In a Country of Mothers

A.M. Homes has a way of creating eccentric relationships, then delving into them so deeply they become startling, disturbing and unforgettable. Almost every story in The Safety Of Objects is like this. Most emblematic is A Real Dolly, the story of an early adolescent boy who develops a relationship with a Barbie doll that feels more real than most relationships between "real" people. In A Country Of Mothers depicts a relationship between psychotherapist and patient that goes horribly wrong when the doctor replaces therapy with her own obsession, then expects her patient to live out her part of that obsession even though the patient knows nothing about it. The result is increasing madness on the part of the therapist and the near-destruction of the patient until she finds out about the therapist's delusion and takes extreme measures to break it. In this book Homes shows how a helping relationship can turn into something frightening when one of the parties steps out of role. Claire and Jody, who are doctor and patient, start innocently enough, but Claire eventually takes Jody over body and soul and refuses to let her go. Homes depicts this with heartbreaking psychological realism that had me fearful for Jody's life as if it were my own. Few if any writers get as deeply into mutually devouring human relationships as does A.M. Homes. She combines relentless honesty with mordant wit--Bruce Jay Friedman described her as "cheerfully malevolent"--to create books that shine unwavering light on parts of the human condition may would rather not see. But if you stay with her, you'll learn about people as you can from now other writer.

I loved this book. I thought the characters were very convincing and the relationship between therapist and patient was very real. The ending was a little weaker than the rest of the book but I was captivated. A true psychological thriller, intelligent, disturbing, unpredictable yet very convincing.

When I pick up an A.M. Homes book I am ready to settle into the tormented minds of her brilliantly colorful characters. I have never been let down. In a country is a gripping story about mental illness and adoption. Homes can marry the two like a dream. No emotion was spared on the doctor and her patient. Usually her books leave me haunted, thinking about the characters for days, this one didn't have the same effect but was still a great read.

This one was a good read that perhaps could have been better. It starts off really strong but the ending, while good, is not as good as the rest of the book. It's the story of Claire, a therapist who many years ago gave up an infant daughter for adoption, and Claire's patient Jody, a young woman confused about her future. Claire begins to suspect that Jody is the daughter she gave away. Both women have slightly troubling personal lives. Many of their relationships have shortcomings that neither is particularly happy with and they begin to rely on the patient-therapist relationship too much. This is a witty, darkly comic psychological thriller that is very, very readable. I really could not put it down. As I said earlier, the ending is not as strong as the beginning, but it's still quite good. The not-so-rosy picture of the world Homes paints for us rings very true. If you like dark humor, you'll like this novel.

You would need to have something in common with the story to find it of any interest,Ie. worked in social services.