Television for Women Explores the lack of having "a village" after the baby arrives, postpartum anxiety and depression, and the imbalance of labour put on mothers compared to fathers.

A very raw and realistic look at postpartum motherhood and the struggle of those first months. While I deeply disliked every single character, I could still empathize with our MC Estie and found her story to be important for understanding PPD and PPA. I also empathized with Alice especially in light of a lot of questionable shit Estie was doing/saying pre-baby. Estie didn’t have much of a difference between pre and post baby, based on flashbacks she’s always been self-centered, insecure, fatphobic, and desperately needed therapy even before the PPD hit.

Despite empathizing with Estie and Alice, I found absolutely nothing to like about Estie’s mother and Owen 😂 I kept chanting “leave your husband” as Owen is the stereotypical man that I wouldn’t even wish upon my worst enemy to have to co-parent with.

Huge trigger warning for pet death and just general negligence toward a pet. I almost DNFd at 80% because of this, I was furious and felt like it was added for shock value but I also had to remember that PPD affects everyone differently and while I find it inexcusable, Estie’s actions were coming from a dark place where she felt there was no way out.

It was an engaging read that had me wanting to come back for more at every opportunity for most of the novel. It started off really well but started to lose me as I realized the novel was not going the direction I expected (and hoped for). Plus a certain scene made me want to DNF despite being nearly done with the book.

It’s definitely a dark and depressing book, and while it’s compared to nightbitch and said to have dark humor I found nothing of the sort. I haven’t read nightbitch yet but based on things friends have said and how they’ve described it, this isn’t comparable (the only thing they share is the PPD). I still enjoyed it and thought it was important for understanding postpartum depression and anxiety, and I might check out more from Brown in the future.

Rating: 3.5 stars

TW/CW: dubious consent, pregnancy, medical content, blood, postpartum depression and anxiety, body shaming, fatphobia, pet death, emotional abuse, gaslighting, toxic friendship, vomit

This was a really well done novel about motherhood and postpartum depression. I have never read a book like this one that was so brutally honest and so realistic about the dark side of motherhood. I really loved the main character and rooted for her and the entire team. I look forward to reading more from Danit Brown.

Due to life circumstances, it took me three months to read this book - but I want to stress that that is not a shortcoming of this novel, but rather an unfortunate reality that prevented me from reading this as quickly as I would have liked to.

What this story lacks in plot it more than makes up for in its insights into the reality of postpartum for some mothers, myself included. Those first weeks and months after having your first baby are already such a whirlwind of life adjustments made in a sleep-deprived haze, and it's made even harder when you're looking around you feeling like every other mom is doing it better than you, with confidence and calm and a body that snapped back better than yours. In the middle of this huge life adjustment, you want to have your friends to lean on, and instead you find your child-free friends looking at you like they're just so glad it's not them. How much of it is real and how much are you extrapolating in your head? Why does everything that comes out of your mouth sound so combative? WHY CAN'T YOUR HUSBAND WAKE UP WHEN THE BABY IS CRYING NEXT TO HIS HEAD???

This book managed to hit on so many thoughts and feelings that I had in my own postpartum experience that at times it brought up memories I'd forgotten (or maybe suppressed?). While cringing at Estie's ill-advised antics, she'd also be narrating an internal experience that was so relatable to me I wanted to be able to press "I'm in this photo and I don't like it" and put the book down. At the same time, I was so invested in finding out if Estie was ever going to leave her husband, or what direction her friendships would take, or what she was going to do about her job, that when I did finally get to pick this book up again after nearly three months, I read the final half of it in one evening (ironically, while rocking my daughter to sleep).

When I say that the plot of this book is lacking, it's moreso that the style of this book differs from what many mainstream books aim for. There aren't going to be epic, twisty, action-filled moments, but the draw instead comes from watching through slitted fingers while Estie drags her pregnant friend, infant daughter, and unwanted cat on a roadtrip to spring a surprise visit on her childfree friend, succeeding in nothing but putting all her friendships in jeopardy. I was still hooked, just in a totally different way. I thought we were heading for trouble when Estie decided to leave her daughter with an ex-boyfriend she hadn't spoken to in years while taking her food-poisoned friend to the ER, but little did I know the real trouble would come about because Estie's rehoming attempt for Herbert didn't pan out on the first try. I still haven't forgiven her for Herbert's fate!!!

