My son was nineteen when I started writing When I Was You, a book about a lonely empty-nester who becomes obsessed with a younger woman bearing her same name. At that time, I was wrestling with all the emotions that come with having a son who is pulling away from his mom and becoming a man. Every stage with him has brought its own grief and its own joy. I celebrate him growing up, maturing, becoming his own person, while at the same time I mourn the loss of our former closeness. As mothers, we feel a fierce protectiveness over our sons. A need to care for them and shield them from any and all pain. This can be a difficult thing to let go of as they move into adulthood. In my opinion, this is the perfect fodder for fiction, as the lines can easily become blurred.
These five novels explore, in some way, the unique and complex relationship between mothers and sons.
Psycho by Robert Bloch
Arguably the most popular book centering around this topic is Psycho. Norman Bates’ obsession with his mom is a great example of how a relationship between a mother and son can turn into something unhealthy, even sinister. In this creepy tale, Norman and his mother run the Bates Motel. Often, he spies on the young women who stay there. When that happens, Mother inevitable appears and kills the women for making her son think impure thoughts. Norman often waffles between sexual desire for his own mother and frustration with her, that at times feels like hatred. Disturbing, yet entertaining, I’ve enjoyed all iterations of this story—the novel, movie and television show.
The Boy at the Keyhole by Stephen Giles
Like Psycho, this novel centers around the obsession a boy feels for his mother. In this case, nine-year-old Samuel is left in the care of his nurse Ruth while his mom is away on business. It becomes clear early on that all is not as it seems when it comes to where is mother is and why she is away. Samuel is on a constant quest to find her. He thinks about her all of the time. This story was so well-done, I couldn’t put it down. Haunting and atmospheric, it stayed with me long after I turned the final page.
Defending Jacob by William Landay
The premise of Defending Jacob is every parent’s worst nightmare. What if your child was accused of murdering a classmate?
This story mostly centers around Jacob’s dad and his firm belief in his son’s innocence. But to me, the most compelling part of this novel was the struggle within Jacob’s mom, Laurie. The evidence is so damming Laurie has a hard time discounting it in order to vehemently get behind her son’s innocence. There is a turmoil inside she wrestles with throughout the story. Worse, she has memories of odd behavior from Jacob’s childhood that seem to support this idea that he means to do harm to others. At the time, she had chalked it up to the normal antics of boys, but now she suffers from mom-guilt, wondering if she should have done more.
Not only did I love this book, but I thoroughly enjoyed the TV series and recommend both.
Keep You Close by Karen Cleveland
How well do we really know our own children?
This is the question Karen Cleveland explores in her impossible-to-put-down thriller Keep You Close. The story is told from the perspective of Stephanie, a single mom, raising her son Zachary while working for the FBI. One night, while straightening Zachary’s room, she finds a gun. That same night a co-worker shares with her that Zachary may be involved with a terrorist organization.
Neither of these things line up with the son Stephanie knows. Her mama bear instincts kick in and she does everything in her power to clear his name. To, in a sense, prove to herself and the world that he is who she believes him to be.
The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong
In one of the most chilling books I’ve ever read, Yu-Jin wakes up covered in blood, his mother’s murdered body lying on the kitchen floor. At first, he has only fragmented memories of the night before. But as the story unfolds, his recollection comes back in pieces until it creates an entire picture. We see two different sides of the mother/son relationship, both in Yu-Jin’s perspective and in journal entries penned by his mom. Woven into this dark thriller is the theme of a mother’s love and her desire to protect her son even to her own detriment.
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