That Kind of Mother: A Novel Paperback – February 19, 2019

A very interesting premise where a white family adopts the black child of their nanny when she dies in childbirth. That set the stage for many important topics to be explored, especially in our current climate. Unfortunately this is where the novel fell short for me. Rebecca, the adoptive mother, is so self absorbed that she fails to hear anything Cheryl, the deceased nanny’s grown daughter, tries to tell her about raising an African American child. Her advice ranged from the simple how to take care of his dry skin to the life or death matters of driving while black. Instead of an honest dialogue Rebecca would make light of the conversations and retreat back to her own world. Because of the missed opportunities to really do something with the promising start, I was disappointed in the book. I wanted it to be great but came away with average.

I wavered between rating this fine book a 4 or 5. The beginning began slowly. I know the author was trying to develop characters, so I was patient and then it took off. This story is about a reality of today. The black child adopted into today’s family. It is a well thought out story and certainly gives one food for thought. I really got into the story and felt I understood all the characters. I don’t think the ratings it has gotten are totally fair. People should examine any prejudices they might have and keep an open mind. I liked the ending. It will be interesting to see how his future writings develop.

Rumaan Alam’s novel THAT KIND OF MOTHER goes from childbirth to Princess Diana worship to adoption to race and coping with all of life in between. Let me just say this upfront. I was amazed from the get-go that this book was written by a man. This is not intended to be sexist in any way. I was so impressed with Alam’s grasp of the female perspective from childbirth pain to the new motherhood experience to the nuances of the female experience. His ability to tune in to these incredibly powerful, deeply sensitive and personal feelings struck me as extremely compassionate.Rebecca, a young woman who has just given birth, struggles with easing into a comfortable spot with her newborn. She becomes deeply attached and dependent upon her La Leche consultant, Priscilla, who she met while in the hospital, and while they are similar in age, she acts as a sort of surrogate mother. Teaching her how to care for her baby and creating a tight little unit.Rebecca is a poet whose career lay dormant. While her husband earns oodles of money, she has pushed her ambition aside. Rebecca is white, educated and from an affluent background. Priscilla is black, and has put her daughter Cheryl's education, and now career, first, while holding on to a job to make her own ends meet.Tragedy strikes when Priscilla, who is pregnant, gives birth to a baby boy, dies during delivery. Cheryl doesn’t know what to do about her mother’s baby/her brother as she is soon to deliver her own baby. Rebecca, without any thought, but armed with a new confidence, wants to take the baby and care for him.​A new, but very different relationship forms between Rebecca and Priscilla's daughter and son-in-law. The two families form a connection in order for the two children to maintain familial ties. How this develops and how the characters come to see each other, or not, becomes the crux of the story. It certainly opens the reader's eyes up to different points of view.Well-loved and now part of Rebecca’s family, young Andrew, is unaware of any differences he might face out in the real world being raised by a white family. Rebecca has been warned but her blinders are on. Perhaps they always have been. Rebecca is highly attuned to the ignorance of racism as she faces it daily, from family members, other parents at school, and complete strangers. However, she ignores advice at every turn and one day, her son will need it.

I had heard one rave review about this book before buying it. Unfortunately, I found it hard to read. The characters felt so under-developed. The plot was lacking, and pretty flat. The conversations between characters were stilted and unrealistic. I don’t recommend it!

Pretty well written. I did find the change from not enjoying motherhood to adopting a child of a different race rather unrealistic. The protagonist was pretty full of herself at times.

I can't believe the same person wrote this novel and "Rich and Pretty". This story was so well-written and hard to put down. I can't say I liked Rebecca, but that was mostly because I related to her flaws. I would read this book again, I liked it that much.

One of the worst books I’ve ever read. I could have written it better, and I am no writer! As in other reviews That are posted, there are moments that you are hopeful, as the reader, that there could be some depth to any one of the characters being ready to materialize but every time the opportunity is missed.As referenced in other reviews, a man describing childbirth is a ridiculous undertaking and that’s was when I first thought the author’s writing lacked substance but how disappointing that it never improved from there.I completed it because it was “assigned reading” (Bookclub).Don’t waste your time