Family Family by Laurie Frankel [Book Review]

Family Family is a captivating exploration of family and adoption, filled with unanswered questions and unexpected revelations! Read my review.

Laurie Frankel’s “Family Family” is a heartfelt story around the complexities of family, adoption, and the profound impact of individual choices. Frankel dives into the intricacies of parent-child relationships, showcasing the challenges and beauty of these connections. Learn more about the book and find out why I gave it four out of five stars.

What is the book about?

India Allwood grew up wanting to be an actor. Armed with a stack of index cards (for research/line memorization/make-shift confetti), she goes from awkward sixteen-year-old to Broadway ingenue to TV superhero.

Her new movie is a prestige picture about adoption, but its spin is the same old tired story of tragedy. India is an adoptive mom in real life though. She wants everyone to know there’s more to her family than pain and regret. So she does something you should never do—she tells a journalist the truth: it’s a bad movie.

Soon she’s at the center of a media storm, battling accusations from the press and the paparazzi, from protesters on the right and advocates on the left. Her twin ten-year-olds know they need help–and who better to call than family? But that’s where it gets really messy because India’s not just an adoptive mother…

The one thing she knows for sure is what makes a family isn’t blood. And it isn’t love. No matter how they’re formed, the truth about family is this: it’s complicated. [GoodReads.com]

My thoughts:

What sets Family Family apart is its refreshing perspective on adoption. While many narratives tend to focus solely on the trauma associated with adoption, Frankel portrays the many emotions, including joy and love, that accompany the decision to give another family the gift of a child. Through the lens of one woman’s journey, the novel navigates the messy terrain of familial bonds, challenging the notion that family is solely defined by blood ties.

Frankel’s writing style is engaging and authentic, drawing readers into the lives of her characters with empathy and insight. The narrative unfolds with a slight sense of humor, making it both thought-provoking and enjoyable. As a first-time reader of Laurie Frankel, I was thoroughly impressed by her storytelling and will certainly look for more of her work in the future.

Family Family resonates on a deeply human level. I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates a well-crafted story about the complexities of family and the bonds that unite us.

Find me on GoodReads.com!

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