Sonya loves being Tommy’s mother. They run free, walking on the beach, tickling, twirling, full of endless, breathless love. But being Tommy’s mother is also too much for Sonya. There’s too much fear, too many voices buzzing in her head, not enough food or stable routine, too much longing for the oblivion she finds in wine every night.

Sonya is failing and falling. Her neighbour across the road is going to call in the authorities. Sonya’s father, who is strangely absent from her life, appears and takes her to a detox facility. The only thing that gets Sonya through the 12 long weeks is the thought of being reunited with her precious little boy. But when she gets out, she finds that Tommy has been placed into care. It will be a long road for Sonya to confront her demons and prove to herself, and others, that she can be a good mother to Tommy.

This is a sensitive, moving and raw portrayal of addiction, of hitting rock bottom and climbing back up again. It is a disturbing examination of the damage done to children and how that can echo through the generations. But it is also uplifting, detailing a young woman’s determination to overcome her demons and break with her past.

Reviewed by Melinda Woledge