The second instalment of Pencoed-based author and musician Katy Cox’s semi-autobiographical novel series is an enthralling dedication to both motherhood and autism – the latter framed as something to embrace, something that can enhance life rather than diminish it. The Mother Load achieves this through its marvellous combination of humour and understanding. Protagonist Lucy, son Stanley and husband Ed’s daily lives may be chaos more often than not, but the belief that everything will be okay holds firm.
It’s a testament to Cox’s writing, and ability to ease readers into her world, that a lack of familiarity with The Mother Load’s predecessor, M Is For Mummy, didn’t create an issue for this reviewer. The headings which introduce each chapter are also useful, helping to ground one’s reading experience and tether it to the surroundings. If at times The Mother Load has the feel of working with several simultaneous threads, at the precipice of engagement, this is an apposite reflection of how motherhood comprehensively alters decision-making, relationships and all exterior exchanges.
Cox’s writing style is engaging, never more so than in her portrayal of Stanley’s autistic diagnosis; I will be retrospectively reading M Is For Mummy next.
The Mother Load, Katy Cox (Corvus)
Price: £14.99/£4.99 Ebook. Info: here
words BILLIE INGRAM SOFOKLEOUS
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