The Other Mother: A Novel

Written by Matthew Dicks

Narrated by A.J Beckles

From Matthew Dicks, the beloved author of Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, comes The Other Mother, a novel about a teenage boy coping with the rupture of his family by viewing his mother in an unusual light.

The one he loves most, is the one he knows least.

Thirteen-year-old Michael Parsons is dealing with a lot. His father's sudden death; his mother's new husband, Glen, who he loathes; his two younger siblings, who he looks after more and more now that his mother works extra shifts.

And then one day, Michael wakes up and his mother is gone. In her place is an exact, duplicate mother. The 'other mother'. No one else seems to notice the real version is missing. His brother, his sister, and even Glen act as if everything's normal. But Michael knows in his heart that this mother is not his. And he begins to panic.

What follows is a big-hearted coming-of-age story of a boy struggling with an unusual disorder that poses unparalleled challenges―but also, as he discovers, offers him unique opportunities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jan 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781713552000

Matthew Dicks

MATTHEW DICKS is a writer and elementary school teacher. He has been published in the Hartford Courant, featured at the Books on the Nightstand retreat, and is a Moth StorySLAM champion. He is the author of three previous novels, Something Missing, Unexpectedly Milo, and Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, an international bestseller. His novels have been translated into more than 25 languages. Dicks lives in Newington, Connecticut, with his wife, Elysha, and their two children.

Reviews for The Other Mother

[brookiexlicious · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The title and the summary alone remind me strongly of "Coraline" or implies that this book would have supernatural or horror elements. To my dismay, this book involved none of these things. The book takes place over a span of two days, but the pacing made it feel like more time had gone by. The author did a really great job of making us feel what Michael is feeling, but Michael as a narrator often repeated himself and went off subject, which could become frustrating as a reader. There are also characters that felt underdeveloped and I wish would have been explored more. Also, I'm not sure what the age range is for this book. I can see it as a YA and an adult fiction book. There are some heavy themes discussed (bullying, mental health, suicide) and passages that are sometimes difficult to read.This book had an interesting premise but ultimately failed to deliver for me. I kept waiting for a big twist to happen, and it fell short of my expectations. I was dissatisfied with the heartwarming ending and it came across as bizarre to the tone of the rest of the book. Maybe other readers will see something that I didn't see in this book.

[mcelhra · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thirteen-year-old Michael Parsons is under a lot of stress. He cares for his younger brother and sister while his mother works double shifts to make up for the fact that his scheming, deadbeat step-dad contributes almost nothing financially to the household. Michael has anger problems that have gotten worse since his father died. It seems likes he’s always in trouble at school. Then, one day he wakes up to discover that his mother is missing. She has been replaced with an exact replica. No one else seems to notice that this woman is not his mother. Michael needs to find out what this other mother has done with his real mother. He can’t tell anyone because he knows they’ll think he’s crazy.Michael clearly has some sort of behavior disorder, although a specific diagnosis is never given in the book. He meets with the school counselor daily to help develop coping mechanisms for his anger. Because he has outbursts at school, he doesn’t have any friends. His inner thoughts reveal some of the causes of his behavior but it confuses him almost as much as it confuses the people around him. Matthew Dicks has a real insight into the minds of troubled people and Michael’s inner thoughts are authentic and revealing. I felt such empathy for him, my heart hurt while reading this book.There are bright spots for Michael. Sarah, the prettiest girl in school, happens to live next door. When Michael’s little sister invites her to go fishing with them, Sarah and Michael hit it off and become fast friends. She’s only the second friend Michael has ever had. Michael also meets a woman on his paper route who knew his dad when they were kids. He enjoys hearing stories about when his dad, who he misses terribly, was younger. Michael has to decide if he trusts either Sarah or the woman enough to tell them that his mother is missing.Dicks wrote Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, which is one of my all-time favorite books. I’m happy to say that The Other Mother is in league with that book. Highly recommended.

[fastforward-46127 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had enjoyed another book by Matthew Dicks, Twenty-one Truths About Love, so I just dove into this one without reading the publisher synopsis ahead of time. I absolutely adored this book.Maybe the main character, Michael isn’t for everyone, but man, I’m glad I got the chance to be part of his world for a bit.Michael is a 13 year old boy and he's dealing with some stuff. One of his problems is he doesn't believe is mother is truly his mother. No, this isn't some adoption thing. Michael thinks that the woman at his home who looks like his mother and talks like his mother, is actually some type of imposter. I'm sure that sounds weird and confusing but that's due to my lack of writing talent. Just read the book and it will all make sense.There was just something about this character that drew me in right away. To say I was emotionally invested in Michael is spot on. The story takes place over a short period of time and it's not an action filled plot. But there is so much substance and heart that it isn't some simple story, it truly was a worthwhile read.I recommend checking this one out. Don't discount it just because the story is told from a child's perspective. It's kinda like watching the show, The Wonder Years, as you will probably appreciate it more because you are an adult.Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.