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Human Blues
From an author whose writing has been praised as “blistering” (The New Yorker), “virtuosic” (The Washington Post), and “brilliant” (The New York Times) comes a provocative and entertaining novel about a woman who desperately wants a child but struggles to accept the use of assisted reproductive technology—a hilarious and ferocious send-up of feminism, fame, art, commerce, and autonomy.
On the eve of her fourth album, singer-songwriter Aviva Rosner is plagued by infertility. The twist: as much as Aviva wants a child, she is wary of technological conception, and has poured her ambivalence into her music. As the album makes its way in the world, the shock of the response from fans and critics is at first exciting—and then invasive and strange. Aviva never wanted to be famous, or did she? Meanwhile, her evolving obsession with another iconic musician, gone too soon, might just help her make sense of things.
Told over the course of nine menstrual cycles, Human Blues is a bold, brainy, darkly funny, utterly original interrogation of our cultural obsession with childbearing. It’s also the story of one fearless woman at the crossroads, ruthlessly questioning what she wants and what she’s willing—or not willing—to do to get it.
On the eve of her fourth album, singer-songwriter Aviva Rosner is plagued by infertility. The twist: as much as Aviva wants a child, she is wary of technological conception, and has poured her ambivalence into her music. As the album makes its way in the world, the shock of the response from fans and critics is at first exciting—and then invasive and strange. Aviva never wanted to be famous, or did she? Meanwhile, her evolving obsession with another iconic musician, gone too soon, might just help her make sense of things.
Told over the course of nine menstrual cycles, Human Blues is a bold, brainy, darkly funny, utterly original interrogation of our cultural obsession with childbearing. It’s also the story of one fearless woman at the crossroads, ruthlessly questioning what she wants and what she’s willing—or not willing—to do to get it.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2022
101 people are currently reading
6580 people want to read
About the author
Elisa Albert
13 books186 followersELISA ALBERT, author of The Book of Dahlia and a collection of short stories, has written for NPR, Tin House, Commentary, Salon, and the Rumpus. She grew up in Los Angeles and now lives in upstate New York with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
September 9, 2023
i am so conflicted about this book
full review to come
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pre-read
can i hear a little commotion for the beautiful cover
full review to come
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pre-read
can i hear a little commotion for the beautiful cover
April 2, 2022
To rate this book, I need a row of 5 stars erratically flashing with a different number of stars from second to second. This was a chaotic reading experience for me — and judging from reviews of Elisa Albert’s prior books, which I haven’t read, I could have expected as much. The fact that I fluctuated so wildly between loving and barely tolerating the main character (Aviva), her voice, attitude and obsessions (conception and Amy Winehouse) does seem apt, considering that she also seemed to feel that way about pretty much everything in her own life — except maybe her musical gifts and her perfect, somehow-willing-to-stand-her husband, Sam, whom she loves unconditionally throughout. His character was rendered with the nuances of a stick figure compared to pretty much anyone else in the novel.
Overall, I’m glad I kept reading Aviva’s story to the last page; it wrapped up in a satisfying place. Also, had I left it unfinished, I would have missed a lot of great, cutting lines, passages and commentary nestled among the tedium (e.g., the snapshots of Aviva’s social media feeds — although I understood the point of including them.)
My mother once told me that that she “did not approve” of fertility treatments, but she would not elaborate on her why’s. If you would like to spend nearly 400 pages on a roller coaster with a woman who feels the same way as my mother and is mostly shouting her why’s into your ear as she grapples with her desire and inability to conceive, this is the book for you. Expect sparks of humor, intelligence and tenderness along the way.
Overall, I’m glad I kept reading Aviva’s story to the last page; it wrapped up in a satisfying place. Also, had I left it unfinished, I would have missed a lot of great, cutting lines, passages and commentary nestled among the tedium (e.g., the snapshots of Aviva’s social media feeds — although I understood the point of including them.)
My mother once told me that that she “did not approve” of fertility treatments, but she would not elaborate on her why’s. If you would like to spend nearly 400 pages on a roller coaster with a woman who feels the same way as my mother and is mostly shouting her why’s into your ear as she grapples with her desire and inability to conceive, this is the book for you. Expect sparks of humor, intelligence and tenderness along the way.
March 22, 2022
I picked up this book because the cover art is gorgeous and makes me nostalgic for time spent studying other people’s tattoos—the colors, the symbols, the styles!
I bought it because it’s about menstruating and motherhood, and I still think about a girl I fell for awhile ago who made me take myself and my body more seriously.
I read it in a week because the 9 cycles that create the novel’s structure reminded me that time goes on, and it’s up to me to choose what I let have meaning. Beginnings? Bad dates? Shopping sprees? Interactions with strangers? Middles? The places we live? The places we visit? The times when we bleed?
