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My Real Children (2014)

by Jo Walton(Favorite Author)

3.73 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0765332655 (ISBN13: 9780765332653)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Tor Books

review 1: Two alternate lives of Patricia told in alternating chapters. One, where she is happy and fulfilled, but the world is going to hell. Another, where she is miserable for over 20 years, but there is peace on earth and frequent trips to space. In one life she has 3 kids, in the other 4 (plus 5 miscarriages). Now demented and senile she is trying to figure out which life was real and who are her real children. The alternate world histories were a nice twist, though not clear how they are related to Patricia's choices.
review 2: This book is not a happy book, but it is a beautiful one. Like much of life it is sad and joyous and loud and sublime. It explores the paths taken an forgone in one woman's life as she alternates between two realities. One, with an abusive ... moreand emotionally absent husband explores issues of feminism, sacrifice and ultimately forgiveness. The other, with a love of a woman that couldn't be sanctioned by the state, explores issues of sexuality, human rights and expands the definitions of lover, spouse, and family in a compassionate way. In the end these stories are united by dementia and we are left wondering which story was real and which was a dream. We are also challenged to ask if that really matters. less

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