"The Baby Trail" by Sinead Moriarty

Make-up artist Emma Hamilton and her rugby trainer husband James have decided that it is time to have a baby. At the age of 33 and married for two years, Emma is constantly facing the questions of "when are you going to have kids?" With her friends and family members having children, she figures it will be easy and has it all planned out - she'll go off the pill in December, get pregnant in January, have the baby in September and be back in shape by Christmas.

But things don't happen that way for Emma. And soon she finds herself immersed in a world of post-coital headstands, ovulation kits, hormone-inducing drugs, probing specialists, and in vitro fertilization. Combined with the continuing "when are you going to have a baby" questions and other criticisms about her lack of children, it all begins to drive Emma mad and the fact that she is alienating her friends and family is the least of her worries.

The Baby Trail is a smart and humorous look at a very real and difficult situation for many women. At first, one wonders if this topic can dealt with in a funny manner and still be sensitive at the same time. Sinead Moriarty has achieved that balance wonderfully in this book. While the reader laughs at Emma's obsessiveness and nuttiness, they also find themselves emotionally attached and sympathetic. The characters are well-developed and represent a variety of understanding and emotions that are involved in the fertility process. The Baby Trail is a fun and charming read that many women will find relatable.

Comments

  1. LorenJune 8, 2010 at 1:14 PM

    Great review! Thanks for sharing :) Hope you have a blessed day

    ReplyDelete
  2. Missy B.June 8, 2010 at 1:26 PM

    I have an award for you!

    http://missysbooknook.blogspot.com/2010/06/award-for-lil-ol-me.html

    ReplyDelete
  3. Julie PJune 8, 2010 at 10:39 PM

    I added this one to my TBR list--thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Michelle {Jarrah Jungle}December 5, 2012 at 9:32 PM

    I have just finished this book and found it a bit light on and wished she had of been a little more serious in some parts so I could feel some compassion for her. Still it was an easy read and a totally different topic for a change which is always a good thing :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"The Guestbook" by Holly Martin

Image
Welcome to Willow Cottage - throw open the shutters, let in the sea breeze and make yourself completely at home.  Oh, and please do leave a comment in the Guestbook! Annie Butterworth is the landlady of Willow Cottage, a beautiful cottage in the English countryside with a colourful array of guests.  Every guest is encouraged to write their thoughts in the guestbook and do they ever!  Love, loss, happiness, sadness, guilt, affairs, births, and surprises, it’s all in there.  Even Annie’s life gets caught up in the book. As a young widow, Annie herself is going through some changes.  And the appearance of her brother-in-law, celebrity crime writer Oliver Black isn’t helping.  As the guests of Willow Cottage go about their seaside vacations, Annie and Oliver must figure out how to move on in their lives, and most importantly, if they will do so together. The Guestbook by Holly Martin is a lovely, sweet, and unique book.  Written in the format of notes left in the guestbook,
Read more

"Dreaming of Elsewhere: Observations on Home" by Esi Edugyan

Image
“But where are you from, really?” This is a question that Canadians of all walks of life are often asked.  Part of our identity as Canadians is that we all come from somewhere else, and no matter how long ago, it is a defining part of who we are.   But for many people, this question is about more than where their family came to Canada from.  For many, it brings about a question of home and belonging.  These are the ideas that Esi Edugyan explored in her 2013 Henry Kreisel Memorial Lecture, Dreaming of Elsewhere: Observations on Home .  Born in Canada to parents from Ghana, Esi Edugyan has travelled to and lived in various countries, all the while searching for her identity and coming to understand the meaning of home. As an author, Edugyan also reflects on Canadian literature and the notion of the “Canadian story.”  Her wildly successful novel, Half-Blood Blues , was set outside of Canada, and something she often heard was that it was not a typical Canadian novel.  But a
Read more

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop

Image
I am so excited to be participating in the Literary Giveaway Blog Hop, hosted by Judith at Leeswammes' Blog . There are over 50 participants hosting giveaways on their blog between October 15 and October 19. Be sure to hop around and check out all the awesome giveaways! My Giveaway Award season is underway in the Canadian literary world and to celebrate I would like to send someone some fabulous Canadian literature. One lucky winner will be able to choose which book they would like me to send them. Here are the choices (click on title to find out more about the book): A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews (bought at library sale) Life of Pi by Yann Martel The Last River Child by Lori Ann Bloomfield The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden (bought at library sale) Two of the books were bought at a library sale as mentioned. They are still in good condition but are obviously well-loved and do still have the library stickers on them. The other t
Read more