Read this book because the cover art is beautiful; read it because women’s bodies matter; read it because it’s March and life always feels wanting before spring really starts. Read it because I loved it, and maybe you will, too.
I bought it because it’s about menstruating and motherhood, and I still think about a girl I fell for awhile ago who made me take myself and my body more seriously.
I read it in a week because the 9 cycles that create the novel’s structure reminded me that time goes on, and it’s up to me to choose what I let have meaning. Beginnings? Bad dates? Shopping sprees? Interactions with strangers? Middles? The places we live? The places we visit? The times when we bleed?
Read this book because the cover art is beautiful; read it because women’s bodies matter; read it because it’s March and life always feels wanting before spring really starts. Read it because I loved it, and maybe you will, too.
June 12, 2023
A funny, raunchy, intelligent novel. Aviva is such a fully realized and very human character, it made for a touching and compelling read.
August 7, 2024
I wanted to read a weird fiction book with an chaotic main character (sems to be my new favorite genre) and this was definitely that. I got invested in it but at times I didn't like the book and other times I loved it. I'm not very interested in the subject of chomdren or pregnancy but I ended up liking it anyway ad it felt like a very chaotic reading experience.
March 15, 2022
A delightful book to get lost in. It may seem strange to say given the topics, but I couldn’t put it down and didn’t want it to end. A cross between Russian Doll and The Marvelous Mrs. Masel. Natasha Lyonne should star in the series and Amy Sherman-Palladio should adapt it. Brutal, honest, and delightful.
September 6, 2022
DNF at Chapter 2.
This book is for people who don't know how to read.
Self-proclaimed feminist and (suspected author self-insert, as the author frames all of the nonsense she spews as correct and just) Aviva is no real feminist at all, as she constantly centers the male perspective and male gaze in every action she makes. She is so indoctrinated that she views herself and others through the male gaze, constantly talks about how "nice" her tits and body look, and even sexualizes a TSA PATDOWN, a normally invasive and harrowing experience for women, but not Aviva. Aviva is a "cool girl", marketing appealing to men as "empowerment" and "feminism."
She is obsessed with motherhood and constantly is fetishizing her own body and menstrual cycle. The only form of self-worth she has is through being a reproductive object for her husband to use. She doesn't even want a child to RAISE A HUMAN LIFE, she wants it as an accessory for herself. She also demonizes birth control, and spouts out lies (that I suspect are just the author on her conspiracy soapbox) such as "the Pill causes all women who take it to get PCOS", and that babies only have to go to the NICU because they are conceived through IVF, as if "normally" conceived babies don't have ANY health issues as newborns. Aviva crusades against IVF, but does not even consider adoption once, likely due to the fact that she sexualizes the experience of having "her own" baby. This kind of misinformation about reproductive health being disseminated is extremely dangerous and harmful, especially in a post Roe V. Wade world.
Aviva is also a terrible person. She fantasizes about cheating on her husband frequently, and then tells a man on a plane that he shouldn't "shoot high" in regards to potential dating partners, but to instead find a woman who is "a little unattractive", "insecure", and "a little depressed". She also of course must be "really into sex, for her own sake," parroting the mainstream libfem view that women can achieve empowerment somehow by submitting their body and soul for a man to invade. Besides the fact that this parrots "not like other girls" syndrome, this attitude that a man, previously described as "greasy" would be doing a "nerdy" woman a favor by gracing her with his attention is just about one of the most anti-feminist things you could write. This kind of "pop feminism" that centers men has been parroted over the past twenty years is dripping off of the pages in this novel, and sets womens' rights and our bodily autonomy back decades.
The Amy Winehouse plot is weird, point blank. It really seems like this author just has an obsession with her and wanted to self-insert some connection to her.
The style of this novel was the main reason I could not even finish this as a hate read. It's like if you fed an AI one million Reddit posts made by millenials and asked it to regurgitate a novel. Every paragraph is disjointed and all over the place. The story is completely incoherent. The dialogue is all incredibly cringe, and the font changes for text messages made my head hurt. Flow in nonexistent, even within paragraphs. Was this book even edited?
To conclude, I was incredibly disappointed. I wanted the story about a feminist heroine coping with the reproductive reality of her body that I was promised on the jacket. What I instead got was a raging anti-feminist who was beyond insufferable.
This book is for people who don't know how to read.
Self-proclaimed feminist and (suspected author self-insert, as the author frames all of the nonsense she spews as correct and just) Aviva is no real feminist at all, as she constantly centers the male perspective and male gaze in every action she makes. She is so indoctrinated that she views herself and others through the male gaze, constantly talks about how "nice" her tits and body look, and even sexualizes a TSA PATDOWN, a normally invasive and harrowing experience for women, but not Aviva. Aviva is a "cool girl", marketing appealing to men as "empowerment" and "feminism."
