Review: Elsewhere by Alexis Schaitkin

Elsewhere by Alexis Schaitkin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This kind of reminded me of the HBO show The Leftovers, where the mothers disappear and you aren't sure why or where they go.  There doesn't seem to be a formula for who is chosen or when, the only criteria is that you are a mother.  Unlike The Leftovers, the leaving as we will call it happens regularly and only happens to women who are mothers.  The town has accepted this phenomenon as part of their normal routine, and they know it does not happen "elsewhere".  They have a ritual when a leaving occurs.  They understand that their isolated town is different than elsewhere, and they are OK with that.  They are fascinated by elsewhere but have no intentions of going there, their town is perfect the way it is.

This follows Vera from childhood through adulthood as she experiences her own mother disappearing and becoming a mother herself.  She shows us the beauty of her town as well as the brutality that occurs when holding true to their traditions.  This touches on so many great topics.  At the center it is a book about identity, motherhood, and relationships.  Through Vera's eyes we get to experience all of the facets of her person as well as how she views motherhood.  This book will take you through all of your emotions and I found that it kept my attention as we walked alongside Vera for all of the major events in her life.

I don't gravitate toward speculative fiction or character driven stories, but I thoroughly enjoyed this.  It was new and fresh but something I wholeheartedly can relate to as a mom.  As mothers we often find ourselves losing our identities as we settle into our roles as wives and mothers as our families come first.  The love we feel for our children is fierce, and we are constantly judged as we raise our children.  No matter what you do it isn't enough or it is too much, and no matter what you do it is never the right choice.  Schaitkin very much accurately captured what it is like to be a mother on any give day.

This was a wonderful deviation from the plot driven novels I typically enjoy.  I loved the writing and the imagination put into the town.  If you are a fan of Margaret Atwood I think you  would enjoy this.  It is emotional and thought provoking.  I highly recommend it!

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