Her honesty on this point does not make her an immediately likable character, but it does steer this novel of a bereaved mother away from any hint of bathos.

• 她在这方面的毫不遮掩使得大家一时间都难喜欢上她，但这并不意味着这部小说就会顺势俗套地描写一位痛失所爱的妈妈。