She is obsessed with motherhood and constantly is fetishizing her own body and menstrual cycle. The only form of self-worth she has is through being a reproductive object for her husband to use. She doesn't even want a child to RAISE A HUMAN LIFE, she wants it as an accessory for herself. She also demonizes birth control, and spouts out lies (that I suspect are just the author on her conspiracy soapbox) such as "the Pill causes all women who take it to get PCOS", and that babies only have to go to the NICU because they are conceived through IVF, as if "normally" conceived babies don't have ANY health issues as newborns. Aviva crusades against IVF, but does not even consider adoption once, likely due to the fact that she sexualizes the experience of having "her own" baby. This kind of misinformation about reproductive health being disseminated is extremely dangerous and harmful, especially in a post Roe V. Wade world.
Aviva is also a terrible person. She fantasizes about cheating on her husband frequently, and then tells a man on a plane that he shouldn't "shoot high" in regards to potential dating partners, but to instead find a woman who is "a little unattractive", "insecure", and "a little depressed". She also of course must be "really into sex, for her own sake," parroting the mainstream libfem view that women can achieve empowerment somehow by submitting their body and soul for a man to invade. Besides the fact that this parrots "not like other girls" syndrome, this attitude that a man, previously described as "greasy" would be doing a "nerdy" woman a favor by gracing her with his attention is just about one of the most anti-feminist things you could write. This kind of "pop feminism" that centers men has been parroted over the past twenty years is dripping off of the pages in this novel, and sets womens' rights and our bodily autonomy back decades.
The Amy Winehouse plot is weird, point blank. It really seems like this author just has an obsession with her and wanted to self-insert some connection to her.
The style of this novel was the main reason I could not even finish this as a hate read. It's like if you fed an AI one million Reddit posts made by millenials and asked it to regurgitate a novel. Every paragraph is disjointed and all over the place. The story is completely incoherent. The dialogue is all incredibly cringe, and the font changes for text messages made my head hurt. Flow in nonexistent, even within paragraphs. Was this book even edited?
To conclude, I was incredibly disappointed. I wanted the story about a feminist heroine coping with the reproductive reality of her body that I was promised on the jacket. What I instead got was a raging anti-feminist who was beyond insufferable.
August 6, 2022
Super disappointed, wanted to love and devour this book, as I did After Birth.
Typically I can separate a character's opinions from the author's, but in a post-Roe world, calling The Pill "chemical castration" - even jokingly? - was beyond the pale, and just one among many other really stupid quips (having "jizz chillaxin' around her cervix") from a supposedly super-cool and enlightened character. There were some keen & witty observations amidst the boring, repetitive rants & I really wish we'd seen more interest in any topic other than railing against scientific interventions that have helped so many women and queer folks conceive.
Typically I can separate a character's opinions from the author's, but in a post-Roe world, calling The Pill "chemical castration" - even jokingly? - was beyond the pale, and just one among many other really stupid quips (having "jizz chillaxin' around her cervix") from a supposedly super-cool and enlightened character. There were some keen & witty observations amidst the boring, repetitive rants & I really wish we'd seen more interest in any topic other than railing against scientific interventions that have helped so many women and queer folks conceive.
April 12, 2025
Rising professional singer/songwriter Aviva Rosner is the main and the only truly realized character in this close third person narrative. Influenced by her musical idol, Amy Winehouse, Aviva writes and performs truth-telling, let-it-all-hang-out songs about herself and her grievances. The novel opens as she has recently finished recording her fourth album, Womb Service, which offers a series of songs related to the menstrual cycle and associated biological issues affecting women in general and Aviva in particular.
I might be wrong, but I assumed that Albert intends for us to respect Aviva for her down-to-earth honesty. If so, she failed with me. After a while I came to find her a singularly unappealing character. Lacking warmth, she primarily seems to have contempt for most of the people around her.
Aviva does seem to respect her husband Sam, who is an upstate NY gentile high school teacher. He is a kind man and he loves Aviva, but he is a largely underdeveloped character. And Aviva has not been able to get pregnant with him. Having been tested, the couple knows his “junk” is healthy, leaving Aviva to be forever searching, forever questioning, forever ruminating on what, likely, is going on with her. While mostly doing her best to remain sexually faithful to Sam, Aviva’s relationship with him does not otherwise have much of a role in her life or her plans.
True, it has been a hard road for her. Raised in LA in a dysfunctional Jewish family, her father was distracted and neglectful, and her mother was endlessly passive-aggressive. The one brother she liked died some years earlier and her living brother is heartless and mean. Music has been her outlet.
