Posts Tagged "Melanie La’Brooy"

Babymoon

Posted by cafebebemama on Oct 18, 2009 in Books | 0 comments

In my “JUST ASK” philosophy, after seeing an advertisement for the novel “Babymoon” by Australian author, Melanie La’Brooy, I contacted the publisher to request a copy for review and for a competition on Café Bébé.  I got it!  I haven’t read an ADULT piece of non-fiction since before Little Miss was born so I was really excited to kick off my re-entry to reading with this book.  A bit of a summary, before commencing with the review:

“The countdown to mummydom has started…  Isabelle and Jack are expecting their first child.  And Isabelle is the very model of a calm Earth Mother-to-be.  Or she would be if she wasn’t consumed by anxiety about finding her pelvic floor, watching birthing videos or being accepted into the yummy mummy parade with a very practical pram.  Of course she’s thrilled and excited- she just feels slightly out…of…control.  But with the support of a host of new mothers and friends- all full of the worst possible advice- just maybe Isabelle can make it through pregnancy and childbirth with her dignity, her relationship and some more private bits intact.  Then again, maybe not.”

The Author:  Melanie La’Brooy is the author of the bestselling Australian published novels, Love Struck, The Wish List and Serendipity (Penguin Australia).  Babymoon was written shortly after the birth of her first child.  Melanie lives in Melbourne with her husband Charlie, her two year old son Dashiell and she is expecting another baby in August.

STRENGTHS:  This book is very well-written and had me hooked very quickly, which is very important as a busy mother.  I don’t have time to take forever to read a book!  One of the issues that the main character, Isabelle, deals with is her fear of her life changing when she’s a mother.  I loved how this was addressed on page 127 in a conversation between Isabelle and her partner Jack:

” ‘I mean that, after the baby is born, for five days a week, eight hours a day- or, knowing you six days a week, fourteen hours a day- your life will still be the same when you’re at work,’ I almost shouted.  ‘For me, this baby is going to change everything.  It’s already changing my body.  It’s going to change my work, my life, my everything.’ “

There are a lot of laugh-out-loud funny sections of “Babymoon” which was why it was the perfect book for me to start my re-entry to the reading world.  The relationship with her partner, Jack- a surgeon, struck a few chords with me as, though not a surgeon, my husband works long hours as well and it’s just me and Little Miss for many very long days.  I also loved Isabelle’s challenges with her sister, Audie.  Her sister possessed a lot of the same OCD reflexes that I struggle with!  Melanie La’Brooy even wades into the Breastfeeding/Bottlefeeding debate  with an interesting and accurate statement:

” Basically, once you moved past the natural childbirth/too posh to push hurdle, the next politically charged brawl was breastfeeding versus bottle-feeding.  This was the sort of spectacular fight usually reserved for a WrestleMania smackdown in a full-capacity arena. “

WEAKNESSES:

I have to admit that I did get a bit uncomfortable with Melanie La’Brooy’s ongoing theme about the fear of losing yourself as a woman and a PERSON when motherhood hits.  La’Brooy’s character Isabelle cannot really wrap her head around the concept of being a mother which made me wonder why she would consider motherhood and then I remembered that it was just a NOVEL.  But I know almost every woman must have at least a few twinges of worry about losing themselves.  Personally, I never struggled with that and for that I am grateful.  The only other weakness to speak of was that the end of the book ended with the actualy birth of “Fetid” (Isabelle and Jack’s nickname for their unborn child).  I’m awaiting the sequel now!

OPINION:

If you’re looking for a light read which will make you laugh out loud and wax nostalgic about your own pregnancies, then “Babymoon” by Melanie La’Brooy will definitely fit the bill.  It’s an easy read and one which doesn’t weigh you down too terribly.  Perfect for Mummies everywhere.

TECHNICAL STUFF:

“Babymoon” is authored by Melanie La’Brooy and is published by Little Brown in the UK.  The paperback original is £6.99.

RATING:

4.5 out of 5