Top ten single mothers in fiction

Beth Morrey‘s work has been published in the Cambridge and Oxford May Anthologies and shortlisted for the Grazia Orange First Chapter competition. She lives in London with her family and Polly the dog.

Morrey's debut novel is The Love Story of Missy Carmichael.

[Coffee with a Canine: Beth Morrey & Polly; The Page 69 Test: The Love Story of Missy Carmichael; My Book, The Movie: The Love Story of Missy Carmichael; Q&A with Beth Morrey]

Her new novel is Delphine Jones Takes a Chance (UK title: Em & Me).

At the Guardian Morrey tagged ten favorite "lone mothers of literature, in all their crazy, complex glory," including:

Mia Warren in Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Mia’s guarded quality makes her fascinating, both to the reader and her landlady Mrs Richardson. Mia is Pearl’s mother, a listener and a watcher, intuitive and empathetic, but also distant. Elena Richardson’s rebellious daughter Izzy recognises Mia’s subversive spark and reacts to her subtly provocative challenge – “what are you going to do about it?” – ultimately resulting in a conflagration. An enigmatic figure, Mia’s magnetism puts her right at the heart of the fire, even if she’s not there to see it.

Read about another entry on the list.

Little Fires Everywhere is among R.J. Hoffmann's six titles featuring adoptions gone awry, Amy Stuart's five thrilling novels with deeply flawed fictional characters you’ll learn to appreciate as you turn the pages and Kate Hamer's top ten teenage friendships in fiction.

--Marshal Zeringue