[3] Of Caribbean parentage, Yvvette Edwards was born in Barnet, north London, and was brought up by her mother, who had migrated to Britain as a child from Montserrat.
"[18] Jonathan Barnes wrote of it in The Literary Review: "Rich in emotion but resolutely unsentimental, the story is unspooled with judgement and skill.
[22] Highly recommending the novel, which "delves into the timely issue of violence against and between young black men—both its possible causes, and its heartrending effects on the families involved", BookPage stated that "Edwards perceptively explores a wide realm of issues ... with compassion for her characters and with intuitive understanding of the effects of loss on a family".
[23] Paste magazine described it as "a powerful work that illuminates the web of ramifications spun from a personal tragedy",[24] and NBC News commented on the author's "masterful storytelling".
[25] The New York Journal of Books described it as "a clear-eyed, unsentimental novel about modern city life and the challenges parents face", and concluded: "The Mother is another hit-the-ball-out-of-the-park novel by a writer to watch.