Review: THE NEED by Helen Phillips

What lengths would you go to in order to protect your children?

Helen Phillips asks this question and more in her latest novel, THE NEED, which has been long listed for the National Book Awards, was a Goodreads Choice Nominee, and was on several Best of 2019 reading lists. With such an impressive pedigree, this was one worth picking up blind.

The novel centers around the heart of anyone who has ever been a parent, or had someone you wanted to protect above all else. When Molly became a mom, her Mommy Senses kicked in. She was always on the lookout for her children's every needs. She'd think she heard someone crying, only for it to be an ambulance in the distance, etc. When she hears footsteps in her house, she's torn. Is she once again hearing things, or is there an intruder in her house? And if there is, can she protect her children?

THE NEED is speculative fiction at its finest. It has also been called a horror novel -- in fact, it was a Goodreads Choice 2019 finalist in the horror genre. But it isn't traditional horror, and may not be the best description, especially if one is anticipating Stephen King style horror. It is moreso a thriller, with readers left unbalanced, never sure what is real and what is fantasy. Is everything happening real? Is nothing real? It's extremely hard to talk about plot without giving everything away, and truly a book that needs to unfurl and surprise readers along the way.

The book is, at its heart, an ode to motherhood and the way it changes women in particular. It looks at postpartum depression, and the hardships of raising multiple young children, especially if a partner is often traveling on business and away from home. It explores loneliness, and the expectations of always being Mommy, and never being yourself. There are so many layers and topics explored that compound what Molly is going through and make readers wonder if the narrative is as straight-forward as it seems.

While not a straightforward thriller, THE NEED is a psychological tale that explores aspects of motherhood seldom talked about, is a love-note to the joys of motherhood, and explores the horrors of a mother's worst nightmare come to life, all twisted together in one fast-paced tale that can easily be read in one sitting.

THE NEED was published on July 9, 2019 by Simon & Schuster and is available now at bookstores everywhere.

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