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The Possibilities
A new mother ventures into parallel worlds to find her missing child in this mind-bending novel that turns the joys and anxieties of parenthood into an epic quest.
"A bravura, unforgettable performance."--Namwali Serpell, author of The Furrows
What if the life you didn't live was as real as the one you did?
Hannah is having a bad day. A bad month. A bad year? That feels terrible to admit, since her son Jack was born just eight months ago and she loves him more than anything. But ever since his harrowing birth, she can't shake the feeling that it could have gone the other way. That her baby might not have made it. Terrifying visions of the different paths her life could have taken begin to disrupt her cozy, claustrophobic days with Jack, destabilizing her marriage and making her husband concerned for her mental health. Are the strange things Hannah is seeing just new-mom anxiety, or is something truly weird and sinister afoot? What if Hannah really did unlock a dark force during childbirth?
When Hannah's worst nightmare comes true and Jack disappears from his crib, she must tap into an extraordinary ability she never knew she had in order to save him: She must enter different versions of her life while holding on to what is most important to her in this one to bring her child back home.
From the intimate joys of parenthood to the cosmic awe of the multiverse, The Possibilities is an ingenious and wildly suspenseful novel that stares down into the dizzying depths of maternal love, vulnerability, and strength.
"A bravura, unforgettable performance."--Namwali Serpell, author of The Furrows
What if the life you didn't live was as real as the one you did?
Hannah is having a bad day. A bad month. A bad year? That feels terrible to admit, since her son Jack was born just eight months ago and she loves him more than anything. But ever since his harrowing birth, she can't shake the feeling that it could have gone the other way. That her baby might not have made it. Terrifying visions of the different paths her life could have taken begin to disrupt her cozy, claustrophobic days with Jack, destabilizing her marriage and making her husband concerned for her mental health. Are the strange things Hannah is seeing just new-mom anxiety, or is something truly weird and sinister afoot? What if Hannah really did unlock a dark force during childbirth?
When Hannah's worst nightmare comes true and Jack disappears from his crib, she must tap into an extraordinary ability she never knew she had in order to save him: She must enter different versions of her life while holding on to what is most important to her in this one to bring her child back home.
From the intimate joys of parenthood to the cosmic awe of the multiverse, The Possibilities is an ingenious and wildly suspenseful novel that stares down into the dizzying depths of maternal love, vulnerability, and strength.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 25, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
August 27, 2023
The Possibilities by Yael Goldstein-Love is Science Fiction-Fantasy!
What if the life you didn’t live was as real as the one you did?
Hannah's eight-month-old son Jack is her everything.
She has lingering memories of his difficult birth, the one where Jack didn't make it. Of not hearing him cry, a nurse carrying him away from her, his little arm dangling freely as he's cradled in her arms.
This version feels so real and it haunts her.
Hannah is overwhelmed by this foggy memory and it stirs frightening visions of how alternate versions of her life could shift her blissful days with Jack completely away.
But Jack is with Hannah now, until the day he mysteriously disappears from his crib...
The Possibilities is hard to describe, it's confusing, and to me it feels like a first-time mother beginning her journey into motherhood. The fears she has about her baby, the grip of post-partum depression, and the weight of the daunting responsibilities of maternal love. All of it.
This story takes you through Hannah's days with and without Jack. It's painful, conflicting, and totally OUT THERE. It's original, different, and creative, all the criteria I prefer in a great read.
Goldstein-Love's writing is incredible, her storytelling is mind-bending, improbable, twisty, and palpably tender. It's a book you need to spend time with, taking time to read it, digest it, and analyze it.
The Possibilities is not a Thriller or Psychological-Fiction. It's a blend of two genres, Science Fiction-Fantasy and I highly recommend it to those who love uniquely blended genres and stories that stretch your imagination way the heck out there!
4.5⭐
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Yael Goldstein-Love for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
What if the life you didn’t live was as real as the one you did?
Hannah's eight-month-old son Jack is her everything.
She has lingering memories of his difficult birth, the one where Jack didn't make it. Of not hearing him cry, a nurse carrying him away from her, his little arm dangling freely as he's cradled in her arms.
This version feels so real and it haunts her.
Hannah is overwhelmed by this foggy memory and it stirs frightening visions of how alternate versions of her life could shift her blissful days with Jack completely away.
But Jack is with Hannah now, until the day he mysteriously disappears from his crib...
The Possibilities is hard to describe, it's confusing, and to me it feels like a first-time mother beginning her journey into motherhood. The fears she has about her baby, the grip of post-partum depression, and the weight of the daunting responsibilities of maternal love. All of it.
This story takes you through Hannah's days with and without Jack. It's painful, conflicting, and totally OUT THERE. It's original, different, and creative, all the criteria I prefer in a great read.
Goldstein-Love's writing is incredible, her storytelling is mind-bending, improbable, twisty, and palpably tender. It's a book you need to spend time with, taking time to read it, digest it, and analyze it.
The Possibilities is not a Thriller or Psychological-Fiction. It's a blend of two genres, Science Fiction-Fantasy and I highly recommend it to those who love uniquely blended genres and stories that stretch your imagination way the heck out there!
4.5⭐
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Yael Goldstein-Love for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
August 23, 2023
3.5 stars
A mother hops between alternate universes in order to rescue her baby.
You know, I think I've finally figured out why I don't vibe with baby-rescue-stories. Babies just don't have a whole lot going for them.
Like I realize from an empathy perspective that misplacing one's baby must be pretty stressful, but that's not enough to truly make me care. I care about personalities, not props. And no matter how gifted of a writer you are, unless your baby can communicate via telepathy, I'll never see them as much more than an emotional-blackmail-y meatpuppet.
