Mothers and children

Mothers and children is a central theme in the novel. Justin and Emma’s struggles to navigate their complex relationships with their mothers form a large part of the plot. Generally speaking, Christine and Amber’s respective crimes make it difficult for their children to forgive them.

To begin, Maddy has a difficult time understanding why Emma continuously seeks Amber out instead of letting Amber be. Internally, Emma explains the reassurance she gets from her mother’s presence: “I was a little girl again. Catapulted back to eight years old, in the arms of my mother. She smelled the way she always did during good times. Like roses. The smell was strong and fresh and I felt myself reset back to zero” (66). Thanks to first-person narration, the reader gets a sense of the reasoning behind Emma’s seemingly illogical actions. That Emma should welcome...