Raphael Kim’s Reviews > The Mothers > Status Update

Last part of the book, Brit Bennett shows that our life choices whether it's small or big never leave us. I think that her purpose is to show how deep secrets and what if stay near people for long time. As Nadia and Luke deal with their past author tell us that the Mothers of the church represent the past of the town. She wants us to see that while we get older and move away, the past me keep find way to stay close.

As the characters get older, their friendship feels more complicated and mixed up. Brit Bennett is trying to show us that people can't fix a mistake from years ago. Nadia and Aubrey are very different now and the struggles and efforts of both tries to connect to each other makes this book exciting. Author wants us to see how keeping secrets can isolate person even when they are plenty of people are surrounding.

On page 210 to 225, Nadia reflects more on her past choices and how they still affect her in present. I can see her emotional growth but also I can see her deep regret. I think that Brit Bennett includes this to show how decisions stay near with people and shape the relationship. Also I think Bennett is showing that sometimes forgetting about things could be better than regretting and not moving forward.

While keep reading this book I notice that the relationships become more tense because the past is bring and pushes into the present. Bennett builds this pressure constantly instead of through a dramatic moment. She does this to make the story feel realistic. Showing how regret grows in normal life. It helped me to understand that emotional regrets often arrive little by little not all at once.

During page 130 to 155. Bennett gives Aubrey a bigger emotional role in this section to show the difference with Nadia. Aubrey is softer and more open, while Nadia hides her feelings oftenly behind distance and pride. The author does this to show there is lot different ways people survive pain. By placing them side by side. Author leads me to think about loneliness and what real strength look like.

Between page 115 to 123 I got authors point. In this part of the book, Brit Bennett shows how secret do not disappear even when people try to make them go away. Nadia, Luke, and Aubrey all carry private and secret pain that shapes their choices and personality. The author does this to show that silence can be just as powerful as telling the truth and that hidden things slowly effects friendships, and identity.

Around page 90 to 110, the relation between Nadia and Luke are getting deep. I can feel the weight of her choices are growing and the situations are more serious. Also the expectations of the church community becomes clearer. The "Mothers" feel like more of a judgment. Bennett wrote this to show how pressure from others can influence personal decisions and make people's problem hard to solve it privately.

On page 12 to 25, Nadia begins to keep a distance away from church after her mom’s death and her sadness is noticeable in her actions and thought. She seems lost and disconnected from everyone and everythings around her. Brit Bennett likely wrote this to show how pain from losing someone can isolate a person and slowly effects their behavior and decisions before any problems that she will face during the book.