Speaking solely of fiction, of course.
A mother hops between alternate universes in order to rescue her baby.
You know, I think I've finally figured out why I don't vibe with baby-rescue-stories. Babies just don't have a whole lot going for them.
Like I realize from an empathy perspective that misplacing one's baby must be pretty stressful, but that's not enough to truly make me care. I care about personalities, not props. And no matter how gifted of a writer you are, unless your baby can communicate via telepathy, I'll never see them as much more than an emotional-blackmail-y meatpuppet.
Speaking solely of fiction, of course.
November 10, 2023
3.5 stars
The Possibilities and I just never clicked. I’m puzzled by it, too, because Yael Goldstein-Love’s story of a mother traveling through parallel worlds to find her missing son should’ve been catnip to my mama soul. Without fail, I’m drawn to stories of motherhood – I relate to them so well, being a mom of two boys.
And I’m even half-mad at myself for not liking the book more than I did. Because the author does everything right – she gives us a sympathetic mom to root for while combining a smart story with solid writing.
But what’s missing is the emotional piece. Hannah’s panic over her lost Jack isn’t palpable. I didn’t feel frantic as she searched for him; her desperation never transferred to me. And without a sense of urgency, a tension while reading, I could’ve cared less whether she ever found him.
On a positive note, though, I’d very much like to read Goldstein-Love again. Her mind works in an interesting way, and I’m curious to see where her writing leads next.
My sincerest appreciation to Yael Goldstein-Love, Random House, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
The Possibilities and I just never clicked. I’m puzzled by it, too, because Yael Goldstein-Love’s story of a mother traveling through parallel worlds to find her missing son should’ve been catnip to my mama soul. Without fail, I’m drawn to stories of motherhood – I relate to them so well, being a mom of two boys.
And I’m even half-mad at myself for not liking the book more than I did. Because the author does everything right – she gives us a sympathetic mom to root for while combining a smart story with solid writing.
But what’s missing is the emotional piece. Hannah’s panic over her lost Jack isn’t palpable. I didn’t feel frantic as she searched for him; her desperation never transferred to me. And without a sense of urgency, a tension while reading, I could’ve cared less whether she ever found him.
On a positive note, though, I’d very much like to read Goldstein-Love again. Her mind works in an interesting way, and I’m curious to see where her writing leads next.
My sincerest appreciation to Yael Goldstein-Love, Random House, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
January 29, 2023
One struggles to figure out exactly how to begin describing a book like this. This is a book about motherhood and alternate timelines and grief and panic and postpartum anxiety and a lot more than that. If you're hoping for a thriller, this is not the book for you - it is so much more complicated and whimsical and abstract than what fans of that genre usually enjoy. But if you're looking for a layered, science fiction treatise on motherhood as a hero quest, then this is going to be an absolute treat. It's honestly nothing like anything I've read before. If I had to anchor it in something, it gives me vibes of Ashley Audrain's The Push (except more sci fi than simple fiction) and almost like Gillian McAllister's Wrong Place Wrong Time (except imagine running McAllister's motherhood and time travel-based domestic thriller through the sci-fi blender instead).
At times, it teetered into being a little abstract for me, and it could feel a little slow in those moments, but then the subsequent part would always be fast-paced enough to pull me back in. I think this will be an incredibly thought-provoking and much-discussed novel upon its release!
Disclaimer: The protagonist is, by the very nature of the subject of the book, in a really anxious and panic-stricken mindset throughout the book and it's done very effectively in order to be disorienting in line with the plot, but I just wanted to share that in case perhaps as a new mother or expectant mother (or as someone who has experienced a recent loss), it's not what you're up for at this very moment.
At times, it teetered into being a little abstract for me, and it could feel a little slow in those moments, but then the subsequent part would always be fast-paced enough to pull me back in. I think this will be an incredibly thought-provoking and much-discussed novel upon its release!
Disclaimer: The protagonist is, by the very nature of the subject of the book, in a really anxious and panic-stricken mindset throughout the book and it's done very effectively in order to be disorienting in line with the plot, but I just wanted to share that in case perhaps as a new mother or expectant mother (or as someone who has experienced a recent loss), it's not what you're up for at this very moment.
August 3, 2023
I've said this before and I'll continue to say it: I personally can't relate to stories about motherhood and that fierce, unbreakable bond between parent and child. I do not have a maternal instinct. (And admittedly, the number of times that the MC Hannah fondly talked about "that bready smell" of her baby son kind of turned my stomach a little bit.) It just isn't my world. But I have no doubt that the unwavering devotion portrayed in this story is accurate, and that anyone looking for that sort of thing will find it here.
"The Possibilities" is definitely more science fiction and not really horror at all, though it does deal with some pretty heavy topics. Postpartum Depression is tackled head on, and also used as a metaphor. Grief, guilt and loss are constant themes. If you, the reader, have recently lost a parent or a child I caution you that this will likely be a very tough read and you might want to hold off for the moment. (Then again, it might be cathartic. I suppose it depends on your situation.) There is some humor throughout to lighten the mood, so it's not all doom and gloom.
