Laura Dern

Nikki Eaton, single, thirty-one, sexually liberated, and economically self-supporting, has never particularly thought of herself as a daughter. Yet, following the unexpected loss of her mother, she undergoes a remarkable transformation during a tumultuous year that brings stunning horror, sorrow, illumination, wisdom, and even—from an unexpected source—a nurturing love.

Missing Mom

I've read a couple of unfriendly reviews here, and I wonder why people need their protagonists to be flawless. This book follows Nikki Eaton as a self-absorbed, single-but-dating-a-married-man wild child through the discovery of her mother's murder and the year of grieving and discovery afterwards. Sure, she's a flawed character, but I still found her sympathetic and compelling - I also appreciate authors that paint realistic portraits of people and can still manage poignancy. People are complicated. I liked Nikki's voice, and identified somehow with her, and a tragedy which I hope desperately never to identify with. I also believe Nikki had to be the selfish, lonely, flawed character she was in order to show the growth she makes over one year, and the maturity which comes along with learning about our mothers' pasts, and missing them, and choosing to respect their life by emulating the good qualities you might not have appreciated while they were alive.

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