But now, more than her music, Aviva desperately, obsessively, wants to be pregnant. While nothing like the substance abuser that Winehouse was, Aviva occasionally will micro-dose psychedelics and use other recreational drugs, and yet she is completely and, despite her efforts to articulate her feelings, rather inexplicably averse to medical interventions for her pregnancy, especially IVF. Her abhorrence of a medically induced pregnancy is a subject in the lyrics of her songs. With the focus so strongly on becoming pregnant and so little on having a baby, it seemed that achieving a natural pregnancy is her sole goal, with little interest in what comes later.
As a musician and performer, Aviva travels to various locales—LA, NYC, Albany, London, and a yoga resort in an unnamed “tourist-friendly” Central American country (Costa Rica? —that she does not bother naming this country, after naming all her US and UK locations, this seems another example of Aviva’s contempt and condescension). Despite the changes in geography, there is little narrative movement. Mostly she just thinks about her failure to get pregnant, the possible obstacles preventing her, and what she might do, short of IVF, to finally succeed.
As I longed to finish this (audio)book, I found myself fantasizing about giving it an even more negative review than this one, but a total pan seemed unfair. Albert writes with energy and verve. She can be entertaining and funny, albeit mostly in a biting and sneering way. There are some interesting diversions about family life, the music business, some real-life musicians—Amy, especially, but others too who have been influences in Aviva’s development. (Also, the audiobook’s narrator, Mia Barron. is outstanding.) Especially early on, the book kept me mildly satisfied but this was partly owing to a misplaced confidence that it would eventually branch out to other plotlines and relationships; important as it might be for her, surely the story would not remain so obsessively and singularly focused on Aviva’s frustrations over her failure to get pregnant. Alas, no. Ultimately, the initial sympathetic feelings for her plight gave way to a deepening concern about the sort of parent this mostly angry and often mean-spirited person would likely be.
I might be wrong, but I assumed that Albert intends for us to respect Aviva for her down-to-earth honesty. If so, she failed with me. After a while I came to find her a singularly unappealing character. Lacking warmth, she primarily seems to have contempt for most of the people around her.
Aviva does seem to respect her husband Sam, who is an upstate NY gentile high school teacher. He is a kind man and he loves Aviva, but he is a largely underdeveloped character. And Aviva has not been able to get pregnant with him. Having been tested, the couple knows his “junk” is healthy, leaving Aviva to be forever searching, forever questioning, forever ruminating on what, likely, is going on with her. While mostly doing her best to remain sexually faithful to Sam, Aviva’s relationship with him does not otherwise have much of a role in her life or her plans.
True, it has been a hard road for her. Raised in LA in a dysfunctional Jewish family, her father was distracted and neglectful, and her mother was endlessly passive-aggressive. The one brother she liked died some years earlier and her living brother is heartless and mean. Music has been her outlet.
But now, more than her music, Aviva desperately, obsessively, wants to be pregnant. While nothing like the substance abuser that Winehouse was, Aviva occasionally will micro-dose psychedelics and use other recreational drugs, and yet she is completely and, despite her efforts to articulate her feelings, rather inexplicably averse to medical interventions for her pregnancy, especially IVF. Her abhorrence of a medically induced pregnancy is a subject in the lyrics of her songs. With the focus so strongly on becoming pregnant and so little on having a baby, it seemed that achieving a natural pregnancy is her sole goal, with little interest in what comes later.
As a musician and performer, Aviva travels to various locales—LA, NYC, Albany, London, and a yoga resort in an unnamed “tourist-friendly” Central American country (Costa Rica? —that she does not bother naming this country, after naming all her US and UK locations, this seems another example of Aviva’s contempt and condescension). Despite the changes in geography, there is little narrative movement. Mostly she just thinks about her failure to get pregnant, the possible obstacles preventing her, and what she might do, short of IVF, to finally succeed.
As I longed to finish this (audio)book, I found myself fantasizing about giving it an even more negative review than this one, but a total pan seemed unfair. Albert writes with energy and verve. She can be entertaining and funny, albeit mostly in a biting and sneering way. There are some interesting diversions about family life, the music business, some real-life musicians—Amy, especially, but others too who have been influences in Aviva’s development. (Also, the audiobook’s narrator, Mia Barron. is outstanding.) Especially early on, the book kept me mildly satisfied but this was partly owing to a misplaced confidence that it would eventually branch out to other plotlines and relationships; important as it might be for her, surely the story would not remain so obsessively and singularly focused on Aviva’s frustrations over her failure to get pregnant. Alas, no. Ultimately, the initial sympathetic feelings for her plight gave way to a deepening concern about the sort of parent this mostly angry and often mean-spirited person would likely be.
