That Kind of Mother: A Novel

That Kind of a Mother presents the reader (/listener) with such an interesting scenario: a white mother steps up to raise her friend’s black child when she dies in childbirth. I have only read one other novel by Rumaan Alam - Leave the World Behind - but I found there to be similarities in content and style. Both stories tackle the difficulties endured by black and white families when their paths cross, and the imbalance this can cause in their relationships with one another and the world. Alam tackles these issues sensitivity and thoughtfully and I found the whole novel to be educational and thought-provoking. One of the most powerful scenes, in my opinion, is where Cheryl and Ian try to explain the reality of young black males being pulled over by the police for no reason, and she just doesn't understand. It is a power commentary on the world we all live in.

I thought it was brave of a male author to tackle the subject of childbirth and breastfeeding so intimately, but Alam does this admirably, with empathy and humour. The early chapters took me back to my first years of motherhood and had me revisiting experiences I had completely left behind me. I therefore think it's worth noting that if you had a traumatic time as a new parent, you may find this a little unsettling.

Rumaan Alam has a really insightful, person way of writing his characters. The reader really deeply understands and empathizes with Rebecca’s every thought and motivation. Without giving away too much, the Princess Diana element provides the story with an extra, fun point of interest. Also, as someone who grew up in England and lives in Maryland, USA, I enjoyed all the links and references to both of these places in the story.

As a final note, I don't quite understood the title of this novel. While listening to the audiobook, I was also trying to create an alternative title. I failed. Perhaps Alam had the same trouble?