Like mother, like daughter
929702
Aurora's in big trouble. She's just gotten the how-I-met-your-mother speech from her dad - only her mother was asleep for a hundred years before her father came along. Aurora's mother is Sleeping Beauty, you see. The evil fairy that cast the spell even passed the curse to Aurora, with one catch - she'll sleep alone. When she wakes up, everyone in her family will be long dead. Aurora's not about to take that lying down (no pun intended), so she and her sister, Luna, enlist the help of a young fisherman named Symon to take them across the sea to Emmeline, her mother's fairy godmother. Emmeline might be able to break the spell, but then again, she might not. What will Aurora and Luna do if she fails?

Diane Zahler's fairy tales are fun and sweet, but never oversweet. She balances out a lot of darkness with a few good, noble characters scattered here and there. I particularly liked Symon and his relationship with Aurora. Zahler often makes her early teen romances develop much too fast, but I thought these two were a cute couple and behaved the way 13-year-olds would with their first crushes. I also liked the Aurora-Luna dynamic: the sisters are very different but always love and protect each other. Sure, Aurora's a little prissy at the beginning, and Luna can be a bit of a brat, but it all evens out by the end.

However, other characters just weren't as strong. The villain had a good backstory but was ultimately disappointing when she appeared. Aside from being "contorted with hatred", she had little personality. Zahler's children rarely talk like children, and Aurora, Luna, and Symon were no exception. Luna particularly bothered me, since she was supposed to be nine and spoke like she was twice that (and a little melodramatic besides). And then there was Aurora and Luna's tutor, an interesting enough character that played a significant role in the beginning only to fade out of the picture after that. He could have been one of the best people in the whole book, but no. The poor man was reduced to a mere plot device.

Even so, "Sleeping Beauty's Daughters" is another beautiful Zahler read, clean of violence and swearing. I wonder what tale Zahler will retell next . . . maybe "East of the Sun, West of the Moon"? I'd like to read that tale, whatever it turns out to be.
829893
This book is written from the perspective of the authors mother, based on their conversations about her life in her final years  It's a compelling look at America during a point of great change.  There is a sense of refreshing candidness in this work, and the author seems to have taken care to preserve the voice of his mother.  Reading it feels like sitting down with a relative and letting them reveal the family history.  A short read, but a good one.
4637427
This book perfectly idealized the universal relationship between mother and daughter. It illustrates the true nature of older (stricter thought) and newer (more independence) generations. I enjoyed the cultural images you get from this book and the various points of view which took you through the troubles and successes of each character.
3662368
Some people find it difficult to let themselves be loved,and to admit their love for others. Such is the case with two mothers with two daughters,and one aunt.
553283
Every mom who has teenage daughters will see a bit of themselves in the moms who are portrayed in this story.  The book is very well written, I could put myself in the scenes that were being described.  I could see friends, I could see a bit of my own children...additionally, I could relate easily to the middle aged mom's point of view  - being on the path to self discovery after being a wife, mom, for 20 years and finding herself in transition.  One of the things I liked best is that the author did not have to take the reader to places I didn't want to go...it was "real" without having to add explicit content - IMHO, THAT is the mark of a true author.  Well worth the purchase price, well worth the read.
2421767
I am the mama of a gorgeous incredible 4 year old girl with right side hemiplegia. I often think of her as a mother (she loves babies and wants to be a midwife). I appreciate these words, so so, so much. I feel better prepared to walk beside my daughter, and honor her space and her struggles as she becomes who she is, no matter the role. THANK YOU.
3665140
Nothing can compare to the special bond a mother has with her daughter and that special relationship is powerfully conveyed in Mommy Whispers by Jenny Lee Sulpizio.

A girl remembers all the times her mother was there. How her mom would pray for her safety, for her health and that God would help her grow into a woman sure of herself and her place in this world. From her baby years to school years to marriage, her mom would always remind her, "You are God's gift to me, forever you will be." And when that same girl has her own child, she prays that she'll become a mother much like her own and whispers into her baby's ear, "You are God's gift to me, forever you will be."

