A Life's Work

As far as books on motherhood go, this was perfection. If you are not a new parent, like myself, it is a fresh and lively reminder of the dark and challenging times that comes with raising a baby. If you're not raising a child, it's a glimpse into another dimension—the surreal, alternate universe that a new parent must traverse. It is the first I have read of Rachel Cusk, despite having many of her books on my to-read-soon list, and I am ever more eager to read her fiction. She is witty and brutally honest. Her imagery is delightfully colourful and at times, laugh-out-loud funny.

With my daughter's sixth birthday quickly approaching, this was the exact book I needed to remind myself of the remarkably difficult stage early parenthood was; it provided me a chance to reflect on the trauma of birth, the ostensible endlessness of sleep deprivation, and the frenzy of keeping a little creature alive. I also recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand what it would be like to be a new parent, even if one doesn't plan on raising a child—the insight will provide enlightenment as well as compassion for what all parents experience in one way or another.