The writing is pretty decent, and Hannah is a protagonist that you root for. I liked the side characters as well, especially Ash from the support group. This is a book about the power of Mothers and women supporting each other. I generally tend to lean more towards horror with the books I read, and some of the scientific jargon was confusing to me, but it was confusing to Hannah, too so I didn't feel bad about it. The core story was interesting even if I couldn't personally relate to the themes and I was invested in the resolution. And I do think that Multiverse theory is awesome. (That was the main draw of the book for me.) The novel went to some creative places. I especially liked how in the first part of the book, it wasn't entirely clear if what was happening was in Hannah's mind or in reality, etc. (You will, of course, have to suspend your disbelief quite a bit for this one.)
Overall, if you like science fiction and stories about mothers fighting to save their kids, you might love this. But be prepared for some heavy themes about grief and a few descriptions of complications/infant mortality in the delivery room.
Thanks so much to Netgalley for the ARC!
Trigger warnings: Postpartum Depression, Infant death
"The Possibilities" is definitely more science fiction and not really horror at all, though it does deal with some pretty heavy topics. Postpartum Depression is tackled head on, and also used as a metaphor. Grief, guilt and loss are constant themes. If you, the reader, have recently lost a parent or a child I caution you that this will likely be a very tough read and you might want to hold off for the moment. (Then again, it might be cathartic. I suppose it depends on your situation.) There is some humor throughout to lighten the mood, so it's not all doom and gloom.
The writing is pretty decent, and Hannah is a protagonist that you root for. I liked the side characters as well, especially Ash from the support group. This is a book about the power of Mothers and women supporting each other. I generally tend to lean more towards horror with the books I read, and some of the scientific jargon was confusing to me, but it was confusing to Hannah, too so I didn't feel bad about it. The core story was interesting even if I couldn't personally relate to the themes and I was invested in the resolution. And I do think that Multiverse theory is awesome. (That was the main draw of the book for me.) The novel went to some creative places. I especially liked how in the first part of the book, it wasn't entirely clear if what was happening was in Hannah's mind or in reality, etc. (You will, of course, have to suspend your disbelief quite a bit for this one.)
Overall, if you like science fiction and stories about mothers fighting to save their kids, you might love this. But be prepared for some heavy themes about grief and a few descriptions of complications/infant mortality in the delivery room.
Thanks so much to Netgalley for the ARC!
Trigger warnings: Postpartum Depression, Infant death
January 28, 2023
A book that will resonate with all who read it, but especially mothers. We all know the first year(or first few years!) of motherhood is hard. You're exhausted, stressed mentally and physically, constantly wanted and needed, and worry is the dominant emotion. Am I doing this right? Should I be doing this instead? Am I a good mom? It's A LOT. So when I started reading this book the main character Hannah was immediately easy to connect with. Hannah has an eight month old named Jack and she loves him with every fiber of her being. But Hannah also feels...off. Something about Jack's birth and what she saw won't leave her mind. This feeling of narrowly avoiding tragedy. Of course, then tragedy strikes. Jack goes missing. But not in the normal sense...in a multi-dimensional sense. Will Hannah find him in time before he fizzles out of existence?
I highly recommend this book. The writing was phenomenal, a bit science-y in sections but we are reading about parallel lives so I expected this. I could understand enough to get the gist. The pacing was excellent, I couldn't stop turning the pages. Hannah was a phenomenal character.; likeable, easily relatable, and honest with her feelings with motherhood and all it entails. The author blended drama, sci-fi, and thriller into one amazing book. It also felt like a study on motherhood and how we handle the pressure and anxieties. And also how to let go. To realize we cannot control every aspect of our children's lives(as much as we want to) to keep them safe. I could feel the worry Hannah felt. The guilt. The remorse. The love for her baby. Wow..just a stunning book. I will be thinking about it for a long time.
Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse for the ARC of this book.
Publication Date July 25, 2023
I highly recommend this book. The writing was phenomenal, a bit science-y in sections but we are reading about parallel lives so I expected this. I could understand enough to get the gist. The pacing was excellent, I couldn't stop turning the pages. Hannah was a phenomenal character.; likeable, easily relatable, and honest with her feelings with motherhood and all it entails. The author blended drama, sci-fi, and thriller into one amazing book. It also felt like a study on motherhood and how we handle the pressure and anxieties. And also how to let go. To realize we cannot control every aspect of our children's lives(as much as we want to) to keep them safe. I could feel the worry Hannah felt. The guilt. The remorse. The love for her baby. Wow..just a stunning book. I will be thinking about it for a long time.
Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse for the ARC of this book.
Publication Date July 25, 2023
September 11, 2023
If I had read The Possibilities by Yael Goldstein-Love at a different time or a couple of years ago I don't think I would have liked it as much as I did, and I definitely think you will need to be in the right mood for this complex read. I loved the uniqueness of the plot and while there were times I didn't fully understand what was going on, I was completely spellbound by it. I think this will hit you especially hard if you are a mom as motherhood is a strong theme for the entire storyline. I was immediately pulled in by the multidimensional universe portrayed, and if this was something that happened IRL I don't think I could personally handle it, mother or not!
Hannah is a very likable and developed character, and the audiobook narrator Saskia Maarleveld did a beautiful job of bringing her to life for the listener. I don't think it would be a bad idea to listen to the book while reading along with it, and that probably would have helped my understanding a bit. However, I really did love the audio on its own and would 100% recommend it. Goldstein-Love clearly has talent, and it's kind of crazy to me that this is her first novel (according to Goodreads) in 16 years. I really hope she comes out with more fiction in the future, and I am so glad I saw this in the bookstore and decided I needed to read it!