November 4, 2022
Save yourself the time: A 400-page stream of conscious and an addition to the “I’m a self-loathing millennial who’s a feminist but also I hate women” genre.
September 20, 2022
I've actually been reading this book since it came out, a chapter here and there to fill gaps between other books, and I FINALLY FINISHED. I can finally say good-fucking-bye to Aviva fucking Rosner. I hate her. Oh, how I hate her. And the way the book is set up, I accept that makes me the bad guy. But she's vulgar and crude for no reason, she hates people who don't cater to her desires, she's desperate for a baby (not a child, not to be a mother, her goals seem to begin and end with being pregnant... I cannot see this woman actually being selfless enough to be a mother (or even own a dog)). She seems to despise the very idea of motherhood to the point where I was wondering if she'd give up the baby if she did get pregnant.
An example: I don't know if this was an intentional clue to Aviva's hypocrisy or not, but I don't really care. She admits that she hated Amy Winehouse before she died, but then revered her as an idol afterward. Then she praises a biography of Amy for being written before her death so it wasn't full of platitudes and false testimonies.
And the writing is just chock full of repetitive phrases, endless lists, long long LOOONG descriptions of everything on Aviva's Instagram feed (she hates all of it and despises everyone she follows, of course), and sometimes the plot and characters will take a backseat so the author can just throw in a random screed about whatever was on her mind that day.
As for vulgar... I can handle vulgar. But dear god, this book has more uses of a certain four letter word (starts with t, slang for vagina) than I've ever seen. I think the only place that uses it more would have to be hosted by 4Chan or Truth Social.
I stuck with this because I wanted a book about a female musician, and I actually LIKED the idea she would be abrasive and crude. But Aviva Rosner is just not it. She's barely a musician. She just wanders around talking about being famous, and any performances she does are treated as an afterthought.
It feels like I wasted a lot of time on this book when I could have just charged right through it in a few days. But what a depressing waste of time those few days would've felt like if all I'd had was this book waiting.
An example: I don't know if this was an intentional clue to Aviva's hypocrisy or not, but I don't really care. She admits that she hated Amy Winehouse before she died, but then revered her as an idol afterward. Then she praises a biography of Amy for being written before her death so it wasn't full of platitudes and false testimonies.
And the writing is just chock full of repetitive phrases, endless lists, long long LOOONG descriptions of everything on Aviva's Instagram feed (she hates all of it and despises everyone she follows, of course), and sometimes the plot and characters will take a backseat so the author can just throw in a random screed about whatever was on her mind that day.
As for vulgar... I can handle vulgar. But dear god, this book has more uses of a certain four letter word (starts with t, slang for vagina) than I've ever seen. I think the only place that uses it more would have to be hosted by 4Chan or Truth Social.
I stuck with this because I wanted a book about a female musician, and I actually LIKED the idea she would be abrasive and crude. But Aviva Rosner is just not it. She's barely a musician. She just wanders around talking about being famous, and any performances she does are treated as an afterthought.
It feels like I wasted a lot of time on this book when I could have just charged right through it in a few days. But what a depressing waste of time those few days would've felt like if all I'd had was this book waiting.
January 24, 2023
I was already peeved by the obnoxious main character/ narrator, but loved the cover and the premise, it's one I can relate to. Then I threw up a little when I came across the following line and knew it wasn't for me:
"It was about resigning herself to a constructive, drama-free relationship with Sammy Sam, her beloved manny man." Nope. dnf.
"It was about resigning herself to a constructive, drama-free relationship with Sammy Sam, her beloved manny man." Nope. dnf.
January 17, 2023
Aviva drove me crazy, but Albert’s prose is phenomenal and reading this book was a delight. I adored the sentence structure, the word selection—all of it. And even though Aviva drove me nuts at times, she felt genuinely authentic. Her struggle is a relatable one. Her resolution is a satisfying one.
December 29, 2022
Man, parts of this were five-star.
Wasn't no After Birth but I'll continue to seek out Elisa Albert's stuff all the same.
Wasn't no After Birth but I'll continue to seek out Elisa Albert's stuff all the same.
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December 19, 2024Now that Elisa Albert has been shunned by literary people for being a ((Zionist)), I wonder if she stands by the choice to have her character be negative about Zionism, i.e. the only part of her constantly referenced Jewish identity that isn’t just noses and dark hair and lox. When Aviva meets someone who describes herself as a universalist but also mentions offhandedly that she has Jewish grandparents, she thinks of how her mother would have said, “see you on the trains.” Ironic. Albert can be negative all she wants about “Zionist summer camp” and the reestablishment of the Jewish homeland, but at the end of the day, clearly, the antisemites of the day will make her the enemy anyway. See you on the trains indeed.
