living a good life. Elizabeth begins to unravel as she starts hearing voices and imagining herself harming her children. She’s aware that something is wrong, but she can’t seem to control her impulses. A testament to the fact that mental illness can affect anyone regardless of their life situation, Good Mothers Don’t attempts to shed light on how mental illness was treated in the sixties and seventies.

Elizabeth’s narration in the beginning of the story is very scattered, obviously to show the reader the mental state that she is in, yet at times it can be difficult to follow because it’s like being in the mind of someone who cannot control their thoughts. As Elizabeth unravels, the reader will see the lack of support for her mental illness from her husband’s family, who simply think she is “crazy” and not actually in need of help. This part of the novel feels rushed, and Elizabeth’s mental illness feels undeveloped because there is a sudden jump in time to when Elizabeth is well.

Best has clearly done her research when it comes to how mental illness was viewed and treated in this era. Elizabeth is taken away and is prescribed pills and electroshock therapy to help cure her ailments, which causes memory loss for her. Elizabeth is getting well but cannot remember much of her life before she was in Harmony House; but as she begins to find out who she was, her voice becomes clearer than it was in the beginning. The issue with Good Mothers Don’t is that it feels like only the surface has been scratched, and it is lacking depth. Best’s prose draws the reader in, yet something feels missing even when the story comes to an end. Good Mothers Don’t is a lovely piece of Canadian historical fiction, I just wish that it went even deeper with the themes that were presented and that the plot was more developed in places.

Thank you Nimbus Publishing for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Originally published on Cloud Lake Literary, link below:

https://www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/blog...

[Deborah Denny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It is a heartbreaking story of a women with mental illness, and the damage from the horrific treatment used in the 1960’s. It is so well written, and from the view of several characters in the story. Read it!

[Wendy J. Whittingham]

GOOD MOTHER'S DON’T is a powerful work of literary fiction about motherhood and mental illness set in 1960s Nova Scotia.
The story chronicles main character Elizabeth’s difficult journey into her past as she tries to recover her lost memories. The story is told from from the points of view of several characters including Elizabeth’s own two children. Reading this novel was an emotional roller coaster. Be sure to have a box of tissues nearby.

[Kelly Costello · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't understand how much this book was sweeping me along until the second half. All of a sudden I was having these huge emotional reactions. This book is beautiful, even if the content is not. Loved it.

[Cora Difford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may sound corny, but this book resonated with me in a way that I don't believe any other book ever has. The main character, Elizabeth, was from rural Nova Scotia. So am I. She struggled with anxiety, depression. So do I. She dealt with the stigmas attached to having mental illness - whether from the public or self-generated. So do I. She worried about her worth as a person, wife, mother. So do I. At one point she runs off into the forest where she finally feels like she can breathe... I can't even count how many times I have relied on nature to get me through a day. Her feelings, her fight or flight response, her fears, reactions/over-reactions etc., all of these things are things I can relate to on various levels. Reading the story from Elizabeth's point-of-view was almost like reading many of my own thoughts. Based on the admissions criteria, had I been born fifty years earlier, my husband could also have signed me into a "nut house" in a few short minutes if he felt inclined to. Rather a frightening thought...

The description of help available or what was being done to "help" Elizabeth's peers reminds me so much of a family member (now passed) who received "Electric Shock Therapy" on and off from the 1970's - 1980's (if not later, possibly). A sharp-as-a-tack woman, mother, grandmother, former teacher became scattered and scrambled, for lack of a better term, about mid-way through that period and wound up with Alzheimer's come the late '90's... Whether or not the ECT caused or contributed to it, I don't know, but I have my suspicions. As a religious woman, she'd once been able to quote most any part of the Bible by heart. By the time of her death she didn't know me and I lived next door. She called my mother the name of the cereal she'd fix her for breakfast some days.

And then there are those who've wound up going the other paths while under the weight of mental illness or while waiting and waiting for some sort of help - and most of us know at least one, unfortunately.

In reading, Good Mothers Don't, what became so apparent to me, is that now in 2023, a lot has finally changed regarding how mental illnesses are perceived and treated but - and perhaps more concerning to me, personally, at least - how a lot also HASN'T. While I won't elaborate here, I can say that I have had experiences in the past ten to twenty years which could easily mirror some descriptions from this book, set half a century earlier. To me, born in the mid 1970's, that isn't a great sign of coming leaps and bounds yet.

There is so much more I could say or share with regard to Elizabeth's life and story and how it 'got to me.' It really was an amazing account told brilliantly. I highly recommend that anyone living with mental illness or involved with someone who has a mental illness, read this. Odds are, you'll come away with a sense of "community" knowing that you/they are not alone, not disposable, not to blame or be punished for how you/they simply are. You've taken time to read my review, now READ THE BOOK.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the overall premise of the book and was excited to read a book that dealt with mental health especially “back in the day.” I liked the jump between years and different character views. With that being said, it lacked depth. I felt a lot was left unexplained and was “fluffed over” so to speak. I think this could have been a great book if the author just delved a little deeper especially into the final spiral that lead to the hospitalization. It just felt to pieced together. Despite that, anyone who likes to read books that focus on mental health should read it and it held my attention more toward the end.

[Katharine Tessier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the different points of view, and the level of character building during Parts One and Two left me wishing that the ending had actually continued and expanded further than it did. I appreciate ending on a feel-good note, but how did Elizabeth's life unfold in this next chapter during her "wellness"? There seems to be so much left untold, but the opportunity to continue the story was there, as Part Three is so short in comparison to One and Two.

Obviously it is a testament to the author's writing if I am asking for more even though I've finished reading the story. I suppose that isn't a bad thing at all!

[Mtraf]

DNF.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75⭐️’s. A powerful novel set in Nova Scotia about motherhood, mental illness, and love.

[Sabrina Vieira · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5☆'s
"Home is not an actual place as I once thought. Home is knowing that you belong in someone's heart and they belong in yours." Pg 341