Reviews for "Written on the Wall"

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"Marisa Atha’s Written on the Wall reads like a palimpsest—a manuscript written over, layered with traces of earlier stories never fully erased. Each woman’s journey in this novel—Becka, Sara, Renee, Dena—feels like a re-written life, their present choices inscribed over past identities they can’t quite forget.

Becka’s ache to become a mother is not portrayed as emptiness, but as overcrowding—her world cluttered with advice, ultrasounds, pity, and silence. Her body becomes a wall, not barren but over-graffitied, each failed attempt like a message she didn’t write, but must carry.

Sara, seemingly fulfilled in motherhood, offers a rare perspective: what happens after the wish comes true? Atha gently reveals that joy can carry fatigue, and even love can feel claustrophobic. Sara’s moments of escape are not about leaving her children—they’re about returning to herself, however briefly.

Renee and Dena are urban cartographers of emotion—once mapping nightlife and freedom, now recharting domestic life. Their transitions are not neat arcs, but frayed lines. What Atha does brilliantly is resist closure. Renee doesn’t find sudden peace. Dena doesn’t wake to revelation. Instead, they learn to live in parentheses—between who they were and who they must become.

The novel’s title takes on deeper meaning the longer you sit with it. The “wall” isn’t just a boundary—it’s a shared space where their stories bleed together. Walls that divide also echo. What is written on them isn’t always permanent, but it leaves a stain.

Atha’s prose doesn’t try to dazzle—it listens. It listens to the conversations that don’t happen, to the glances that mean more than monologues. She trusts the reader to see the spaces between words as meaning-making themselves.

Written on the Wall isn’t a book that screams for attention. It lingers like ghost  handwriting behind fresh ink. Quiet, profound, and real—it doesn’t rewrite the rules of womanhood. It simply lets them be read."

"This book felt like sitting down with four friends and hearing the raw, beautiful mess of their lives.

Written on the Wall by Marisa Atha is an emotional, honest, and deeply relatable journey through the hearts of four women — Becka, Sara, Renee, and Dena — each facing her own unique path through love, motherhood, identity, and unexpected change.

Becka’s struggle with infertility broke me, while Sara’s tender moments as a mom reminded me to cherish the small things. 

Renee and Dena’s shift from nightlife to navigating a new version of “home” was unexpected and so real.

Their lives weave together in such a natural, moving way — the kind that makes you pause, reflect, and maybe even cry a little. 

Atha’s writing is intimate and emotional without ever feeling overdone.

This isn’t just a story about women — it’s about real life: the unspoken pressures, the silent strength, and the resilience it takes to choose your own version of happiness. 

A beautiful read for anyone who’s ever questioned their choices or found courage in change."

"Marisa Atha’s Written on the Wall is a deeply affecting and beautifully layered novel that weaves together the lives of four women as they face life’s emotional terrain with courage, vulnerability, and grace. Told with poignant intimacy and a quiet, resonant power, this novel explores themes of motherhood, identity, sacrifice, and the quiet strength of women who dare to live fully—even when their lives veer far from the expectations they or others once held.

At the heart of the novel are Becka, Sara, Renee, and Dena—four distinct voices navigating their own personal transformations. Becka’s struggle with infertility is written with raw tenderness, capturing the ache of unfulfilled longing with such emotional clarity that it lingers with the reader. Her grief is quiet, intimate, and entirely relatable. In contrast, Sara’s storyline serves as a gentle counterpoint—a woman who finds meaning and comfort in the daily rhythms of motherhood. Yet even in her seeming fulfillment, there are moments of doubt and weariness that remind us that no path is without its complexities.

Renee and Dena bring another dynamic layer to the narrative. Once immersed in San Francisco’s vibrant nightlife, they are thrust into unexpected turns that lead them to reevaluate what family, home, and stability truly mean. Their stories are filled with the kind of emotional pivots that feel true to life—where choices are rarely black and white, and redemption often comes at the cost of letting go.

What sets Written on the Wall apart is Atha’s remarkable ability to write with empathy and insight. Her prose is lyrical yet grounded, creating vivid emotional landscapes without sentimentality. Each character is fully realized, their voices distinct and their inner worlds laid bare. The narrative does not rush—nor does it try to tie up every thread too neatly. Instead, it invites readers to sit with discomfort, to reflect on longing, healing, and the sacrifices that often go unspoken. 

