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Still Born
Still Born | Guadalupe Nettel
13 posts | 11 read | 17 to read
Still Born, Guadalupe Nettel's fourth novel, treats one of the most consequential decisions of early adulthood - whether or not to have children - with the intelligence and originality that have won her international acclaim. Alina and Laura are independent and career-driven women in their mid-thirties, neither of whom have built their future around the prospect of a family. Laura has taken the drastic decision to be sterilized, but as time goes by Alina becomes drawn to the idea of becoming a mother. When complications arise in Alina's pregnancy and Laura becomes attached to her neighbour's son, both women are forced to reckon with the complexity of their emotions. In prose that is as gripping as it is insightful, Guadalupe Nettel explores maternal ambivalence with a surgeon's touch, carefully dissecting the contradictions that make up the lived experiences of women.
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review
Gleefulreader
Still Born | Guadalupe Nettel
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Pickpick

This book was so good and thought provoking, I read it in less than a day. It examines a lot of topics that are fraught, without sentimentality or excessive drama, such as the desire to have children vs the desire not to, what happens if you have a child with a disability, the impact of domestic violence on family relationships and the unexpected relationships and community we sometimes find. Highly recommended but warning for sensitive matter.

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sarahbarnes
Still Born | Guadalupe Nettel
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Pickpick

This book was just so, so good. Its perspectives on motherhood and mothering resonated with me so deeply I was blown away. The book doesn't romanticize or minimize the choice and the weight of being and not being a mother. Thank you again @cinfhen for sending this book my way - I agree with you that I hope it wins the Booker based on the ones I've read!

rockpools Yes to all of this. It was just so well done. Of course it won‘t win, but… 2y
bnp Another book I'm curious about on mothering and writing is posted above. 2y
bnp I mean below. 2y
See All 8 Comments
jlhammar Really want to read this one! 2y
LeahBergen Great review! I‘ve been eyeing this one. 2y
BarbaraBB Great review. Happy you loved it so much too! 2y
Cinfhen Im sooo happy I was able to share this one with you 😁 2y
batsy Nice review! I hope to read this one soon. 2y
43 likes2 stack adds8 comments
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TrishB
Still Born | Guadalupe Nettel
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Pickpick

A chaotic, messy insight into motherhood, choice and society‘s expectations around this. It‘s not all doom and gloom, but there are some very sad bits.

91 likes2 stack adds
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TrishB
Still Born | Guadalupe Nettel
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#quicklunchtimeread
My salad place wasn‘t open today 😞

AmyG Boo…that‘s disappointing. (edited) 2y
LeahBergen Darn it! 2y
BarbaraBB Enjoying the book? 2y
See All 7 Comments
TrishB @BarbaraBB I only got chance to read about 50 pages yesterday. But really enjoying so far. 2y
TrishB @AmyG @LeahBergen I know! How dare they. 2y
Cathythoughts Look forward to your thoughts on this one 👍🏻 What about that tiny lunch 😬 A nice slice of cake perhaps ? 😄 2y
TrishB @Cathythoughts a large bag of beef hula hoops 😁 2y
72 likes7 comments
blurb
sarahbarnes
Still Born | Guadalupe Nettel
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Thank you so much Cindy for sending me your copy of Still Born, along with this really cool card and bookmark! What a fun package to get in the mail today!! 💙😃📖 I can‘t wait to read this one.

@Cinfhen

Cinfhen Yay!! I‘m glad it made it😊once again @BarbaraBB your package is the only one that hasn‘t reached its destination 😩I‘m hoping it still shows up🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 2y
BarbaraBB You must be kidding! It feels as if I live in some underdeveloped country where the mail doesn‘t work! I hope it will arrive one of these days!!! @Cinfhen (edited) 2y
BarbaraBB Sarah you‘re in for a treat. A sad one yet a treat. I can‘t wait for your thoughts! 2y
sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen I‘ve started this one and cannot put it down. I‘m already halfway through and it‘s blowing me away. 💔 2y
Cinfhen I‘m so glad you‘re loving it too, Sarah. I really hope it wins the Booker!!!! 2y
35 likes5 comments
review
BarbaraBB
Still Born | Guadalupe Nettel
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Pickpick

Laura and Alina are sure they will never become mother, because that implies giving up on life and ambition. During the years that follow Laura‘s perspective remains the same, while Alina gets pregnant. A complicated journey follows during which both women‘s views are put to the test as life gets more complicated than they could have foreseen.
A delicate, sharp and insightful exploration of the complexities of motherhood.

#internationalbooker

BarbaraBB You were so right @Cinfhen I loved it 🤍 2y
Cinfhen Im so glad you loved it!! I kind of knew you would xxxx 2y
See All 8 Comments
Cinfhen @sarahbarnes I haven‘t received any emails from you yet… my offer still stands if you would like my copy 🩷 2y
sarahbarnes Such a great review! 😊 And @cinfhen that is strange-I sent you an email but it must not have gone through! I will send it again! (edited) 2y
ashw21 Great review! Loved this book 2y
KarenUK This sounds fantastic…. Stacking 💕 2y
Megabooks Definitely stacking! Great review! 2y
75 likes4 stack adds8 comments
review
ashw21
Still Born | Guadalupe Nettel
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Pickpick

This is a story of two best friends who never intended to have children. Alina changed her mind and she is faced with an extremely complicated pregnancy. Laura, on the other hand still firm in her decision becomes close to her neighbour‘s son.. this is such a wonderful book on motherhood and learning to deal with the cards we are dealt with .. absolutely loved this book in translation!

