M is for Mummy is the wonderful debut from Katy Cox. It is a tender and yet hilarious exploration of what life can be like when your family doesn’t fit the mould. That this novel is based upon Cox’s own experiences as a mum and musician make it even more special. 4.5 stars
M is for Mummy centres on Lucy. Lucy had it all: an exciting career, a rock star husband and great friends, and then she had kids. Still determined to try and have it all, Lucy does whatever it takes to cling onto her career and care for her children, all as she tries to help her extraordinary son find his place in the ordinary world.
At the heart of M is for Mummy is the story of a mum trying to do everything she can to help her son. Lucy’s eldest son Stanley is neurodivergent and ends up with the diagnosis of autism. Stanley is extraordinarily gifted when it comes to his love of letters, numbers and body parts and yet he finds many other aspects of life tricky. Cox’s portrayal of Stanley’s autism is done with so much sensitivity and realism, she is after all, a mum to two autistic sons. She writes about Stanley with such affection, but also with that fire of a mum doing everything she can to help her child. There was a passage that really stood out to me, where Lucy states that regardless of any diagnosis Stanley might get that it will never change how she feels about him and that to her the main word that sums him up is ‘Stanley, nothing more, nothing less.’
This is also the story of a mum trying to balance all of the conflicting demands on her time and try to rebuild her own career. I enjoyed all the insights into Lucy’s world as a musician, a career whose inner workings I’m not familiar with. You really feel for Lucy as she tries so hard to make everything work, empathising with just how overwhelming it is for her.
I really enjoyed the strong female friendships portrayed within the story. The times that Lucy spends with her best friends Charlie and Jen are nearly always very funny. They’re loud, a little brash but they sure know how to have fun. They also act as significant support for Lucy. Her relationship with her friends provides a sharp contrast to the isolation and rejection she feels when faced with the Queen Bee mum Marsha. I thought Cox highlighted so well the feelings of inadequacy that can plague mothers when comparing themselves (wrongly) to others.
Overall a really enjoyable read and I’ll look forward to what Cox writes next.
M is for Mummy centres on Lucy. Lucy had it all: an exciting career, a rock star husband and great friends, and then she had kids. Still determined to try and have it all, Lucy does whatever it takes to cling onto her career and care for her children, all as she tries to help her extraordinary son find his place in the ordinary world.
At the heart of M is for Mummy is the story of a mum trying to do everything she can to help her son. Lucy’s eldest son Stanley is neurodivergent and ends up with the diagnosis of autism. Stanley is extraordinarily gifted when it comes to his love of letters, numbers and body parts and yet he finds many other aspects of life tricky. Cox’s portrayal of Stanley’s autism is done with so much sensitivity and realism, she is after all, a mum to two autistic sons. She writes about Stanley with such affection, but also with that fire of a mum doing everything she can to help her child. There was a passage that really stood out to me, where Lucy states that regardless of any diagnosis Stanley might get that it will never change how she feels about him and that to her the main word that sums him up is ‘Stanley, nothing more, nothing less.’
This is also the story of a mum trying to balance all of the conflicting demands on her time and try to rebuild her own career. I enjoyed all the insights into Lucy’s world as a musician, a career whose inner workings I’m not familiar with. You really feel for Lucy as she tries so hard to make everything work, empathising with just how overwhelming it is for her.
I really enjoyed the strong female friendships portrayed within the story. The times that Lucy spends with her best friends Charlie and Jen are nearly always very funny. They’re loud, a little brash but they sure know how to have fun. They also act as significant support for Lucy. Her relationship with her friends provides a sharp contrast to the isolation and rejection she feels when faced with the Queen Bee mum Marsha. I thought Cox highlighted so well the feelings of inadequacy that can plague mothers when comparing themselves (wrongly) to others.
Overall a really enjoyable read and I’ll look forward to what Cox writes next.