 The novel also excels in its exploration of female connection—not just friendship, but the often-unspoken solidarity between women navigating love, loss, and transformation. As their lives intersect and diverge, the women in Written on the Wall reflect back to each other the pain, resilience, and grace that come with embracing one's truth.

Ultimately, Marisa Atha’s Written on the Wall is a quiet triumph—an emotionally intelligent, powerfully written novel that will resonate with readers long after the final page. It reminds us that while life may not unfold as planned, there is beauty, growth, and redemption in the rewriting."

"Written on the Wall is a heartfelt, beautifully layered novel that explores the lives of four women—each carrying their own battles, dreams, heartbreaks, and hopes. Marisa Atha masterfully weaves their stories together, creating a narrative that feels both intimate and universal, delicate and powerful.

Becka’s journey is filled with silent grief as she faces the pain of repeated failed attempts at conceiving a child. Her emotional struggle is portrayed with deep compassion, capturing the ache of longing and the quiet courage it takes to keep hoping. In contrast, Sara’s life unfolds through the lens of motherhood—her joy, her fatigue, and her constant juggling of love, responsibility, and personal identity.

Then there are Renee and Dena—two women who once thrived in San Francisco’s vibrant night scene, never imagining themselves trading freedom for family. But life has other plans. As unexpected twists change their paths, they are forced to redefine who they are and what truly matters to them.

Through each of these characters, Marisa Atha explores themes of womanhood, love, friendship, loss, and personal growth with stunning emotional clarity. Her writing is tender, honest, and effortlessly human. She doesn’t shy away from the messy parts of life—instead, she embraces them, showing how beauty often lives in the broken places.

What makes Written on the Wall so special is its emotional authenticity. The characters feel real. Their challenges are relatable. Their triumphs are hard-earned. It’s a novel that doesn’t just entertain—it resonates. It invites readers to reflect on their own lives, relationships, and the choices that shape them.

This is a story of resilience, rediscovery, and quiet transformation. It’s about finding strength in unexpected places, listening to the voice within, and rewriting the walls we’ve built around ourselves. A beautiful, soulful read that lingers long after the last page.

Written on the Wall is more than a book. It’s a mirror, a journey, and a gentle reminder that it’s never too late to begin again."

"Written on the Wall by Marisa Atha is one of those books that just gets you. It’s honest, emotional, and full of those little life moments that hit you right in the feels.

The story follows four women — Becka, Sara, Renee, and Dena, each dealing with their own mess, dreams, and unexpected turns. From fertility struggles to surprise shifts into motherhood, their stories feel real and raw.

What I really loved? These women aren’t perfect, and the book doesn’t pretend they are. They’re figuring it out, making hard choices, sometimes falling apart, but still showing up. It’s beautifully human.

Marisa’s writing is soft but powerful. The way she captures emotion, growth, and the weight of what we don’t say is so relatable. It’s like reading little pieces of your own life, scattered across four different paths.

QOTD: Ever had life throw you a plot twist you never saw coming?"

"Loved the book! Written on the Wall by Marisa Atha has a Sex and the City vibe that explores friendship, the trials of life, and personal evolution through the intertwined lives of Becka, Renee, Sara, and Dena. Set in San Francisco, the book captures that in-between space where everything looks stable on the outside, but inside, things are crumbling, and how these moments are played out on social media. It’s smart, raw, and genuine. Each of them, in a relationship, each with their own personal turmoil and the relationships, romantic and platonic alike, are messy, real, and relatable. If you’ve ever leaned on your friends while trying to figure out love, life, and yourself, you’ll feel right at home in this story.

A must-read for fans of women-centered fiction. Think Sex and the City—but grown up, grounded, and with a West Coast soul."

"Quickly connects you with four very different female characters and their very relatable life struggles. 

The story has a good pace keeping you interested and looking forward to what will happen next. 

It was a good reminder that we each have our own set of problems and sometimes those color our interactions and perceptions of others. 

Enjoyable read!!!"

"Just finished the book. Damn that was good.  The characters are amazing and actually like people I know—nuanced and complex."