BarbaraBB Great review. I am in the midst of this one and loving it too. 2y
ashw21 @BarbaraBB that‘s so great to hear .. it was a 5⭐️ read for me! 2y
15 likes2 comments
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BarbaraBB
Still Born | Guadalupe Nettel
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#WeeklyForecast 17/23

Before the #CampLitsy23 longlist will be announced and my bookhunting probably will go all over the place, I‘m trying to stick to my original plans 🤣:
The tagged one for the #InternationalBooker shortlist (thanks to you Cindy 🩷) and The Woman Next Door for some challenges (also thanks to you 😊).
But first I‘m about to finish the Cummins, a perfect weekend read (it‘s Sunday morning and I‘m still in bed). Have a good week!

Cinfhen Can‘t wait to see how you get on with 2y
squirrelbrain Have a good week! I‘m still updating the spreadsheet! 2y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain That‘ll take some time I am sure. Fortunately there are no more nominations 😉 2y
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sarahbarnes Can‘t wait to hear your thoughts on Still Born. I can‘t get it at my library and am trying to decide whether to buy it. 2y
BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes I am very curious about it thanks to @Cinfhen ‘s review 🤞🏽 2y
sarahbarnes Ah, I see that now! Glad to hear you liked it @Cinfhen ! 2y
Cinfhen I can mail you my copy @sarahbarnes 💜 2y
sarahbarnes @Cinfhen wow, that is so generous of you!! I hope I can return the favor someday soon! 💙 2y
Cinfhen My pleasure 💕just send me your address @sarahbarnes Cindyh666 at iCloud dot com 😉 2y
BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes Lucky you! Cindy is the best 🤍 2y
sarahbarnes @Cinfhen thank you!! Will do! And @BarbaraBB she really is! 😊💙 2y
61 likes11 comments
review
Cinfhen
Still Born | Guadalupe Nettel
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Pickpick

Loved this book from the #bookerinternational23longlist ♥️The translation was a expertly crafted and the story of two friends navigating motherhood in all of its complexity was flawless! This would be an excellent choice for #bookclub 🤓Im thinking of you @Simona as I attempt the longlist and would love your thoughts on this one😘 @BarbaraBB I‘m pretty sure you‘d love this book!!!

shawnmooney Color me interested! ♥️ 2y
BarbaraBB Thank you, I‘m sure I will if you think so! I‘ll check it out 💕 2y
Cinfhen Hi @shawnmooney 🫶🏼 I can definitely see you enjoying this book 😎 2y
79 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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Cinfhen
Still Born | Guadalupe Nettel
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#BookMail 🥳I‘m still sooooo distraught over BD - I feel like I‘ll be panic buying for the next two weeks. I bought two from the #InternationalBookerLongList that caught my attention

TrishB Are there any sales on? 2y
Cinfhen Not yet @TrishB but I‘m watching & hoping 🙏🏼 2y
LeahBergen I doubt that there‘ll be any sales as Amazon will just swallow the extra stock. 😠 And I‘ve “panic-bought” several books myself, too. 😆 2y
See All 7 Comments
Cinfhen Yeah, I totally agree about Amazon and the GREAT BIG STOCKPILE @LeahBergen @TrishB 2y
BarbaraBB Me too @LeahBergen and @Cinfhen , I doubt it but I have been buying too. We‘ll announce #CampLitsy23 before Bd shuts down so there might come lots of inspiration your way! 2y
LeahBergen @BarbaraBB Yay! 👏👏 2y
75 likes7 comments
review
rockpools
Still Born | Guadalupe Nettel
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Pickpick

Sometimes life doesn‘t work out as you planned. And sometimes that‘s ok.

Two women, best friends, who never intended to have children. But Alina‘s views change as she gets older, leading to a difficult, life-changing pregnancy that neither she nor the doctors foresaw. Meanwhile Laura unexpectedly starts taking on a mothering role to her neighbour‘s child.

I really enjoyed this. It‘s messy and complicated, and people change their minds and love

rockpools their children to bits, even as they think the worst or feel guilty or can‘t cope. It‘s a very different and non-judgmental look at motherhood and non-motherhood and mothering, set against the backdrop of Mexico City, and a society which expects a woman to become a biological mother.

The writing feels very real - the main character talks like a close friend, while, when she tells Alina‘s story it feels almost like a human-interest news report.
3y
rockpools And yet somehow it works to build a very affecting story without being manipulative or mawkish. Major content warnings for everything around pregnancies that don‘t work out as expected.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #FitzcarraldoEditions who gave me this as a free ARC. I read it in the space of an evening, which is very unusual.
3y
squirrelbrain Great review! 3y
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Cinfhen Just ordered this one from #BookDepository - sounds promising 2y
rockpools @Cinfhen 🤞It did several things I wasn‘t expecting - so far it‘s the one I‘d like to win the International Booker, and I‘ll be very surprised if it doesn‘t make the shortlist. That‘ll stop that happening then! I need to review this for the IBP blog now, and it‘s so long so I read it, I should probably re-read. Hmm 🤔 2y
BarbaraBB Reading this now and loving your review. 2y
rockpools @BarbaraBB Thank you. I may re-read this. I think I‘d like it to win. 2y
51 likes3 stack adds7 comments