All of that is to say that this isn't a traditional novel by any means, and it's actually really uncomfortable to get through. But that's the beauty of it - it's supposed to make you uncomfortable. We need more books that are honest about the postpartum experience in this nitty-gritty detail, because if I felt uncomfortable reading this as someone who has been through it, imagine what insights it could bring to the many people who haven't. For all of that, I have to give this book four enthusiastic stars and a strong recommendation to men everywhere, especially fathers, to read this book and then take their wife, girlfriend, or baby mama out to dinner or a massage or something.

I enjoyed this book but hated so many of the characters. I think I really liked the main character so anyone who sort of was against her just irked me.

Estie is struggling; she is eight months pregnant, and struggling to find the good in it, her husband got himself fired right before the baby's birth, and her best friend has been mysteriously busy all the time ever since she told her about the baby.

A very real, hard-hitting, raw portrayal of early motherhood, definitely doesn't hold back from showing even the worse of it. It's definitely not a feel-good read, and things don't look up, but it's real. So real it can be pretty unsettling at times. It pulled me in very quickly, and it had me hooked (almost) the entire time, but definitely not a book for everyone. HUGE TW for pet death because that truly did take me out of it for a long moment, to the point I considered DNFing.

A great addition to the influx of recent novels about modern motherhood. Betty Friedan would totally relate but she would also be depressed that we haven't made much progress.

I honestly cannot remember much about this book. Therefore I cannot give it more than an okay grade. I think it was about motherhood or the lack thereof?

I found Television for Women to be well written and relevant, but it didn’t add much to the conversation about new motherhood that prior works haven’t already said. I would definitely read more from Danit Brown and look forward to future releases.

It was an excellent read! I think Brown did an amazing job of showing the harsh realities not only of parenthood but of getting older when you haven’t fully “grown up” yet. Women are often thrown into adulthood and told to get married and have kids as soon as possible but no one tells them how hard it can be when their selfhood isn’t developed yet. Estie’s scramble to cling to something (Alice’s love life, Dan’s food blog, etc) as she descends into a deep depression after Rosie’s birth was raw and jarring. I found myself getting angry on her behalf at the people around her. A husband who won’t do dishes? A mom who prioritizes the movies over meeting her granddaughter? But this is real life, not the story sold to us on tv. I will absolutely be recommending this book to my friends. This is a must-read for women in their late 20s, early 30s!

I did not think this book would turn dark. Postpartum depression is someone's reality out there and it's not talked about enough. People often misunderstand moms who go through PPD and it only worsens the situation for the mother and baby.

I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who is sensitive to depression or death of a pet. Not gonna lie, as an animal lover, I was livid.

I found myself disheartened and irritated at Estie, and especially her husband. It was like watching a train wreck over and over again. This was one of the rare times I actually empathized with a character I did not like.

However, I have to give credit where credit is due. The writing style is easy to understand, pacing was great, and the themes hit hard. I would definitely read more books by this author.

This felt like a raw, honest portrayal of postpartum depression; immersive, and emotionally intense. I found myself rooting for Estie, hoping she’d find some sense of peace, but also felt frustrated by the people around her and the stark absence of support or meaningful communication. The story is deeply realistic, almost to a fault—it lingers with you in a way that’s powerful but heavy. I’m glad I read it, but I don’t think I could revisit it anytime soon.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

“Owen?” Estie lowered her voice into a whisper, leaning forward gingerly so that the baby wouldn’t wake up. “I’m not sure I like being a mom.”
- - -
I appreciated the depiction of postpartum depression in “Television for Women,” having had a very similar experience to the main character, Estie. I could deeply relate to the anxiety, apathy, resentment and dismissal that she experienced. This novel also really captures the infuriatingly uneven burden of labor shouldered by new moms and the isolation they often experience after birth. I do think the resolution made it clear that medicating mothers isn’t a solution to all the issues they face once baby is born.

