Her Daughter

Every mother of a daughter will find something to relate to in Fran Hawthorne’s novel about a woman who loses her connection with her beloved teenage daughter and wonders if they can ever find their way back to each other. While Alice’s best friend assures her that her daughter Esme is simply acting from ordinary teenage rebellion, Alice is doubtful. Esme chose to live with her father, Alice’s ex, when she was sixteen and hasn’t communicated with her mother in six years. While Alice is certain her ex is lying to Esme about her, if she can’t talk with her, she can’t confront the lies. And then she learns Esme has been arrested. Alice desperately wants to help, but how can she help if Esme won’t take her calls? Hasn’t taken them for years?

The greatest strengths of Her Daughter are the fully drawn characters and the compelling tensions between them. Alice’s grief is well illustrated through her self-punishing internal dialog, and the presence of a passive-aggressive, ruthless ex-spouse complicates her situation immensely. Whether or not a reader has experienced the same struggles, Alice’s despair is relatable. Every parent has wondered if they should have parented differently, even when they and their children aren’t estranged.

Her Daughter presents the story of Alice and Esme via a dual timeline that weaves the early days of Alice’s marriage to Dan through the story’s present, when Esme turns 24. Chapters alternate between the two time periods, helping readers understand the context of the mother-daughter conflict and the role Esme’s father plays in it. This time shifting is an effective way to keep readers engaged in the present while helping them understand how the characters’ actions contributed to the heartbreaking position Alice finds herself in.

Alice’s interactions with two other consistent characters give Hawthorne the opportunity to portray Alice’s strengths as an environmental activist alongside her insecurities as Esme’s mother. James is a long-time friend from high school, a musician and journalist who readers suspect has a romantic attachment to Alice, but who never acts on his feelings. Roz, on the other hand, is a friend who advises Alice through the lens of a social worker whose daughter has weathered her own disastrous choices. Both James and Roz are steadfast in support of their friend, even when Alice lashes out with bizarre doomsday predictions and frustrations, sometimes unkindly. Eventually, Alice can move outside herself enough to appreciate the value of their friendship.

This is not a story with a neat or happy ending, but it is optimistic and deeply honest. Readers—especially mothers—can empathize with Alice’s tortured misgivings, none of which will be foreign to them. We understand her endless preparation for difficult conversations through “scriptwriting” because she doesn’t want to make things worse, especially when she’s ultimately gifted one precious opportunity to make amends.

For every parent whose relationships with their children are complicated—and most are—Her Daughter provides reassurance that no parent gets it all right. The best we can do is be true to who we are and try to appreciate our children for their own unique qualities.