(For what it’s worth, Albert IS a Zionist, as she lays out nicely here: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/co.... Though she still takes the opportunity to recommend the awful anti-Israel book Apeirogon.)
(For what it’s worth, Albert IS a Zionist, as she lays out nicely here: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/co.... Though she still takes the opportunity to recommend the awful anti-Israel book Apeirogon.)
December 28, 2022
What can I even say about this one? Elisa Albert is a new author to me, and her writing simply blew me away. I like to describe some books as panic attacks. This is more like... a manic episode? A fever dream? It's unlike anything I've read before, and burrowed deep under my skin. I couldn't stop thinking about it when I would put it down, and immediately had to listen to podcast episodes she appeared on because I wanted to hear about how this story came to be.
Aviva Rosner is a character that should go down in history. She is fully-formed and jumps off the page and right into your brain. She is a 30-something singer-songwriter who is about to release her 4th album and gaining more and more success. She is also desperately trying to have a baby, and coming up against all the pressure of being unable to. The book is more like a monologue inside her head with her singular voice. She is funny, brassy, bold, and unapologetic. The book is loudly feminist and will make you question things you never thought twice about (like the implications and ramifications of IVF). I don't always do trigger warnings, but if you have any hang-ups about being pregnant or getting pregnant, best to stay away from this one. But, if you love Amy Winehouse? Read it for sure!!
It's an emotional, chaotic roller coaster, and I don't say that lightly, but it is also certainly not a criticism. It is dense and fun, but also melancholy and infuriating. I loved and hated Aviva, which I'm sure was the intention. I also loved her as an artist, and all the references to the real life singer-songwriters that I adore. Albert is an incredible author and this is an incredible book that I won't soon forget.
Aviva Rosner is a character that should go down in history. She is fully-formed and jumps off the page and right into your brain. She is a 30-something singer-songwriter who is about to release her 4th album and gaining more and more success. She is also desperately trying to have a baby, and coming up against all the pressure of being unable to. The book is more like a monologue inside her head with her singular voice. She is funny, brassy, bold, and unapologetic. The book is loudly feminist and will make you question things you never thought twice about (like the implications and ramifications of IVF). I don't always do trigger warnings, but if you have any hang-ups about being pregnant or getting pregnant, best to stay away from this one. But, if you love Amy Winehouse? Read it for sure!!
It's an emotional, chaotic roller coaster, and I don't say that lightly, but it is also certainly not a criticism. It is dense and fun, but also melancholy and infuriating. I loved and hated Aviva, which I'm sure was the intention. I also loved her as an artist, and all the references to the real life singer-songwriters that I adore. Albert is an incredible author and this is an incredible book that I won't soon forget.
December 7, 2022
I found the narrator of this book to be incredibly annoying. She's like that lady you get stuck talking to at a party and you consider faking a heart attack to get away. She's the liberal version of QAnon. Akiva is an indie musician in her thirties who is desperate for a baby. She and her husband are having trouble conceiving, but Akiva doesn't believe in technological conception (IVF and the like), so she ends up trying every avenue of alternative medicine. Not only does she not like IVF for herself, she seems to hate everyone who's done it and judge them for being on the wrong side of god/science. She writes an entire album about that conflict and constantly shits on IVF in interviews and in her lyrics, in a way that lets you know she thinks she's better and more in tune with the universe than everyone else. Hypocritically, she will try most any drug, is always on her phone and does any number of other things that could fuck up your body as much, if not more, than IVF. The story is also incredibly repetitive as all she does is bitch and moan about how much she wants a kid and how much she hates people who do IVF. I thought maybe by the end she would come around and realize she'd been harsh and judgmental, but no, her realization is that maybe she just shouldn't have kids and her music will be her kids. I'm only giving it two stars instead of one because the writing itself was fine. Sorry for the rant.
May 19, 2025
Utterly insufferable main character. I was really hoping for a redemption arc, where she realizes that it's her own judgemental, hateful, attitude keeping her from happiness, but no- she remains in a bubble of self congratulatory "not like other girls" entitlement. All the women in her life are vapid and cringe, and all her male lovers (past and present) are intelligent and fascinating. I have a personal distaste for those who build their personalities on top of what they hate, and this character does so unapologetically. The moment where she fakes a miscarriage to get a massage therapist fired entirely without remorse or introspection is particularly vile. This seems like some sort of soap box for the author, who is clearly a self insert in Aviva. This is the book equivalent of tradwife/MAHA tiktok, packaged in some sort of bizarre Amy Winehouse costume with a dash of the authors personal hunger for intellectual violence and raging superiority complex. Don't bother.
