Still Born

Two Mexican friends wrestle with their feelings about motherhood in the ruminative latest from Nettel (After the Winter). Laura and Alina, both in their 30s and living in Paris, decided years earlier not to have children. Laura is devoted to earning a PhD in literature and Alina runs an art gallery. After Laura has her tubes tied, Alina returns to Mexico City and decides to try to have a child with her partner, Aurelio. Laura is aghast at her friend’s decision to have a child and initially keeps a distance. Later, after returning to Mexico City herself and learning of Alina’s infertility, Laura supports her. Alina eventually becomes pregnant, but is devastated to learn that her baby suffers from a neurological condition; her doctor predicts she will be stillborn and recommends that the couple attend grief counseling. A side plot involving Laura’s single-parent neighbor, who has a volatile relationship with her six-year-old son, adds to the narrative’s varied perspectives on motherhood. Using spare, potent prose, Nettel mines the complexities of feminism, caregiving, and what it means to love unconditionally (“The more we love a person the more fragile and insecure we feel because of them,” Laura reflects on her friendship with Alina). This will resonate with readers. Agent: Andrea Montejo, Indent Literary. (Aug.)