Dawn Bryan

In Dawn Bryan's first-born novel, she showcases motherhood and pregnancy in a gorgeously unique way. As her narrator is the unborn baby, otherwise known as Gerbil, she's able to show pregnancy from the inside out - literally. Her use of language is flowing and lyrical and rich, although at times a bit confusing. Gerbil shows us her world, and through her unborn eyes, we see things in brand new ways. She is completely unsympathetic to her mother, and yet Maeve still has the capacity to break show more our hearts and we ache for her in a way that Gerbil either can't or won't.

Ms. Bryan herself describes the novel as "a love story for four people" and it truly is that. The relationships between Maeve and her husband, her young son, and unborn Gerbil are real and painful and beautiful.

I look forward to seeing what Ms. Bryan treats us with in her next novel. show less