Teen pregnancy has long been a pressing issue in our society. And shows like “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” have pushed it even more into the forefront. Teen pregnancy pacts, however, are a little less familiar to most, though they have been popping up in high schools across the country. While not based on any particular real-life story, the recently released “Not My Daughter” by Barbara Delinsky explores this phenomenon and delves deep into the complex relationships of mothers and daughters.
“Not My Daughter” is a fictional novel following the lives of Susan Tate and her 17-year-old daughter, Lily. A single mother and high school principal, Susan is devastated to learn that her straight-A student and overachieving only child is pregnant. Adding to that shock, she discovers that two of her daughter’s best friends (whose mothers are Susan’s best friends) are not only also pregnant, but that the girls planned to conceive and deliver at the same time. The fallout from her daughter’s decision dramatically affects Susan’s career and her relationship with Lily. Having been a teen mother herself, she feels responsible and resentful of her daughter for making such a colossal decision with seemingly little to no forethought.
The central theme of this book is clearly mother-daughter relationships. Not only is Susan forced to redefine her relationship with Lily, but the rocky history with her own mother, Ellen Tate, comes out as well. When Susan became pregnant at 17, her parents kicked her to the curb, and though Susan is angry that her child is now in the same position, she does not want to repeat her parents’ mistakes. The events that ensue after the initial disclosure of the pregnancy, including possible life-threatening problems with the baby, force Susan to accept, if not condone, her daughter’s actions. And it also brings her closer to her own mother. Eventually.
Delinsky has a talent for outlining the delicate tension that is almost always present in the bond a mother has with her daughter. Her prose makes it clear that there is a palpable difference in the mothering styles of Susan and Ellen. “Not My Daughter” also explores the consequences that can occur with one simple pregnancy, and especially three. When Lily and her friends make a pregnancy pact, they are not the only ones whose lives are changed forever. The responsibility of their parents is called into question, especially in Susan’s case, and the entire town is in an uproar.
Some of the aspects of this novel are slightly off-base, such as the saccharine-sweet and just-a-little-too-easy romance between Susan and Lily’s father, Rick. But those minor charges are balanced out by the rest of the very real emotions that are present.
“Not My Daughter” is a decent, relevant read with a happy ending. Though this piece of fiction is, at times, quite predictable, the aptitude of its author to probe such a broad and often controversial topic is remarkable.
Rating: W W W
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