Family Family by Laurie Frankel – Audio
ARC from PRH Audio, Henry Holt and Netgalley for an honest review
Book Blurb:
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?
My Review: 4 stars
Family Family by Laurie Frankel is a hard and interesting look at adoption from the point of view of an adoptive mother. Whether you have experienced adoption in your own family, friends or co-workers, this book will compel you to think about things you may never have thought of before.
India Allwood leads a starred and cliched life. She dreamt of being an actress and she did it. She also found herself pregnant two different times and both times, she gave her children up for adoption. She inherently knew she was doing a good thing. As years go by, she decided to adopt a set of twins, both neurodivergent, and mother’s them with immense love and support. It seems simple until India gets a big role that features adoption as something that is damaging and undesirable to the family. After the movie is out, a media shit-show ensues, as she contradicted the story the film portrays.
Not only is she a Twitter scandal, but she’s being canceled by the industry. That’s when sub-plots come into play and her kids play a big role in helping her revive her career. The story is compelling and thoughtful at the same time. Besides adoption, themes include familial dysfunction, coming of age, family secrets and the bonds that make a family: by blood or by choice. Very much enjoyed this one. Audio was a great listen!
Quotes I liked:
Regardless of how they get made, family is a force to be reckoned with.”
“If we have to worry about all our mother’s fears, who among us would ever leave the house?”
“Representation matters not just because it matters that you see yourself in the world but because it matters that you see yourself positively in the world.”
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