Hannah is a very likable and developed character, and the audiobook narrator Saskia Maarleveld did a beautiful job of bringing her to life for the listener. I don't think it would be a bad idea to listen to the book while reading along with it, and that probably would have helped my understanding a bit. However, I really did love the audio on its own and would 100% recommend it. Goldstein-Love clearly has talent, and it's kind of crazy to me that this is her first novel (according to Goodreads) in 16 years. I really hope she comes out with more fiction in the future, and I am so glad I saw this in the bookstore and decided I needed to read it!
January 23, 2023
What an incredibly smart, tender, and horrifying deep dive into the fragile time after a mother gives birth. I felt compelled to read while in the presence of my young son so as not to trip into the world that Goldstein-Love has created in The Possibilities. Her precise way of depicting the fear and compulsions of postpartum motherhood is absurdly accurate. I am four years removed from that season of life and it was the flood of emotions felt while reading, that this book reintroduced me to that version of myself and how alike I was to Hannah in her state of mania. Her "Jacklessness" worlds were pure horror, her "Jack-full" worlds were euphoria, I felt every bit of the waves of emotions that these possibilities provided and I felt oddly comforted by the idea that I live in a world with Yael Goldstein-Love, another person who identifies with what this feels like; the absurdity and privilege of creating and protecting a life. I've always known that women must feel similar fears to mine, but how it was so expertly and intelligently written made me feel less alone.
April 28, 2024
I just didn’t need all that explanation. Explaining the explanatory explanations that explain the explained. Science stuff. Metaphysics. Motherhood. Boom
August 31, 2023
Interesting premise but confusing read, the kind of book one really needs to read straight through. No kidding, just breaks for food and other things. Brief breaks. And not because IMO it's 'unputdownable,' but because you can lose track of who-is-who and where the MC (MCs?) are at any given point.
(And I didn't finish, but still read more than halfway, so I feel I can give an honest review.)
The story of Hannah, who's recently given birth to a truly deightful, energetic, bouncing little baby boy. The scenes with Hannah and Jack are wonderful. However, Hannah has a kind of 'dark side,' not that it's evil, just dark. She sort of loses herself in it from time to time, seeing herself in the same place but with a different outcome. In short, she sees herself No. 1: delivering baby Jack safely, healthily, but then No. 2: seeing herself giving birth to a blue, limp, dead baby. This sort of sets the mood as her mind/location/reality shifts back and forth...
This is all set up in the first few pages. And then...
I lost interest.
Three stars. C-
(And I didn't finish, but still read more than halfway, so I feel I can give an honest review.)
The story of Hannah, who's recently given birth to a truly deightful, energetic, bouncing little baby boy. The scenes with Hannah and Jack are wonderful. However, Hannah has a kind of 'dark side,' not that it's evil, just dark. She sort of loses herself in it from time to time, seeing herself in the same place but with a different outcome. In short, she sees herself No. 1: delivering baby Jack safely, healthily, but then No. 2: seeing herself giving birth to a blue, limp, dead baby. This sort of sets the mood as her mind/location/reality shifts back and forth...
This is all set up in the first few pages. And then...
I lost interest.
Three stars. C-
April 29, 2024
I didn’t get in to it until about the last half. The first half was slow and sad.
July 26, 2023
A twisty domestic suspense (horror?) story about a parent's worst nightmare - waking up to find your infant son suddenly gone. This book asks you to suspend your belief in what's possible as the author explores a world with infinite possibilities (think the old show Sliders).
In one world her baby is still alive and well but in the reality she's living all memories of her son are slowly disappearing and she needs to reach out to her estranged mother for help.
I thought this was a really creative take on motherhood thrillers and especially enjoyed the new mom support group and how they helped the main character with no questions asked. Good on audio and definitely worth a read/listen especially for fans of books like The other year by Rea Frey!
Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
In one world her baby is still alive and well but in the reality she's living all memories of her son are slowly disappearing and she needs to reach out to her estranged mother for help.
I thought this was a really creative take on motherhood thrillers and especially enjoyed the new mom support group and how they helped the main character with no questions asked. Good on audio and definitely worth a read/listen especially for fans of books like The other year by Rea Frey!
Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
November 15, 2023
Parallel worlds. Like a time travel? Multiple personalities? Something beyond all of the above?
The beginning of story was making me think this new Mom was just another new Mom who had lack of sleep, lack of support. She thought her baby died while being delivered. Supposedly her mother vanished when she was a little girl and there was talk of mental illness. Is this happening to her too? There also were some weird things going on with the husband too.
I don’t really like time travel stories and I had not heard of parallel worlds. Nonetheless about halfway in I got more confused. And at the end, I was really lost, unfortunately.
The beginning of story was making me think this new Mom was just another new Mom who had lack of sleep, lack of support. She thought her baby died while being delivered. Supposedly her mother vanished when she was a little girl and there was talk of mental illness. Is this happening to her too? There also were some weird things going on with the husband too.
I don’t really like time travel stories and I had not heard of parallel worlds. Nonetheless about halfway in I got more confused. And at the end, I was really lost, unfortunately.
October 21, 2023
Cannot recommend this very confusing and overwrought book.
December 15, 2023
3 1/2 Harrowing Stars
Read this in one sitting. Lost my whole review. More to come.
Read this in one sitting. Lost my whole review. More to come.
February 16, 2023
Wow! I was completely in this book's clutches from the start. What a smart, tense, mind bendy book!
