Far from the Tree

Far from the Tree by Robin Benway

After giving up her baby for adoption, sixteen-year-old Grace finds herself interested in finding out more about her biological family. She discovers that she has an older brother, Joaquin, and a younger sister, Maya. She reaches out to them and finds that while they're willing to have a relationship with her, neither is interested in looking for their birth mother, something Grace feels driven to do. Maya, loud, strong-willed, and angry about her imploding home life, as her adoptive parents are separating and her adoptive mother's drinking is way out of control, is willing to let Grace and Joaquin in, but at the same time, she's pushing her adoptive family and her girlfriend away. Joaquin, unlike his sisters, wasn't adopted and has spent his life as a foster kid who knows how quickly he can be sent back. He doesn't blame anyone for that--he knows it's his fault--but as his current foster parents offer to adopt him, he can't let them do it, just like he couldn't let the girl he loved continue to be his girlfriend when she needed so much more than he has to offer.

I absolutely devoured this book! There's a LOT going on--teen pregnancy, tons of family issues, alcoholism, divorce, etc.--but it didn't get overwhelming or feel gratuitous. Also, with so much going on, there was the potential for it to be confusing or depressing, but it wasn't. Each character had a distinct voice and at the same time that there was a lot for them to work through and moments when it seemed like they were sabotaging themselves, there was also hope because of their relationships with each other and with secondary characters in the book. I was drawn to each of the characters--Grace, who is hurting and trying to figure out who she is and what to do after giving up her baby; Maya, who is pushing those she cares about away (She got annoying sometimes but in a totally realistic way!), and Joaquin who can't believe in his own worth (oh, he broke my heart. I loved him.) It was really beautiful to see the different family situations and to see the burgeoning relationship among the siblings, how they understand each other and connect with each other and even help each other heal. Loved it!

5 stars.