Far from the Tree
Ratings18
Average rating4.4
15
Ratings18
Average rating4.4
Three teenagers, biological siblings separated by adoption, explore the meaning of family in all its forms--how to find it, how to keep it, and how to love it.
"Perfect for fans of NBC's "This Is Us," Robin Benway's beautiful interweaving story of three very different teenagers connected by blood explores the meaning of family in all its forms--how to find it, how to keep it, and how to love it. Being the middle child has its ups and downs. But for Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, discovering that she is a middle child is a different ride altogether. After putting her own baby up for adoption, she goes looking for her biological family, including-- Maya, her loudmouthed younger bio sister, who has a lot to say about their newfound family ties. Having grown up the snarky brunette in a house full of chipper redheads, she's quick to search for traces of herself among these not-quite-strangers. And when her adopted family's long-buried problems begin to explode to the surface, Maya can't help but wonder where exactly it is that she belongs. And Joaquin, their stoic older bio brother, who has no interest in bonding over their shared biological mother. After seventeen years in the foster care system, he's learned that there are no heroes, and secrets and fears are best kept close to the vest, where they can't hurt anyone but him. Don't miss this moving novel that addresses such important topics as adoption, teen pregnancy, and foster care."
Reviews with the most likes.
This book is incredible - I cried my way through the last 25 or so pages, full of those happy-cathartic-relief tears that come when something is so good and satisfying and right. This deals with some heavy topics, but never in an exploitative or preachy way, and it certainly doesn't dwell on them for bleakness' sake. The characters felt authentic and realistic and their actions all made sense in the context of their backstories, which is refreshing - nothing felt like it was done just because the story needed for it to happen. This is basically a perfect book and I can't wait to read it again.
Two quick spoiler notes: 1) Oh my god, ADAM IS THE WORST and I wished for more bad stuff to happen to him, and 2) spoiler-slash-CW: this book is an absolute gut punch if child abuse, adoption, foster care, or loss of a child (to adoption) are difficult topics for you. Again, nothing's done exploitatively, but those are major topics in the book, so be advised. I cried through Grace's chapters several times, because I have a six-month-old and anything to do with kids makes me cry these days. Not a criticism of the book at all, and I think everything was handled very well, but definitely something to be aware of.
4.5 Really loved this book. Minus a half star for some plot conveniences and the over use of a phrase that drives me batty (character x let out a breath they didn't even realize they'd been holding) but those are quibbles. The characters seem to live outside the page, the story is so tender, and the resolutions had me teary, Joaq's storyline in particular. I had to pull over for that one because the audio got me hard.
4.5 stars. Loved this on audio. Good storyline that wrapped up a bit too neatly.
After reading Empire of Storms I felt I needed to catch my breath and read a book based in the real world in order to counterbalance all the fantasy I've been reading recently and Far From The Tree had popped up in a great offer in my local bookshop and so I picked it up for a steal!
Contemporary fiction can be a bit of a hit or a miss for me. Sometimes they can really touch you and leave you feeling you've read something really special or they can be too light and fluffy and you kind of wish for more from them. I'd heard lots of people say they had fallen in love with Robin Benway's Far From The Tree and so I hoped this would fall into the first category of an emotional read.
This book is definitely more of a Young Adult read, it follows 3 siblings who have been born to the same birth mother but who have either been adopted by other parents or in the case of Joaquin spent their lives bouncing around the foster and care system. They have never met each other before but when Grace gives birth to a daughter aged 16 and makes the choice to give her to adoptive parents she begins to wonder more about the mother who gave her away and the story she may be hiding. Grace sets out on a journey of self-discovery, firstly tracking down her brother Joaquin and sister Maya and then trying to persuade them to all go in search of their birth mother.
This definitely had it's fair share of emotional moments. Grace's story is wonderful to read and she is instantly likable and you root for her from the outset and give thanks to her adoptive family who are there for her through her pregnancy and the adoption process afterward, supporting her and looking after her.
Similarly, Joaquin is an amazing story to read as he has had a very different upbringing to his two estranged sisters having been passed from foster family to foster family, some okay but others that have scarred him. He is scared of being hurt and rejected and as a result, could be pushing away the one family who will always be there for him.
Rounding out the trio was the character I least bonded with Maya. Maya is the most outspoken, the youngest and probably most spoiled of the 3 siblings. Her adoptive family has some issues and she is part of a family where just after her adoption her parents got the one thing they'd always dreamed of, a biological child of their own. This has always hovered as a cloud for Maya but at times she comes across as a little too centered on herself and she is the one who challenged me as a reader the most. At times I'd want to flick past her chapters but she does have some interesting points of view but she doesn't read as strongly as Grace and Joaquin.
I read this book in just under a day. It was a quick and dirty contemporary. It wasn't as emotional as I'd expected. Some people spoke of tears reading this book, maybe I'm just really hard-hearted but whilst I was touched by the story it didn't resonate with me to that extent. I enjoyed it but couldn't say it was worth more than a 3.5 out of 5 stars for me.
