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Title: Unwell

Author: Marie Chow

Narrator: Lori J. Moran

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-28-14

Publisher: Career Student Productions, LLC

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

How do you tell your child that you won't be there when they grow up? Unwell is the raw, honest story of a mother who writes to her unborn child, sharing her decision of choosing not to be a mother. She doesn't choose abortion. Nor does she consider adoption. Instead, she decides to give her child a fighting chance in life, without the angst and drama that's shaped her own bittersweet life.

With a poignant lack of emotion, the young mother shares her life story. As the child of Asian parents who moved to America early in her life, the mother shares how her life disintegrated after her parents' divorce. From upper middle class suburban to sharing her mean aunt's house to a one bedroom apartment in a shabby neighborhood, this mother endures the indignity that comes with the change of status. From her father's absence to her mother becoming a married man's mistress, her story reads like a tragic Victorian novel set in the 21st century, but that's where the similarity ends-she is definitely not a shy country miss and she certainly did not take the easy way out.

This amazing story chronicles the life of a woman who fought for everything she got, faced her demons, and made the hard choices. Her fortitude and candor are disarming, her avant-garde views strangely endearing. Through this glimpse into the life of a woman of integrity, sacrifice and love, you'll feel her pain, live her failures, and cheer for the meager joys that come her way. But the one thing you'll never do - is forget her. Or her story.

Members Reviews:

The dark and compelling story of a courageous child and the woman she becomes

Marie Chow's debut novel draws you into the mind, and then into the life, of a young woman faced with making a formidable decision for her unborn child. When I first met the narrator, she was far from someone with whom I'd typically empathize. But intrigue quickly drew me in, and I lost quite a bit of sleep following the story to completion!

As the story progresses, it reveals a troubled past where a smart, resourceful child is forced to navigate unfortunate circumstances brought about by misfortune, deceit, and cross-cultural mishap. First generation Chinese compatriots will recognize many elements of her experience, most painful and some comforting, skillfully relayed with a measure of poignancy and dark humor--one cannot help but feel some glee at her critical descriptions of snooty relatives. The reader begins to empathize with the girl and understand the person she becomes as she transitions into her adult life.

Engaging portrayal of a complicated Chinese woman

This book is a gripping portrayal of a woman trying to explain an unexplainable thing: her decision not to be a mother to her child.

I found the narrator surprisingly sympathetic, and I really enjoyed the tension between her attempt to be honest to her future child, and her desire to justify her choices. She is sometimes painfully honest with herself, about her flaws and the flaws of the people around her. By the end of the book, the narrator's inexplicable decision makes a good deal more sense, even if I could have wished different choices on her.

Among the highlights of the book are the details of the narrator's Chinese background, and a detailed (and sometimes snarky) portrayal of the peculiarities of her family and friends, none of whom are the kind of family I would wish on anyone.