The Mothers is a brilliantly imagined story about two friends in a black community in Southern California and the impact on their lives of the choices they made when they were seventeen.
Nadia, whose mother recently committed suicide, gets pregnant and faces a difficult decision. Aubrey is also missing her mother and lives with her sister, revealing little about her absent parents. Luke, the pastor’s son, comes between the two girls. The church community of women—“the mothers” of the title—act as a kind of Greek chorus telling us what they know and, a bit ominously, about how their own actions influenced the lives of Nadia, Aubrey, and Luke.
The avalanche of praise for The Mothers began well before its publication on October 11th. At this writing, People, Essence, The New Yorker, and Vogue all glowingly covered the novel and its 26-year-old author. The writing is elegant and compelling—Brit Bennett is a natural storyteller.
Listening to the talented narration of Adenrele Ojo, the voices of Nadia, Aubrey, and the women of the church community come vividly to life. Ojo’s reading is natural and perceptive; we hear Nadia, Aubrey, and Luke grow through the changing resonance of Ojo’s voice, the ups and downs of their lives conveyed with feeling that is restrained, complex, and never exaggerated. Great writing and storytelling are the foundation of a good audiobook but gifted narration makes it great. Adenrele Ojo gives us just that in The Mothers.
Enjoy an excerpt from The Mothers audiobook by clicking here:The Mothers