We meet Hannah, a new mom, ostensibly dealing with post-partum issues after the birth of her son Jack. She is seeking the help of a therapist at the urging and pleading of her husband, as her depression and fixation on their son were outside the bounds of what he thought was normal. She is deeply in touch with her instincts after almost losing their son in childbirth. After hours of struggling with natural labor, she had to demand a C-section, fighting with all the medical staff and her husband, because she could tell something wasn't right about the birth, despite this being her first birth. Her instincts were right as she had a vivid image of him not surviving but being revived. As she is in her sessions, her doctor diagnoses her with post-partum and tells her that the lack of sleep can cause her to hallucinate and prescribes her a sleep aid. Through visceral storytelling, deep character building, and powerful language, we see Hannah crumble under the weight of fear for her 8-month-old son, the announcement from her husband that he is leaving, hallucinations that her son keeps disappearing, and even that he may have never even existed.
The book takes that terrifying premise and explodes into different worlds and dimensions to discover whether her son is alive, or did he actually die in that birthing room. I am not someone who is a mother or who has thought deeply about the primal bond between child and mother, but this book made me feel it. I was utterly hooked by it and thought it was fantastic! I look forward to seeing other readers taking this journey when it's published.
I would like to thank the publisher for access to the digital ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
We meet Hannah, a new mom, ostensibly dealing with post-partum issues after the birth of her son Jack. She is seeking the help of a therapist at the urging and pleading of her husband, as her depression and fixation on their son were outside the bounds of what he thought was normal. She is deeply in touch with her instincts after almost losing their son in childbirth. After hours of struggling with natural labor, she had to demand a C-section, fighting with all the medical staff and her husband, because she could tell something wasn't right about the birth, despite this being her first birth. Her instincts were right as she had a vivid image of him not surviving but being revived. As she is in her sessions, her doctor diagnoses her with post-partum and tells her that the lack of sleep can cause her to hallucinate and prescribes her a sleep aid. Through visceral storytelling, deep character building, and powerful language, we see Hannah crumble under the weight of fear for her 8-month-old son, the announcement from her husband that he is leaving, hallucinations that her son keeps disappearing, and even that he may have never even existed.
The book takes that terrifying premise and explodes into different worlds and dimensions to discover whether her son is alive, or did he actually die in that birthing room. I am not someone who is a mother or who has thought deeply about the primal bond between child and mother, but this book made me feel it. I was utterly hooked by it and thought it was fantastic! I look forward to seeing other readers taking this journey when it's published.
I would like to thank the publisher for access to the digital ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2023
How to describe this book?
It was bonkers, but also I couldn't put it down. And now I'm interesting in researching quantum mechanics. No big deal.
The Possibilities is about a mother who travels to parallel universes to save her son. It starts off pretty confusing. You don't know what is happening, and neither does anyone else. Stick with it, the plot starts to solidify and it gets easier to follow.
This story seemed to put words to that anxiety every parent feels. Am I doing it right? Is there a right way to do it? It's also about the lengths parents will go to to ensure the safety of their child.
The Possibilities is a mind bending book that will likely appeal to sci-fi fans (bonus points if you're also a parent).
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for an early copy for review.
It was bonkers, but also I couldn't put it down. And now I'm interesting in researching quantum mechanics. No big deal.
The Possibilities is about a mother who travels to parallel universes to save her son. It starts off pretty confusing. You don't know what is happening, and neither does anyone else. Stick with it, the plot starts to solidify and it gets easier to follow.
This story seemed to put words to that anxiety every parent feels. Am I doing it right? Is there a right way to do it? It's also about the lengths parents will go to to ensure the safety of their child.
The Possibilities is a mind bending book that will likely appeal to sci-fi fans (bonus points if you're also a parent).
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for an early copy for review.
February 11, 2023
Imagine that you give birth to your beautiful, living baby. But, in another world, you give birth to a baby that never takes a breath of life. All these different worlds, all these different possibilities.
This book was a wild ride. I love a good sci-fi story, and this did not disappoint. If you are a mother, this will hit you right in the heart.
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book was a wild ride. I love a good sci-fi story, and this did not disappoint. If you are a mother, this will hit you right in the heart.
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 30, 2024
The one star is for the good sized font.
July 23, 2023
The Possibilities is an interesting story about motherhood, grief, and postpartum. After a distressing birth, Hannah obsesses over her son, Jack. Then, one evening, Jack completely disappears, and Hannah travels to alternate realities to find him.
I really liked Hannah, she was a well-written character. I loved that she only wanted what's best for her son and my heart broke for her when the "alternate universe people" told her she didn't have a son. However, there were quite a few characters to keep track of, especially when there were different universe versions of the same character.
I also struggled a bit with the pacing; I found the story to be a little slow for my liking, it did pick up at certain points but then it would slow down again when there would be a long explanation of what science-y parts were happening.
I do wish the world-building was slightly better. Whenever Hannah would enter a different reality, I found myself flipping back to see if I missed reading if she was back in her world or another's.
Although I didn't quite love this one, I did find it to be an original alternate universe science fiction story. I'd recommend checking it out if you're looking for a clever sci-fi story.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy.
I really liked Hannah, she was a well-written character. I loved that she only wanted what's best for her son and my heart broke for her when the "alternate universe people" told her she didn't have a son. However, there were quite a few characters to keep track of, especially when there were different universe versions of the same character.
I also struggled a bit with the pacing; I found the story to be a little slow for my liking, it did pick up at certain points but then it would slow down again when there would be a long explanation of what science-y parts were happening.
I do wish the world-building was slightly better. Whenever Hannah would enter a different reality, I found myself flipping back to see if I missed reading if she was back in her world or another's.
Although I didn't quite love this one, I did find it to be an original alternate universe science fiction story. I'd recommend checking it out if you're looking for a clever sci-fi story.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy.
