Description

A haunting, indelible novel of collective grief, resistance, and the virtue of testimony

A. is an amateur translator. Adrift and burdened by debt following a medical trauma, her nights are spent on the dance floor. There, she encounters N. Among N.’s meagre possessions, A. comes across a book about an unnamed town of disappearing boys. The book, Field Notes, documents a community of mothers who assemble to mourn their missing sons.

When a near-assault stuns A. out of her inertia, she takes off for the city where Field Notes was written in search of its author and the end of the story. But, A’s digging leads her instead to the traces of a murdered poet, and a legacy that will intersect unexpectedly and pivotally with her own life.

Poignant and profoundly humane, Mass Mothering is a story of the mutuality of grief, the shattering force of a mother’s love, and the aftershocks of violence in a globalised era.

Publisher Review

“Mass Mothering is a deft and beautiful novel, a masterwork for Post-Empire American Fiction. In graceful and atmospheric prose, she has created an essential novel for our times.” * Michael Zapata, author of The Lost Book of Adana Moreau * “Mass Mothering is a beautiful novel about the importance of really seeing-that is, the pain of bearing witness.” * Yuri Herrera, author of Season Of The Swamp * “Sarah Bruni has written an exquisite, wrenching novel.” * Teddy Wayne, author of The Winner * “Mass Mothering is not only a testament to women’s courage and resilience in the face of horrific injustice but a propulsive, intratextual mystery worthy of Bolano. A timeless and timely novel that dares you to be braver.” * Darrow Farr, author of The Bombshell * “Layered and moving, Mass Mothering hits with startling force.” * Publishers Weekly * “In a fragmented, braided style reminiscent of Jenny Offill’s Dept. of Speculation, Bruni weaves together explorations of language, borders, and belonging, as well as of the precarious and frequently terrifying state of motherhood. The result is a deeply intelligent, prismatic look at the personal and political facets of maternal care. A truly original entry into the growing canon of motherhood novels.” * Kirkus Reviews * “A profound, deeply imagined novel that both addresses and transcends the chaos of our present moment.” * Idra Novey, author of Take What You Need *