This is beautifully written and will have you reaching for a box of tissues. Sulpizio has said this book was born out of an appreciation and special bond she shared with her daughter after her birth in 2003 and I can easily see it as becoming a keepsake for any mother and daughter. We all want what's best for our children and no matter what stage of life they're in, it's important to remind them how special they are and that they are God's gift.
379113
Anyone who has a mother--and especially those who are mothers--will find something edifying and soul-nurturing in this beautifully-written memoir. The end is sadly inevitable, but the journey there is a rich, full adventure of the heart.  This true story shows that the bond between mothers and daughters can be a messy, painful business.  But in the end, what shines through is the triumph, and the continuity, of love.
4500533
There are few writers who can keep my attention from the first word to the last but I always find myself wishing her stories lingered on.  Even though many of these tales were previously shared in her other works, this showed a different angle and the touching, evolving relationship between a mother and daughter.  I love this so much that I gifted copies to my own mother, and my mother in law, on Mother's Day.
4515591
A well written memoir acknowledging the intense love between a daughter and her mother. The author manages to make her beloved mother come alive in a touching tribute to the life her mother lived.
2213421
This is an insightful book that examines the often sticky relationship between mothers and daughters. As a mom of two (albeit young daughters) this book gave me pause to reflect on how I relate to my girls. As a daughter, I read this book with an interest as well. So many of the tensions between my mother and me have been a result of projection and expectation and I think that unlike a previous reviewer who felt it was too "I'm Ok, you're Ok," this was very much what I liked about it. If you truly desire an adult relationship with your mom (or as a mom if you wish your adult children to relate well with you) you have to allow them the freedom to be who they are and trust their judgement.  I loved Cheri's observation that how we view ourselves can affect how our daughters perceive themselves. The format of the book is really interesting too as the reader gets to hear both sides of the story with daughter Ali's excellent feedback.  I highly recommend it to any mothers or daughters looking for a closer bond.
333963
Loved the story line and the way they both were able to find out things about each other and themselves. Most stories tell about bonds between mothers and daughters. Nice change
423605
The book grabs your attention right from the opening paragraph. The story line flows smooth, though you do have be alert as the narrator differs in each chapter.  It extols the relationship between a mother and daughter and would make a perfect Mothers Day gift.
3794013
After reading Mother-Daughter Duet by Cheri Fuller & Ali Plum, I know this is a book I'm going to need to read again and refer to often.  It's a book written by a mother and daughter for mothers and daughters, designed to help you get to the relationship you want with your adult daughter.

Since I have a 19-year-old daughter who is just now entering into adulthood, this book couldn't have come at a better time.  Through the book Cheri and Ali take us through their own relationship, sharing the hard times and how they worked through them to develop a relationship they can both truly enjoy.  They also share stories from other mothers and daughters with all different kinds of relationships.  The common thread seems to be that, no matter the circumstances, the mother-daughter relationship is one of the most complicated relationships, if not the most complicated.  It can also be the most rewarding.

I found it encouraging to read Ali's contributions of the daughter's point of view.  No matter how bad things seem, or how much your daughter seems to be pushing you away, she really does want to have a relationship with you.  There are lots of times when I really need to believe that!  On the other hand, she is really trying to separate from her mother and become her own person, and she needs to know that her mother will be OK.

The hard part is finding the balance, letting go; accepting your daughter for who she is, even if she hasn't got it all figured out yet; only helping when she ASKS for your help - there are a lot of helpful tips in this book, through all stages of life.  We are just entering this stage of our lives and, after reading this book  I am encouraged to believe that having a harmonious relationship with my daughter is possible, and this book gives me some of the tools I need to make that happen.
2204657
wonderful book that provides a compassionate and informative look into the different complex relationships between a mother and a daughter.  For me, this book showed a pathology that is generational.
3503434
a book about a disfunctionally normal mother daughter relationship that both my daughter and I can completely relate to. love it
2921537
Girlish is a poignant memoir that portrays the life of Girl, a child growing up in the home of lesbian mothers in the 1970s, when it wasn't ok to say you had two moms. Girls experiences aren't seen through the lens of a child of lgbt parents, but rather that of a child of parents, period. With a bi-polar stepmother and a father who lives in Alaska, Girlish is rich with complex emotions and situations that many children of divorced parents are familiar with. But her fathers serial marriages and her mothers Type B personality imprint themselves on Girl in ways even the author may not realize are integral to her own parenting style. As with every child of divorce, she tries to take the best parts and weed out the worst. Some may read Girlish as a memoir that picks apart Girls experiences, but in the end, it becomes an ode to motherhood, a recognition of the obstacles and difficult relationships we must navigate.