By Naima Coster
Honest and gut-wrenchingly raw. Take What You Can is a beautiful depiction of female friendship and finding love despite the harsh realities of life.
Rating:
Review:
Val and Milly first bonded while studying abroad in France, quickly forming a close friendship as the only two Black women on the trip. Years later, when both find themselves expecting daughters at the same time, Milly suggests that Val move to New York, and Val agrees. Yet once reunited, both begin to question their dynamic—wondering if their bond only thrived back in France because an older woman, Hélène, had taken them under her wing. Navigating life without Hélène’s presence, the two women must figure out who they truly are on their own. As they grapple with new motherhood, sisterhood, and strained marriages, they are forced to confront the harsh realities of class, social capital, and loss.
Take What You Can by Naima Coster explores complex themes, bringing to light the quiet, daily struggles of friendship, love, and motherhood. Both women grapple with truly knowing who they are, what they value, and whom they should love. While this book does not rely on a conventional, fast-paced plotline, the intimate journey of self-discovery is more than enough to keep the reader hooked.
In addition, the novel thoughtfully examines what it means to step into a role without ever having had a blueprint. Neither woman has an active maternal figure in her life, whether through death or emotional absence, which leaves them feeling unmoored when they become mothers themselves. Coster poses a poignant question: how can you become something when you’ve never seen what it should look like?
Furthermore, Coster makes the deliberate, thoughtful choice to leave certain struggles unresolved. While it might initially seem as though she skims over heavier subjects like alcoholism and generational abuse, this restraint creates a powerful representation of how our greatest battles often go unnoticed. Even when the hurt is visible to everyone around us, an intervention rarely arrives. No other character steps in to rescue these women from cycles of self-destruction—a choice that paints a haunting, honest picture of how easily someone can slip through society’s cracks.
Beyond the raw subject matter, the prose itself is simply gorgeous. Coster captures every emotion with precision, inviting readers to deeply reflect alongside these characters. Her writing draws you in with a quiet, persistent resonance woven into every line. You feel the sorrow, the exhaustion, the struggle, and the fragile moments of relief so vividly.
Conclusion:
Overall, Take What You Can is a fantastic, moving exploration of what it really means to navigate Black motherhood and identity in today’s world. It confronts hard truths head-on and never shies away from painful realities. This book is an essential read for anyone craving a deeply introspective, character-driven story that stays with you long after the final page.
Thank you so much to Pamela Dorman Books for sending me a complimentary finished copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
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