All in all, the main character wasn’t one that I necessarily liked, but I deeply empathized with her as I found a reflection of the woman I was after my own birth. A woman who was exhausted, anxious, and alone. One who had to find a new rhythm and a new identity. It’s refreshing to see these experiences that “no one talks about” (but so many do live through) written about so plainly and without sugar-coating them.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. Danit Brown has written a touching, darkly humorous story of Estie, a young mom suffering from post-partum depression. Its hard to imagine a novel being even slightly humorous when dealing with such a subject matter, but Ms. Brown is able to make the Evie be likeable even when she's doing her best to be a bad mother. She doesn't recognize in herself that she has depression after the birth of her daughter, she just assumes she is a bad mother. Its painful to read at times but such an accurate portrayal of the way some women feel after childbirth. Her husband Owen is a bit of a dolt and she comes to certain realizations about him and about two long-time friendships with women she went to school with. Television for Women was a quick read but very enlightening.

An intensive, one of a kind read. Certainly not for everyone.

The story line is impressive and keeps reader captivated.

This book was very different from what I normally read. I am really happy I went out of my comfort zone and read this. This book gave a scary accurate depiction of what it’s like to have postpartum depression. I feel like so many mothers could relate to this book. The author did such a good job on this book.

Sort of similar to Nightbitch, this book gives a raw, unfiltered look at early motherhood. Though it lacks the supernatural elements Nightbitch featured, it’s perhaps more terrifying. There’s no humorous or fantastical release from the monotonous postpartum stress and loneliness the main character experiences and we’re instead left to watch her struggle to find herself in her new role. A difficult but realistic read and I think many readers will find parallels to their own experiences. There is a questionable moment with pet loss that I felt we could’ve probably done without, but I suppose it served to illustrate how low the main character had sunk. Overall I enjoyed the book and the unabashed look at motherhood and appreciate the thoughts and discussions it should spark.

Thanks to Melville House & NetGalley for the ARC.

Television for Women is fresh, cutting, and brutally honest. Trapped in a web of guilt and shame, Estie is disturbed to find that her mystical maternal instincts have yet to appear, even months after the birth of her first child. Through Danit Brown’s daring and witty prose, Estie takes us with her to the darker edges of early motherhood, where she is able to see her relationships, past and present, in a new light.

Thank you NetGalley and Melville House for the digital ARC!

This was an intriguing read, particularly from the perspective of a mother. I was curious to see how the story would unfold, especially given its focus on themes of parenthood and identity. That said, I found it difficult to connect with the main character—her experiences didn’t resonate with me, and at times, her behavior struck me as odd and even repetitive. Her perspective felt distant, and I often struggled to understand the motivations behind her choices. In truth, none of the characters felt especially relatable or fully formed in a way that made sense to me individually.

However, what was interesting is that, despite this lack of personal connection, the narrative as a whole managed to come together in a way that felt cohesive. There was a strange kind of harmony to it all that kept me reading. While it wasn't a story I could see myself in, it did succeed in pulling me along—and in the end, I felt compelled to see it through.

I'm glad that we're seeing a push in literature that focuses on the darker sides of motherhood that are often left unsaid. This book deal with post-partum depression, which I feel like is a very important subject when it comes to post-partum health.

Television for Women is a very raw, unflinching, account of a woman who suffers from PPD. This book showcases all the intensity associated with it and doesn't hold back in it's portrayal. It touches on facets of motherhood that are often kept behind locked doors--the lack of attachment, isolation from your peers, feeling like an alien in your own body, and navigating between who you were and who you are now-- and I think that's admirable and opens up the potential towards lots of discussions. Which I can see this book being a great discussion piece regarding women's health.

Danit Brown's writing is fantastic and she's able to paint such an intense picture that any woman could relate to. The journey that Estie goes through is emotional, exhausting, yet so realistic that it carries the story into a very profound experience. I don't have kids, I never plan on having kids, but I was able to sympathize with her story in a way that felt personal and emotional.

All in all, I think this books is a fantastic read for all the women out there. I think it opens the door to potential discussions about parenthood and women's health that would be beneficial for anyone to have. If this sounds interesting, I highly recommend it.

soooooo so good! Icant recommend this book enough! it is uniquely amazing, I havent read a book like this one before. I love the themes of motherhood, growth, grief, and just how it is so real and not fake. It is definitely eye opening!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!