In 'Mothers and Sons', Adam Haslett intricately portrays the intertwined lives of a mother who leads a retreat center and her son, a lawyer aiding asylum seekers. The narrative delves into the emotional struggles of Peter, the son, as he grapples with the moral implications of his work. A new asylum-seeker challenges Peter's perspective on his role, triggering a crisis that leads him to reconnect with his mother. Through this journey, the novel beautifully examines how secrets and past experiences shape our identities and relationships over time.
"Peter subsequently locks himself out of his apartment, twice, and experiences vertigo. A memory is forcing its way to the surface that impels Peter to contact his mother, Ann."
"What if in the big picture you aren't actually helping? What if you're a bureaucrat in an endless moral disaster, but if you walk away the disaster will be a tiny bit worse?"
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