Fiction (books) about single moms being awesome!
January 19, 2015 1:24 PM Subscribe
Post-divorce, I could use some reading about single moms doing interesting things/ dealing brilliantly with their situation/ generally kicking butt. Fiction preferred, school-aged kids in the picture would be ideal. Thanks in advance!
Okay, call me stupid, but I really enjoyed the latest Bridget Jones installment, Mad About the Boy. She's a widow with two young children and although she's sad and kind of a mess, with help from her friends she gets it together and learns to accept herself for who she is and where she is in life.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:38 PM on January 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:38 PM on January 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
One thing I love about Margaret Drabble is the way her characters revel in motherhood-- more often than not, single. I think every single one of her middle period books, from The Needle's Eye (1972) to The Radiant Way (1887) has at least one major character like this. They are probably more or less versions of Drabble herself; I get the feeling she really enjoyed single motherhood.
posted by BibiRose at 2:07 PM on January 19, 2015
posted by BibiRose at 2:07 PM on January 19, 2015
If a movie works for you, then I recommend Wolf Children. Woman has children by a werewolf, he dies, the rest of the movie is about her struggle and kicking ass in a ridiculously challenging parenting situation.
posted by Alioth at 2:13 PM on January 19, 2015
posted by Alioth at 2:13 PM on January 19, 2015
Like BibiRose, I immediately thought of Margaret Drabble. Her most recent novel, The Pure Gold Baby also fits the bill (this, from the Guardian, explains better than I can: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/nov/16/pure-gold-baby-margaret-drabble-review).
posted by davemack at 2:59 PM on January 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by davemack at 2:59 PM on January 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you like suspense/horror and .. not being able to go sleep after reading a chapter or two: Bird Box.
posted by duckus at 4:57 PM on January 19, 2015
posted by duckus at 4:57 PM on January 19, 2015
The Women of Brewster Place, by Gloria Naylor - as I recall, only one character was a single mom, but turned out to be prophetic for me.
posted by mmiddle at 5:52 PM on January 19, 2015
posted by mmiddle at 5:52 PM on January 19, 2015
The main character in The Truth About Lorin Jonesis a single mom, and that turns out to be more important to the plot that you might initially think.
posted by BibiRose at 6:05 PM on January 19, 2015
posted by BibiRose at 6:05 PM on January 19, 2015
If you like mysteries/suspense novels, you may like Alison Gaylin's Brenna Spector trilogy: And She Was, Into the Dark, and Stay With Me.
posted by SisterHavana at 1:08 AM on January 20, 2015
posted by SisterHavana at 1:08 AM on January 20, 2015
Oh, yes, mysteries! Denise Mina's Paddy Meehan character is a kick-ass journalist and a single mother.
posted by BibiRose at 8:06 AM on January 20, 2015
posted by BibiRose at 8:06 AM on January 20, 2015
Watermelon by Marian Keyes really helped a friend of mine after her divorce.
posted by ontheradio at 5:58 AM on January 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ontheradio at 5:58 AM on January 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks all! Would still love more.
posted by metasarah at 6:46 AM on January 23, 2015
posted by metasarah at 6:46 AM on January 23, 2015
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posted by Sara C. at 1:30 PM on January 19, 2015 [4 favorites]