My Favorite Literary Mothers

- May 12, 2024

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

Happy Mother's Day to all of my readers and their mothers. When I read, I often find lead female characters that become some of my favorite mothers in literature.

Here is my list of my top five mothers in literature:

The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill- this whimsical middle-grade novel introduces us to Sister Witch. She is a mother of two beautiful little boys who one day fall into the river. Her only surviving boy, Ned, is the custodian of great magic while she is away. But Sister Witch's magic is so powerful that when Ned is in danger, she risks everything to return to her boy no matter the cost. But a secret that she has kept, brings Ned's deceased brother back to him in a way he could never imagine. I loved her bravery and compassion, and Sister Witch makes my number one maternal figure.
The Shining by Stephen King- Wendy Torrance never could have imagined the terror that she and her little boy, Danny, would endure one Winter in the late seventies. Possessed by the spirits of the Overlook Hotel, her husband, Jack, set out one night to murder his family. Through amazing bravery, Wendy fought against the odds and made sure that her son stayed alive. Wendy is the embodiment of a mother's love, and what a parent will do to save her child.
Star Wars: Aftermath by Chuck Wendig- Norra Wexley was a Rebel pilot during the Battle of Endor, near the end of the Galactic Civil War. She left her life on the planet of Akiva to fight with the Rebellion after her husband was taken by the Empire. Although she had been away from her son, Temmin, she never stopped waiting for the day that she could return to Akiva to see him again. Upon reuniting with Temmin during the occupation of Akiva by the Imperial Remnant, she was put to the test repeatedly. But during all her battles to save her home world, she never left her son's side.
The Lucky Santangelo Series by Jackie Collins- Lucky Santangelo was the daughter of notorious mobster, Gino the Ram. She endured failed marriages, the murder of her mother and brother, the Bonatti family's vendettas, and becoming one of the most powerful women in the world. But when it came to her children, don't mess with her! Lucky watches over her children like her father watched over her. Each one of her kids is just as charismatic and daring as she is, learning from an early age...You don't F*ck with a Santangelo.
Kovac & Liska Series by Tami Hoag- Nikki Liska. Her bold and take-no-crap attitude always delivers. And if you are a principal at a school, and you want to accuse her son of something he has not done...look out! Nikki is a loving mother of two and she is determined to never let them be a victim and believe in their abilities. With two children so drastically different, Nikki's ability to navigate motherhood is as expertly handled as her police interrogations.