Little Disasters: the compelling and thought-provoking new novel from the author of the Sunday Times bestseller Anatomy of a Scandal

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Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review. I mistakingly thought from its description it would be a medical mystery, but instead found a grim, gut-wrenching tale of family dysfunction, mainly emphasizing postpartum anxiety and depression. Liz doesn’t want to be part of the team that reports this to Britain’s equivalent of social services because she knows what a conscientious, if high-strung, mother Jess was with her older two children.

From the bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal—a new thought-provoking novel exploring the complexity of motherhood and all that connects and disconnects us. A stay-at-home mother of three, Jess is battling postpartum depression when she lands in the hospital with her 10-month-old daughter. Moreover, Vaughan inadvertently lessens the overall impact of the novel by unwisely making a last-ditch effort to drive the narrative into thriller territory.Liz Trenchard, it's supposed to be a typical January night in the ER, but when her friend Jessica Curtis arrives with her youngest child, Betsey, Liz can immediately see that something is not right. I suffered from post-natal depression with the arrival of my second son and although it affected me in ways I never anticipated, I would never change the experience for anything. Vaughan also explores the pressures of parenting: the worry and guilt; the challenge of nurturing a marriage amid the demands of small children; and keeping secrets buried beneath the worktops and freshly ironed baby clothes. When they perform a scan they discover an injury that doesn’t fit with the admission statement that Jess made. Part courtroom drama, part portrait of a marriage, and part psychological thriller, it follows a female barrister prosecuting a rape case in which the prime minister’s best friend is the defendant.

I do have to be critical and say that this one was a bit of a letdown pace wise, it is incredibly drawn out, with clear lags in the mid-section. Regardless, this is still a worthwhile read just based on well the author covered an important topic. Moms need support, from other women and, ideally, their husband, and not all women should become mothers.The best thing I can say about Little Disasters is that it did present some thought-provoking insights into postpartum, but in the end, I couldn't get over the fact that the book just wasn't what I expected. Liz is even more surprised once she discovers baby Betsey has suffered severe head trauma, to the point of cranial fracture. Liz and Jess are united in that they both had very difficult childhoods but the incident with Betsey tests their friendship.

It's no wonder that some exhausted, sleep deprived mothers will suffer from postnatal depression and even anxiety about accidently harming their babies. The story, which is told from the alternating points of view of Liz and Jess (and occasionally other people), jumps around all over the place: from Liz having memories of her childhood; to the prenatal class where Liz, Jess, Charlotte, and Mel met; to a recent barbecue for the women and their families; to the police questioning Jess and Ed; to Jess giving birth to Betsey; to Liz dealing with her mother's ongoing drunken bouts; to things that happened in Jess and Ed's house; to Ed being concerned about his wife; to Jess worrying about her baby; and more. Since Betsy was born Jess has felt isolated and yet she is so unsure of herself, scared of some of her inner thoughts that she fails to reach out for help, even from her closest friends. We learn that of late the friendship has suffered, which is down to the very busy lives both women lead.

Even Jess, who is suspected of abusing her daughter, still has her charming and endearing qualities. In a culture that fetishises motherhood, Sarah Vaughan's novel is an invaluable corrective, a warning about the terrible effects parenting can have on mental health. Fans of Anatomy may miss the courtroom tension, but the psychological portraiture in this absorbing study of motherhood is just as rich.