August 30, 2023
DNF at 51%
Why do I agonize over finishing a shit book? I used to take pleasure in hate reading and then ripping a book to shreds in review but I just don't have the desire or energy anymore. I was promised philosophical horror, and got a poorly written thriller. What else can I say? There's clearly a market for this type of book; I mean, people love Blake Crouch and I just don't feel like shitting on that enough to force myself to finish this.
If you like genre fiction thrillers with a sci-fi flavour and easily digestible writing then you'll probably like this. And that's fine. 🤷♀️
Why do I agonize over finishing a shit book? I used to take pleasure in hate reading and then ripping a book to shreds in review but I just don't have the desire or energy anymore. I was promised philosophical horror, and got a poorly written thriller. What else can I say? There's clearly a market for this type of book; I mean, people love Blake Crouch and I just don't feel like shitting on that enough to force myself to finish this.
If you like genre fiction thrillers with a sci-fi flavour and easily digestible writing then you'll probably like this. And that's fine. 🤷♀️
March 24, 2023
I received a free Advance Uncorrected Proof copy of this novel via the Goodreads Giveaways program and would like to thank anyone involved in making that happen.
This novel has such a unique premise and it plays out beautifully! It's so well written, suspenseful and moving. I loved the science elements of the story and while quantum physics definitely goes a bit over my head, the author made everything seem very plausible. Highly recommended!
This novel has such a unique premise and it plays out beautifully! It's so well written, suspenseful and moving. I loved the science elements of the story and while quantum physics definitely goes a bit over my head, the author made everything seem very plausible. Highly recommended!
September 1, 2023
DNF. The first chapter had me so HOOKED I literally couldn’t focus on anything else.
And then it lost me.
Somewhere between getting COVID (again) and trying to return to a functioning human, I lost the plot. And trying to jump in felt like reading Astrophysics Today. It was going way over my head. I got to the 50% mark and decided to close it for good.
And then it lost me.
Somewhere between getting COVID (again) and trying to return to a functioning human, I lost the plot. And trying to jump in felt like reading Astrophysics Today. It was going way over my head. I got to the 50% mark and decided to close it for good.
February 14, 2023
Yael Goldstein-Love's THE POSSIBILITIES was not a book I expected to find myself enjoying so thoroughly as I did. I got it from NetGalley as an arc, picking it up only because I believed it could pass the time. But by the time I was three chapters deep into the book, there was no way to escape: the claws of The Possibilities, shards of motherhood and responsibility and reality, had dug so deep into my arm that I physically couldn't put it down.
The book follows Hannah, who is a mother first and a human second, or maybe a mother first and only a mother at all. Like all mothers, she's haunted by the possibilities of those "what-ifs"—what if her son had died, what if her son goes missing, what if her son had never existed? But the difference is, of course, that of those infinite possibilities, she begins to see them all playing out: hallucinations plague her, haunting her day and night, until she's destroyed her marriage, her sanity, and her relationship with herself. Of course, it all goes wrong when her son genuinely goes missing—and worst of all, despite her numerous attempts to convince them otherwise, most people are convinced he died eight months back, only minutes after he was born.
And so it goes. From the first page, we're thrust into Hannah's worst: a state of constant anxiety and horror. Her entire worldview is pinned on her son; we get the sense that the entirety of the earth could go up in flames and she wouldn't notice, so long as Jack—her baby—was safe. Admittedly, it took me three separate tries to get past the first chapter, mainly because Hannah is so fraught with panic that, as a childless woman, it's hard to connect with her. But as we progress, it's clear that Hannah is no longer Hannah, but Jack's mother: the real strength of this book lies in her overwrought connection with her son, so ferocious and terrible she'd destroy the world for him. The more this is shown, the easier it is to connect with her, and so when the real story begins to unfold, we can go into it with a perfect sense of who Hannah is as a character.
From there, I'll branch out into three separate categories: plot, characters, and themes. The first is simple; without spoilers, the plot revolves around Hannah attempting to get Jack back from wherever he is, if he exists at all, along with the help of her estranged husband and newfound friends. The second category: characters. As Hannah begins to form bonds outside her immediate family, Goldstein-Love makes a point to show that Hannah must learn to develop outside of motherhood. The complex theme of feminism while still falling into traditional gender roles—the devoted mother vs. the independent woman—is developed throughout the course of this book; Hannah's friends, including the stubborn, headstrong Ash—a fellow mother who comes off brash and cruel, but who has a heart of gold—help her see that motherhood, like all things, are simply a crossroads: she can choose either path and still decide to be a person. She is, at heart, still a person, not just a mother. Similarly, other characters help develop the sciencey parts of this book. Admittedly, I'm not too skilled at anything beyond basic physics, but The Possibilities truly delves into the world of the multiverse and infinite possibilities without making the explanation too twisty-turny or confusing. There was no point in time where I found myself disoriented by the science behind what was happening, just what was happening itself.
And, of course, the themes: as mentioned, feminism as it intertwines with motherhood; but also then, motherhood as it intertwines with the world. Goldstein-Love's depiction of motherhood as this all-consuming, magical thing isn't unique, but how she goes about it—combining it with the ideas of crossroads and multiple realities—is utterly so. (As a note, I've noted before that authors treat motherhood as some sort of bioessentialist thing, whereas G-L makes a point of saying it comes from the strength of one's feelings, not their biology.) As Hannah moves forward, making friends, making a name for herself, saving her child, she's given the chance to become her own person: and yet, she is completely true to herself and her child. Especially interesting was how her feelings were treated after motherhood; as Hannah develops, she comes to realize that people treated her emotions as lesser because of her status as a mother, but that she deserves better. Her development, while subtle, has this feeling of authenticity. Despite the unrealistic—or realistic; I'm not sure, I'm not a scientist—plot of the book, Hannah comes off as real: dedicated, loving, desperate for love as much as she is desperate to love. Genuinely, I walked out of this book with a higher respect for mothers and motherhood. Not sure if this is what G-L was going for, but it's certainly what I came out with.
