The Other Mother

By: Rachel Harper

Narrated by: January LaVoy, William DeMeritt

A thrilling generational saga about a young man's search for a parent he never knew, and a moving portrait of motherhood, race, and the truths we hide in the name of family.

Jenry Castillo is a musical prodigy, raised by a single mother in Miami, who arrives at Brown University on a scholarship—but also to learn more about his late father, Jasper Patterson, a famous ballet dancer who died tragically when Jenry was two. On his search, he meets his estranged grandfather, Winston Patterson, a legendary professor of African American history and a fixture at the Ivy League school, who explodes his world with one question: Why is Jenry so focused on Jasper, when it was Winston’s daughter, Juliet, who was Jenry’s mother’s lover? Juliet is the parent he should be looking for—his other mother.

Revelation follows revelation as each member of Jenry’s family steps forward to tell the story of his origin. Cartwheeling between the past and the present to stitch together the web of secrecy binding this family together while keeping them apart, The Other Mother is a celebration of love and resilience—masterfully exploring the intersections of race, class, and sexuality; the role of biology in defining who belongs to whom; and the complicated truth of what it means to be a family.

©2022 Rachel Harper (P)2022 Recorded Books

A very different story that interweaves various relationships

What makes a family is explored from many angles in this compelling read about accomplished men and women who still have their own demons. A very modern story with biracial characters that explores in depth same sex relationships and artistic talents that approach the level of prodigies. I recommend it.

Family Drama

For all of the glowing reviews (here and elsewhere), I expected more. Don't get me wrong, this was a good book, with some beautiful imagery of some very tragic topics, but i was just left wanting more.

underwhelmed

After 14 hours of story, everyone is as self absorbed as when they started.

Atonement

This is a book of redemption , back & forth the onion is peeled of an epoch in motion , the author is descriptive & wordy at times & u may have to plow through the drama but it’s with making to the ending & having a good cry & sense of well being for everyone in the cast . It’s a wonderful life & time of year to read this novel . Thank G-d we have authors like Rachel to balance the tragedies we are mow experiencing through out our crazy world .

Very good.

The bond’s and constraints of family are brought together in this book. The reality of aging and choices we made when young dominate the novel. Having to accept anger and grief as a large part of life and move on to the life you want makes The Other Mother very hopeful.

Left Much To Be Desired

This was a difficult read. It had too many different perspectives but yet still left unanswered questions. The ending frustrated me because it didn't have a clear epilogue. I don't believe that I would have willing finished this book if I wasn't in a book club.

Self-absorbed people keeping secrets

The author crafted some beautiful language around people who weren’t relatable. Ethnicity threaded through the plot, sort of?