Don't Let Her Stay

Content Warning: This novel contains descriptions of emotional abuse, death by suicide, and stigmatizing and potentially offensive language and stereotypes regarding people with mental health conditions. Its contents are reflected in this study guide.

“Sometimes I find myself following her around the house as she works, me with Evie in my arms, just to have someone to talk to.”

In this quote, Joanne explains how she follows the housekeeper, Roxanne, around to chat, indicating her loneliness in her large house with just Evie most of the day. This quote relates to the theme of The Isolation and Challenges of Full-Time Motherhood.

“I should make him a home-cooked meal. No, make that a candlelit dinner. And we haven’t had sex in weeks and that’s my fault. I’ll wear something sexy. Do I have something sexy to wear? Something that still fits me? Something that won’t make me look like salami encased in twine?”

In this quote, Joanne considers how to breathe life into her relationship with Richard, as she feels insecure about her body and their lack of sex. This quote develops the theme of The Isolation and Challenges of Full-Time Motherhood by showing how Joanne’s post-partum self-esteem and exhaustion are impacting her relationship.

“‘About time Mummy found something to do, don’t you think?’ I whisper to Evie. Another quirk I’ve acquired lately, talking to myself while pretending to talk to my baby. ‘Otherwise, Mummy might go completely bonkers.’”

This quote illustrates how Joanne’s loneliness and boredom impact her mental well-being. She tells Evie that she needs something to do while lamenting that Evie, an infant, is the one she’s talking to, developing the theme that the demands of motherhood can be isolating.