The characters were so believable, I feel I may bump into the Woolnaugh’s in Mosman or Stu at a coffee shop in the Inner West struggling with a pram. Ever since I read "Sorrow and Bliss" I understood that not only Meg Mason was one of my new favorite authors but also that she was one of the greatest, brightest and sharpest writers of this day and age. This is one of the best novels about marriage that I have read, and that is a large field…This is also one of the best novels about mental illness I have read…I am adding it to my list of the best novels of 2020, alongside Andrew O’Hagan’s MAYFLIES, Sofie Laguna’s INFINITE SPLENDOURS and Douglas Stuart’s SHUGGIE BAIN, which won the Booker Prize.” THE AUSTRALIAN

Exploring the multifaceted hardships of mental illness and the frustrating inaccuracy of diagnoses, medications, and treatments, SORROW AND BLISS is darkly comic and deeply heartfelt. Much like the narrator of ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE Martha's voice is acerbic, witty, and raw. Fans of Marian Keyes should put this on their to-read lists.” BOOKLIST After hitting it off, Abi falls pregnant, decides to relocate to Sydney to start a family where Jude would go to school and provide for her and the baby. Nothing could prepare Abi for the loneliness of relocating to a place where she only knows one person. She tries to integrate but it is hard, that is until she meets her next door neighbor Phil. Phil is a widower and all her children lives outside of Sydney. Both women cling to each other… until secrets come to light. Meg Mason has achieved something remarkable with her debut novel — Sorrow and Bliss is a raucously funny, beautifully written, emotion-bashing book about love, family and life’s curveballs that leaves you, satisfyingly, with what feels like wisdom forged in fire.” THE TIMES This is a story that will settle in the hearts and guts of anyone whose life has been touched by the devastation of not knowing exactly what is wrong, but hoping against hope that there is some way to fix it.” THE SPINOFF, NZIt’s interesting, I felt at half way the tone of the book changed and became a lot more serious. Exploring ideas of family, expectations and friendships, I loved how Abi grew in this book but my heart did ache for her at times, as she always tried to do her best for herself and Jude.

It] belongs to a lineage of intelligent, witty and inventive novels that interrogate the problem of whether selfhood can survive motherhood, including Jenny Offill’s DEPT. OF SPECULATION and Sheila Heti’s MOTHERHOOD.This all sounds incredibly bleak, but Martha’s sharpness is acerbically funny and compellingly direct and worthy of the frequent comparisons to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s FLEABAGand Ottessa Moshfegh’s works.” MELBOURNE WRITERS FESTIVAL I kept thinking that this book would make a fantastic movie! You Be Mother was hard to put down and I truly didn’t want it to end. An endearing and wonderful read. 💕All the stars for this affectionate study on mothers and their children (mostly daughters). Abi, of a troubled upbringing, falls pregnant to Stu, Aussie uni student, so they decide to make a go of it in Sydney. New to parenting (weren’t we all), Abi’s only experience is with her hoarder mother; until she meets Stu’s mum - the intimidating and disapproving Elaine ‘She emphasised the E, as though sadly accustomed to people making too short of that improtant first syllable. E-laine. She had a narrow frame, neat bosom, and a coarse, ferociously brushed plume of hair. Its short sides and rounded top put Abi in mind of a toilet brush.’ One of the many triumphs of the journalist Meg Mason’s second novel is that it is both fantastically dark and almost unbearably funny, so funny that you often have to put it down for a bit and laugh, out loud, sometimes to the point of tears. Then just as you’re laughing the hardest, Mason breezily fires off another little arrow that hits its target with such accuracy that you’re left reeling.” INDIA KNIGHT, THE SUNDAY TIMES There was a lot I liked about this book (although it didn’t compare to her spectacular follow-up, Sorrow and Bliss, which is in a whole different league).

This was a great book. The whole time I was thinking, Jesus, Abi cannot catch a break! It goes to show how impactful social determinants of health really are. Abi was set up for failure...her sister died, her dad died, and she was barely parented and raised by her mother who was as good as dead. This all contributed to really poor decision making and falling for to the world's shittiest boyfriend (not kidding) and getting pregnant accidentally. Because of this, Abi makes the decision to move from England to Australia to be closer to him. Imagine the warmth of Monica McInerney, the excruciating awkwardness of Offspring and the wit of Liane Moriarty, all rolled into one delightful, warm, funny and totally endearing novel about families – the ones we have, and the ones we want – and the stories we tell ourselves about them. Born in New Zealand, writer Meg Mason began her career at the Financial Times in London before switching to The Times to write on lifestyle, parenting and humour. After relocating to Sydney, she began writing for the Sydney Morning Herald, Russh, the British Medical Journal, Cosmopolitan and GQ. She now writes regular features and the popular ‘Mum vs. World’ column for Sunday magazine. She lives in Sydney with her husband and two daughters. The reason I’ve given it a harsh 3 stars is that I’m furious that useless piece of shit Stu ended up with a lovely family despite essentially abandoning Abi to raise their child on her own because it was all a bit overwhelming for him. Guess what, Stu, getting pregnant was overwhelming for her too, but she had to become a mother immediately because she had no other choice; she didn’t get to delay parenthood until she felt ready. (Hmm, wonder why this is a sore spot for me?)

SORROW AND BLISS is a modern love story that’s funny and dark, sharp and tender, hopeful and hard to put down. It has a brooding Sally Rooney vibe (but explores a slightly older and more mature slice of life) with exceptional inner monologue and palpable chemistry among the characters.” GOOP This is a story of mental illness reflected through the prism of an uproarious, big-hearted family comedy. It is fiercely intelligent and absolutely sublime. Like Julian Barnes, sublime.” THE IRISH INDEPENDENT