I love a well-written character, and Lila will stay with me for a while. She just checked so many boxes – complicated, firm, lovable, but unlovable, self-aware, strong, yet lacking in some very important ways. I can’t say enough good things about how well-written Lila was as a complicated, three-dimensional character.
Like Mother, Like Mother is a generational story told mostly from Lila and Grace’s point of view. Zelda’s story defines these two women and who they become though, making this a three-generation book.
This book really dives into what it takes to be a mother, and what makes a good mother. With complex characters, I really feel the author does a good job of taking a critical look at the imperfect role of motherhood and how it can create a snowball down generations.
As much as I love this book, there are a couple of reasons I can’t give it five stars. One of my pet peeves in fiction writing is when books get political. I read to escape that nonsense and this book definitely takes a left-wing approach. I don’t care what view it takes, I just don’t want it in my reading. This is a purely personal thing only.
My other conundrum with the book is that Grace, although a good character, just isn’t as strong of a character as Lila, and some of the scenes with her drag a bit. And Ruth…though I liked Ruth, she was almost too perfect. Maybe I just absolutely loved Lila?
I also found that I LOVED the layout of the storytelling. The three parts and the way the author chose to interweave present and past with a delicacy that didn’t pull me out of the story. I wish more books were written in this style, to be honest!