August 9, 2022
I’m conflicted on this one. I love the concept and there were some very interesting sections but there were also a lot of sections I had to work to push through. I think it could’ve used a harsher cut in the editing room—it didn’t need to be almost 400 pages. Despite that, the good parts were really great and insightful; there were plenty of sharp and compelling stand out lines that I made it a worthwhile read.
April 13, 2023
Ultimately this is a hangout book - no real plot or character development per se. But it’s a REALLY fun hang out - I want to be friends with Aviva! And I would absolutely be a fan of her music. This made me look at IVF, reproduction, and infertility in new and interesting ways. Would not recommend to most people who want kids! Even though they need to read this more than anyone. Would recommend for die-hard Amy Winehouse fans.
July 25, 2022
I can confidently say I’ve never read *anything* like this and I did enjoy it. It was a little too long for a stream-of-consciousness type read, I think it should have been under 300pgs, but I found the narrator fascinating and funny and wild.
thank you avid reader press for the finished copy!
thank you avid reader press for the finished copy!
June 9, 2025
I ended up struggling with this novel. The beginning gripped me; Aviva Roser is a singer-songwriter about to release her fourth album. She's married to a teacher in Albany. She really really wants to have a baby. The novel opens with this as she's cursing the lates negative pregnancy test and this means it's been two years since she started trying, about to enter her third year. She's funny, she's sarcastic, and she's also anxious, angry, bitter about her fertility. I enjoyed her point of view and I thought I'd get another literary fic millennial woman novel highlighting everything wrong with her life in wry detail, but instead it's all about her fertility.
I was caught off guard because the book began balanced between the fertility struggles, her music career, her husband, various friends, family members and colleagues popping out of the wood work, so I didn't know it'd devolve into a story line about her fertility struggles. She sees an acupuncturist, a rabbi, various doctors, she calls a doula, she tells random old women on a park bench that she really really wants a baby. She refuses to use IVF, IUI, etc. to help her get pregnant. She's worried about how there isn't enough research on what that does to mother and child. She talks about how synthetic fragrances are endocrine disruptors. She goes on a yoga retreat and has an aggressive interaction with a masseur clearing her chakras. She almost has sex with another man. But it all goes back to fertility, pregnancy, babies. Even during these scenes seemingly unrelated, Aviva could not stop thinking about this. And I really liked her voice, but I simply was not a fan of the entire book focusing on fertility. I only stuck around because I wanted to see if there was a twist at the end, but it was clear by the second half that it wouldn't come to that. (I think I've read a few too many thriller/horror/speculative novels starring a depressed, sarcastic millennial woman.) She is the same at the end of the book, a year older, no kids to show for it. I wanted something else from this novel.
I was caught off guard because the book began balanced between the fertility struggles, her music career, her husband, various friends, family members and colleagues popping out of the wood work, so I didn't know it'd devolve into a story line about her fertility struggles. She sees an acupuncturist, a rabbi, various doctors, she calls a doula, she tells random old women on a park bench that she really really wants a baby. She refuses to use IVF, IUI, etc. to help her get pregnant. She's worried about how there isn't enough research on what that does to mother and child. She talks about how synthetic fragrances are endocrine disruptors. She goes on a yoga retreat and has an aggressive interaction with a masseur clearing her chakras. She almost has sex with another man. But it all goes back to fertility, pregnancy, babies. Even during these scenes seemingly unrelated, Aviva could not stop thinking about this. And I really liked her voice, but I simply was not a fan of the entire book focusing on fertility. I only stuck around because I wanted to see if there was a twist at the end, but it was clear by the second half that it wouldn't come to that. (I think I've read a few too many thriller/horror/speculative novels starring a depressed, sarcastic millennial woman.) She is the same at the end of the book, a year older, no kids to show for it. I wanted something else from this novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2023
while i do believe that this book introduces some really critical ideas concerning the world’s current period of technological advancement in reproduction and motherhood, i had a very hard time with certain parts of it — yes, the character was purposefully written to be judgmental and intolerant of the choices of others because this made the story more Complex, but this also made the author’s stream-of-consciousness style of writing much harder to appreciate (and enjoy).
however, despite my distaste while reading the book through aviva’s perspective, the author offers some incredibly valuable critique about how we view contemporary advancements in medicine and the way that female bodies are repeatedly reprogrammed for “the good of society.” because if there’s one thing that’s true about gender throughout history, it’s that women have never really had bodily autonomy!
overall, i’m not sure i would recommend this for anyone other than a very specific reader: someone who wants to better understand technological conception, the opposition to it, modern concerns with western medicine, and how capitalism is becoming increasingly connected with motherhood.