And, not to take away from the themes and the plot, but the descriptions and writing style G-L wrote / achieved blew me away. Every single sentence she wrote was plotted at exactly the right point in time, whether it served as a callback or a precursor to something else. Even as Hannah moves through another episode, traveling through reality, the writing fits her harried, rushed emotions perfectly. As a writer, G-L is incredibly talented, and I can't wait to read more of her books in the future.
5 stars. 6, if I could.
The book follows Hannah, who is a mother first and a human second, or maybe a mother first and only a mother at all. Like all mothers, she's haunted by the possibilities of those "what-ifs"—what if her son had died, what if her son goes missing, what if her son had never existed? But the difference is, of course, that of those infinite possibilities, she begins to see them all playing out: hallucinations plague her, haunting her day and night, until she's destroyed her marriage, her sanity, and her relationship with herself. Of course, it all goes wrong when her son genuinely goes missing—and worst of all, despite her numerous attempts to convince them otherwise, most people are convinced he died eight months back, only minutes after he was born.
And so it goes. From the first page, we're thrust into Hannah's worst: a state of constant anxiety and horror. Her entire worldview is pinned on her son; we get the sense that the entirety of the earth could go up in flames and she wouldn't notice, so long as Jack—her baby—was safe. Admittedly, it took me three separate tries to get past the first chapter, mainly because Hannah is so fraught with panic that, as a childless woman, it's hard to connect with her. But as we progress, it's clear that Hannah is no longer Hannah, but Jack's mother: the real strength of this book lies in her overwrought connection with her son, so ferocious and terrible she'd destroy the world for him. The more this is shown, the easier it is to connect with her, and so when the real story begins to unfold, we can go into it with a perfect sense of who Hannah is as a character.
From there, I'll branch out into three separate categories: plot, characters, and themes. The first is simple; without spoilers, the plot revolves around Hannah attempting to get Jack back from wherever he is, if he exists at all, along with the help of her estranged husband and newfound friends. The second category: characters. As Hannah begins to form bonds outside her immediate family, Goldstein-Love makes a point to show that Hannah must learn to develop outside of motherhood. The complex theme of feminism while still falling into traditional gender roles—the devoted mother vs. the independent woman—is developed throughout the course of this book; Hannah's friends, including the stubborn, headstrong Ash—a fellow mother who comes off brash and cruel, but who has a heart of gold—help her see that motherhood, like all things, are simply a crossroads: she can choose either path and still decide to be a person. She is, at heart, still a person, not just a mother. Similarly, other characters help develop the sciencey parts of this book. Admittedly, I'm not too skilled at anything beyond basic physics, but The Possibilities truly delves into the world of the multiverse and infinite possibilities without making the explanation too twisty-turny or confusing. There was no point in time where I found myself disoriented by the science behind what was happening, just what was happening itself.
And, of course, the themes: as mentioned, feminism as it intertwines with motherhood; but also then, motherhood as it intertwines with the world. Goldstein-Love's depiction of motherhood as this all-consuming, magical thing isn't unique, but how she goes about it—combining it with the ideas of crossroads and multiple realities—is utterly so. (As a note, I've noted before that authors treat motherhood as some sort of bioessentialist thing, whereas G-L makes a point of saying it comes from the strength of one's feelings, not their biology.) As Hannah moves forward, making friends, making a name for herself, saving her child, she's given the chance to become her own person: and yet, she is completely true to herself and her child. Especially interesting was how her feelings were treated after motherhood; as Hannah develops, she comes to realize that people treated her emotions as lesser because of her status as a mother, but that she deserves better. Her development, while subtle, has this feeling of authenticity. Despite the unrealistic—or realistic; I'm not sure, I'm not a scientist—plot of the book, Hannah comes off as real: dedicated, loving, desperate for love as much as she is desperate to love. Genuinely, I walked out of this book with a higher respect for mothers and motherhood. Not sure if this is what G-L was going for, but it's certainly what I came out with.
And, not to take away from the themes and the plot, but the descriptions and writing style G-L wrote / achieved blew me away. Every single sentence she wrote was plotted at exactly the right point in time, whether it served as a callback or a precursor to something else. Even as Hannah moves through another episode, traveling through reality, the writing fits her harried, rushed emotions perfectly. As a writer, G-L is incredibly talented, and I can't wait to read more of her books in the future.
5 stars. 6, if I could.
July 27, 2023
3.5/5⭐️’s
•
the possibilities is an enthralling novel that both challenges and entertains. the book explores thought provoking themes with nuance, encouraging readers to ponder on deep, existential questions. yet, it occasionally veers into the realm of the overly-philosophical, making the narrative slightly inaccessible at times. this is a good read for those who appreciate introspective, character-driven stories and are willing to venture into somewhat dense philosophical territory.
•
the possibilities is an enthralling novel that both challenges and entertains. the book explores thought provoking themes with nuance, encouraging readers to ponder on deep, existential questions. yet, it occasionally veers into the realm of the overly-philosophical, making the narrative slightly inaccessible at times. this is a good read for those who appreciate introspective, character-driven stories and are willing to venture into somewhat dense philosophical territory.
