2014 WINNER OF THE ALA ALEX AWARD "Superbly unsettling...Provocative...A haunting meditation on family, love and unimaginable loss...A firecracker thriller full of whip-smart psychological insights."
--San Francisco Chronicle "Zailckas is a writer to watch and treasure...fiercely disturbing...one of the most profound and insightful books about mother-child relationships when they go devastatingly wrong."
--Dallas Morning News
"A creepy thriller [that] starts with an ordinary family and ends in nail-biting suspense...A horrifying and deeply moving look into the dark secrets in a seemingly 'perfect family, ' this is a hard-hitting page turner." --
Parkersburg News & Sentinel "A stunning debut that is sure to spark debate and cause a stir...Full of wise and witty observations, and a mounting sense of dread...brilliant firecracker-like prose, a page-turning plot, and an unmistakable voice."
--Paramus Post
"Think
Mommie Dearest meets
Psycho. Then just sit back, open the book, and have an absolute ball."
--Suspense Magazine "Mind-blowing... Delving deeply into the psyches of a disturbed, vicious woman, an insecure man, and younger, developing minds, [Zailckas] cleverly uncovers the intense ways in which personal interactions affect each member of a family.
Mother, Mother will certainly make you look at your relationships with your closest relatives in a very different light"
--Woodbury "Grab a copy of this book... her story is riveting. Don't miss it."
--Hudson Valley News "An electrifying debut novel about a family being torn apart by the woman who claims to love them most."
--Chronogram "[An] impressive debut novel...engaging, well-crafted."
--Bustle.com "Koren Zailckas's Mother Mother is disturbing in the best possible way: believably. The slow, subtle darkness at the core of this book starts as a trickle and grows to a flash flood, and not once does it stop feeling absolutely authentic. Zailckas has written a gut-wrenching exploration of narcissism, dependence and family. It's an amazing book."
--Kelly Braffet, author of Save Yourself and Josie and Jack
"An exquisitely written psychological thriller...Just as captivating as her memoirs."
--BookPage
"A riveting fiction debut...it's the kind of book that keeps you up at night, featuring a mother to rival Medea or Mrs. Bates...The shocking and violent denouement shows Zailckas to be a consummate storyteller." --
Publishers Weekly "Richly imagined and bring[s] to mind Susanna Kaysen's
Girl, Interrupted... An excellent page-turner recommended for those who enjoy psychological thrillers and aren't afraid of narratives that look evil in the face." --
Library Journal "Zailckas crafts an intriguing mystery surrounding this family that will keep readers on edge as she slowly peels back layer after layer of deception." --
Booklist "A hall of mirrors reflecting chaotic maternal psychological mayhem reminiscent of
Mommie Dearest or
Push or
Ordinary People." --Kirkus Reviews