Now THIS is how you do Australian contemporary fiction. I wished it was twice as long. 7 s Stacey 📚📚44

A lot of intergenerational trauma and women feeling that their lives are unfulfilled.

Susan is a gem

A decent read2024 3-star fiction5 s Emily Farrell11 1 follower

Really enjoyed this, wanted more of each characters story.2 s Megan Castor38 3

4.5 stars. So fucking amazing! 2 s Vivian226 4

This book depicts 3 joyless women - Kathleen, Mary Ann and Vivian and her child Evie. Every woman is forlorn, hates her life, hates her husband. All the women are absent, either literally or metaphorically. The plot describes the minutia of their day to day life in every excruciating detail however nothing of substance actually happens.

The book jumps chronologically as well as between characters so it’s unnecessarily difficult to follow whose story it is and in what time period. I found it rather dull.2 s Emma273 9

Stunning book. One for the girls.1 Giselle Kelly10

This book made me feel messaging my mum. Huge.1 Paige Ballard13 32

I really loved thishome-library1 Michelle1 reviewRead

"Thank You for Having Me" by Emma Darragh is a heartfelt exploration of the intricate dynamics within mother-daughter relationships, woven into a tapestry of captivating mini-stories. Darragh's narrative prowess shines as she deftly navigates through the love, challenges, and complexities inherent in these familial bonds.

With each chapter, readers are drawn deeper into the lives of the characters, encountering moments that range from humorous to poignant, from confronting to deeply relatable. Darragh's keen insight into human character is evident throughout, as she skillfully crafts authentic and multi-dimensional individuals that readers can't help but see reflections of themselves in.

What makes "Thank You for Having Me" truly stand out is its ability to capture the essence of these relationships in all their beauty and imperfection. Darragh effortlessly captures the universal truths that bind mothers and daughters together, while also acknowledging the unique experiences and struggles that shape each dynamic.

Through her masterful storytelling, Darragh invites readers on a journey of self-discovery and reflection, prompting them to reconsider their own connections with their loved ones. Whether you're seeking a heartwarming tale, a thought-provoking exploration of human nature, or simply a beautifully crafted narrative, "Thank You for Having Me" delivers on all fronts.

Intriguing, funny, and occasionally bittersweet, this book is a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring strength of familial bonds. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates the complexities of the human experience and the transformative power of love. Olivia Badger5

this book will make you remember (by force and in no particular order):

- bunnies, pubic hair, lipstick through the fish-eye lens of your childhood
- family Christmas tension
- your mother being cruel to you
- how cruel you were in return
- deep finger imprints on toddler arms
- the weird pain of realising a child is becoming a person
- your parents letting you down
- making the wrong permanent choices
- trying and failing to run away from yourself
- being unable to get out of your own way
- wollongong

also really effectively summed up every anxiety I have about motherhood and every feeling I have ever had about my family.

cannot wait to uncomfortably trauma dump at the office book club about this one xxx


Justine134

As a general rule I only rate books I read for pleasure, and not those I work on as an audiobook producer. But I make an exception here, for a bold and well-written title taking on some of the uncomfortable to downright unpleasant aspects of being a mother that the Motherhood industry would prefer to keep swept under the carpet.

And seeing that a previous reviewer has mentioned it was hard to keep track of whose story was being relayed at any particular moment, there would be no such confusion listening, with the wonderful performances of Brigid Gallacher, Caroline Lee and Maiah Stewardson as the three different generations of women.2 s Erin27

Oh, the generational trauma runs strong in this one...

An impressive debut novel - and one that didn't take me many nights to get through - I wanted more.
The characters in this had my own family members popping into my head, as did many scenes where this played out - Christmas in my grandparents backyard with Pop tinkering in his shed, my sister and I's shared bedroom with bunk beds, sibling squabbles... and then on the deeper side, those moments of being so disappointingly let down by my own mother.

Sometimes it's nice to just put stories this out into the world - because they're often really relevant to someone. Caitlin4

A book following generational trauma between 3 women who are more or less begrudgingly enduring life. Each character is just miserable as the other, which makes the book a little tricky to get through, but overall I can see some important messages between daughters, mothers and grandmothers in this book. With some scenes I didn’t appreciate featuring animal cruelty, these are minor and didn’t reduce my ability to finish the story. I think we could all learn something about loving the women in our lives from this book, it’s their first time doing life too. Hannah Kate47

Interesting snippets of relationships between mother and daughters. I did enjoy it and was an easy read.
Perhaps the author had a negative relationship with her own mum and this is reflected in the characters? Just a thought I had as her own mum wasn’t mentioned in the acknowledgments. Kylie Stylianou1 review

Very confronting perspectives on motherhood and mother relationships. I loved how this book was not pieced together perfectly, much the relationships in the story. Very raw and real. I really enjoyed reading this even though the stories were a bit too close to home. Michelle631

A novel cut into pieces, chapters shuffled and then read in random order should not work. Im sure it’s been carefully constructed…and that’s why it works. Good contemporary fiction, Australian fiction. A novel where the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Raychell Marchant1 review

I was confused who the characters were in some chapters, as it switches between different generations. I did enjoy it, just took me a bit to decipher! Rachel417 7

3.5 stars2024 Kathleen84 1 follower

I tried really hard, but at page 150 I had to give up and call this a DNF book. Short novel books are clearly not for me. Monique Lepine68 2

I didn't really get it. Zoya Khan5

A captivating and omniscient narration of deeply specific aspects of womanhood that are somehow also generationally universal. Emma Kate32

An intergenerational story that allows mothers to be flawed and not pertain to ideologies of 'superhero'. An interesting read, I couldn't put it down.2024 Sarah Veitch20

Hard to follow as the story has 3 main characters in different type periods and the storyline is nonlinear. But overall a decent read Charley64 2

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