September 5, 2023
a mom dives into a multiverse to save her son and... I think I've reached my limit of novels about women in extreme stress developing superpowers. that's enough, Igor. at least for this year. stop ordering them! to the author's credit I have to mention thought that this time around they at least tried to acknowledge the science fiction part instead of just writing it off as not important for the story (as they usually do).
February 14, 2024
FIRST 5 STAR REVIEW OF 2024 IN THE FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR.
This concept is genius, so I want to take the time to do this review carefully. Genuine RTC.
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Bits That will Stick with Me for a Long Time Even Though I've Never been a Mother
This concept is genius, so I want to take the time to do this review carefully. Genuine RTC.
_____________________________
Bits That will Stick with Me for a Long Time Even Though I've Never been a Mother
" We had just decided to start trying to get pregnant. Adam had been working on convincing me for years, but given my own experience of being parented, I hadn’t been too keen. My mother’s descent into madness and eventual disappearance, my father’s depressed, distracted non-presence, more a placeholder in a cardigan than an actual caregiver—this was not a legacy to build on. Agreeing to get married had been hard enough for me, given my passionate attachment to self-sufficiency." - @ 11%
"My passionate love and equally passionate hatred for the umbilical radius* that tied me at all times to my child and therefore to my terror. A love that held me hostage to this paradox: Keep him alive, keep him well, but also know that you can’t, that you have no control, not really." - @ 60%*In her Acknowledgements, Yael Goldstein-Love explains that she obtained the term "umbilical radius" from TORN IN TWO: THE EXPERIENCE OF by Rozsika Parker.
"His father leaving for another woman, his mother fixated on keeping up appearances. [...] He would have been such a natural asset to this venture, with his sparkly charm, good grades, good looks. I had no idea if any of this was true, but it was what I’d always imagined when Adam said his childhood was perfect. It was my only way to make sense of how someone so smart could believe something so stupid. It made sense if believing this was part of what he felt he owed his mother." - @ 68%
"I felt time like a hand around my throat." - @ 73%
"I was going to the spot where wanted me to go, obeying the woman whose absence was a void that had been howling through me so loudly and so long that I had come to think of it as simply the sound of me." - @ 84%
January 15, 2024
Hannah is an anxiety-ridden, overly-protective mother with some mommy issues of her own. She’s in therapy but hanging on by a thread, and her husband Adam is so disturbed by her anxiety that he’s ready to leave her and their baby Jack.
Then some really weird stuff starts to happen. Hannah leaves Jack in his stroller on the main floor of her therapists’ office building while she goes to retrieve her forgotten car keys. When she returns, Jack is gone. She frantically races from floor to floor, thinking she must have left the stroller somewhere else, and finally finds Jack exactly where she was sure she’d left him. It was as if he’d disappeared and then reappeared.
Hannah finds herself shifting through multiple realities, and in all of them Jack is in danger. He dies at birth. He’s kidnapped. In the kidnapping reality, the police first believe her; then the next day they claim she never called in a kidnapping.
To save her child, Hannah must convince her very rational husband of what’s happening to her, and enlist the assistance of her long-lost mother.
The multiple-reality aspect of this novel is handled very well. It’s not over-explained, but it’s explained just enough that it feels plausible enough to hold the story together (although it did fall apart for me a little towards the end).
I also liked how Hannah’s story was a sort of metaphor for the central anxiety of parenthood: the horrifying knowledge that you cannot keep your child entirely safe.
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Author of
Then some really weird stuff starts to happen. Hannah leaves Jack in his stroller on the main floor of her therapists’ office building while she goes to retrieve her forgotten car keys. When she returns, Jack is gone. She frantically races from floor to floor, thinking she must have left the stroller somewhere else, and finally finds Jack exactly where she was sure she’d left him. It was as if he’d disappeared and then reappeared.
Hannah finds herself shifting through multiple realities, and in all of them Jack is in danger. He dies at birth. He’s kidnapped. In the kidnapping reality, the police first believe her; then the next day they claim she never called in a kidnapping.
To save her child, Hannah must convince her very rational husband of what’s happening to her, and enlist the assistance of her long-lost mother.
The multiple-reality aspect of this novel is handled very well. It’s not over-explained, but it’s explained just enough that it feels plausible enough to hold the story together (although it did fall apart for me a little towards the end).
I also liked how Hannah’s story was a sort of metaphor for the central anxiety of parenthood: the horrifying knowledge that you cannot keep your child entirely safe.
Like my reviews? Check out my blog
Author of
July 27, 2023
For fans of Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, mixed with a horrifying fever dream/sci-fi/thriller with home invasion elements and a mother's worst fear vibes, The Possibilities is a fantastic read that had me quickly turning the pages until I finished the book. Hannah and Adam just had a baby boy and Hannah's reality seems to be glitching - she can vividly remember seeing her newborn taken away from the operating table because he was stillborn, but Jack is also 8 months old now. Except something seems to be warning Hannah that her baby boy is in danger, and so begins the mind-bending adventure. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about parallel worlds and world-jumping, and also any new mothers. great book!
August 26, 2024
A mother's child keeps on slipping out of the current dimension and almost nobody remembers he existed on this timeline. So, she has to figure out how to save him and bring him back. I'm glad I'm many years past having an infant, or this would have been too difficult to read. The reveal was just a little too loosey goosey for my liking. It was an interesting idea, but I'm not sure I enjoyed the process all that much. Although, I think it's me and my expectations for the story line, not the book that's at fault. I mean, there was an attempt to make it sciencey, but it still came over a bit woo woo.
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