3⭐️
however, despite my distaste while reading the book through aviva’s perspective, the author offers some incredibly valuable critique about how we view contemporary advancements in medicine and the way that female bodies are repeatedly reprogrammed for “the good of society.” because if there’s one thing that’s true about gender throughout history, it’s that women have never really had bodily autonomy!
overall, i’m not sure i would recommend this for anyone other than a very specific reader: someone who wants to better understand technological conception, the opposition to it, modern concerns with western medicine, and how capitalism is becoming increasingly connected with motherhood.
3⭐️
October 24, 2022
Complicated feelings on this one. I could not stop reading, though the story is slower and introspective. The writing style feels very stream-of-consciousness, which worked here (and unlike other books that use this style, there are quotation marks!). Aviva is a frustrating main character. We are deeply inside her head and feel deeply for her, but she is also abrasive, stubborn and spouting opinions most readers will disagree with. However, she is also sharp and funny - her observations on white, upper-class motherhood are delightful. The Amy Winehouse subplot does not add as much to the story as I would have liked, but was still an interesting addition. I would have liked more development of Aviva's husband, Sam, but the story is ultimately about Aviva's internal struggles, so he is not necessary to the main thrust of the plot.
I found out while reading this book that the author lives in my neighborhood, which explains her familiarity with upstate New York. I was distracted trying to determine which locations were real and which were made up for the story. Also, Albany High does not have a Civics class, at least when I attended, but otherwise an accurate depiction of the city.
I found out while reading this book that the author lives in my neighborhood, which explains her familiarity with upstate New York. I was distracted trying to determine which locations were real and which were made up for the story. Also, Albany High does not have a Civics class, at least when I attended, but otherwise an accurate depiction of the city.
September 25, 2022
4.24* This is the type of novel that really makes you think differently about our world. The female rage in this is done soooooo well. It's not preachy, or self righteous. It's honest and vulnerable. A lot of the ideas presented may not be for everyone, but I do think the main characters growth throughout the novel really exemplify the two sides of this artificial fertility argument.
The writing is so lyrical which is great since the main character is a singer. There are also so many great quotes about life, motherhood, and love. This is a book that I will be thinking about for a while.
This was truly a joy to read.
The writing is so lyrical which is great since the main character is a singer. There are also so many great quotes about life, motherhood, and love. This is a book that I will be thinking about for a while.
This was truly a joy to read.
January 2, 2025
This original, provocative, and darkly funny novel delves into the heart of personal struggle and creative ambition. It follows Aviva Rosner, a fiercely independent musician who desperately wants a child but is torn by her refusal to embrace assisted reproductive technology. Structured around nine menstrual cycles, the story takes readers through Aviva’s raw emotional journey, blending unflinching honesty, sharp wit, and biting humor. Set against the backdrop of her rising musical career, this narrative explores profound questions about what we can control, what we must let go of, and how ambition and longing often collide in unexpected ways.
What I loved most about *Human Blues* was how Aviva’s public and private lives are authentically intertwined. Her success as a musician contrasts sharply with her private heartbreak, creating a compelling tension throughout. There’s humor, too—particularly in moments with her father, which highlight the fragility and absurdity of life. This book doesn’t offer easy answers but raises profound questions about longing, resilience, and what it means to live authentically. It’s as thought-provoking as it is moving—a must-read for anyone who loves raw, honest storytelling.
To listen to my interview with the author, visit my podcast at:
https://zibbymedia.com/blogs/transcri...
What I loved most about *Human Blues* was how Aviva’s public and private lives are authentically intertwined. Her success as a musician contrasts sharply with her private heartbreak, creating a compelling tension throughout. There’s humor, too—particularly in moments with her father, which highlight the fragility and absurdity of life. This book doesn’t offer easy answers but raises profound questions about longing, resilience, and what it means to live authentically. It’s as thought-provoking as it is moving—a must-read for anyone who loves raw, honest storytelling.
To listen to my interview with the author, visit my podcast at:
https://zibbymedia.com/blogs/transcri...
January 1, 2023
I almost DNF’ed this one because the lack of plot and kind of neurotic narrative voice was hard to follow (especially since I would passively read and then put it down for weeks). But once I got into a flow, I started to appreciate the humor and actually resonate with Aviva. I love stories contemplating motherhood in all its forms and was so happy Albert symbolized Aviva’s songs as her children in the end. Also I like Amy Winehouse more now?? Not sure if this is an audiobook, but I bet it would be great to listen to alongside reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2022
I had no idea what to expect going in, but I really enjoyed Human Blues. It was interesting, snarky, and creative commentary on issues that many women face: infertility and the societal expectation to have children.
Thank you Avid Reader Press for my copy.
Thank you Avid Reader Press for my copy.
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