Title: Far from the Tree
Author: Robin Benway
First published October 3, 2017
374 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780062330628 (ISBN10: 0062330624)
Rating: 4.27
Overview
Far from the Tree by Robin Benway tells the story of Grace, who, after giving up her own child for adoption, goes on a search to find her biological family. She discovers that she has two siblings, Maya and Joaquin, who couldn’t be more different from each other.
Maya, the loud and snarky younger sister, is excited about their newfound relationship, while Joaquin, the stoic older brother, is hesitant to connect with his biological family. As they navigate their way through their complicated family dynamics, buried secrets and fears begin to surface, forcing them to question where they truly belong.
Will they be able to come together and find a place they can call home?
About the Author
Meet Robin Benway, a celebrated author with an impressive list of accomplishments. Robin is an award-winning writer who has penned six novels for young adults, including Far From the Tree, Audrey, Wait!, the AKA series, and Emmy & Oliver.
Her books have garnered numerous accolades, such as the PEN America Literary Award, the Blue Ribbon Award, and ALA’s Best Books for Young Adults and Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults.
Robin’s novels have been published in over 25 countries and have received glowing reviews from esteemed publications like Kirkus, Booklist, and Publishers Weekly. Her latest book, Far From the Tree, has earned her the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the PEN America Award, and was named one of the best books of the year by The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, NPR, PBS, Entertainment Weekly, and the Boston Globe.
In addition to her fiction works, Robin has also contributed non-fiction articles to publications such as the Los Angeles Times, Bustle, and Elle. She grew up in Orange County, California, where she developed her passion for writing.
She attended NYU, where she won the Seth Barkas Prize for Creative Writing, and later graduated from UCLA. Robin currently resides in Los Angeles with her furry friend, Hudson.
Editoral Review
Far from the Tree by Robin Benway is a contemporary young adult novel first published on October 3, 2017. Throughout the novel, Benway explores themes of family, identity, and belonging.
A recipient of the prestigious National Book Award, Benway’s style is engaging and heartfelt, ringing an original and timely note. The novel centers around three teenagers, Grace, Maya, and Joaquin, who were adopted as infants and raised in different families.
The adoption was a closed one, and the three siblings were unaware of each other’s existence until they coincidentally found each other via social media. The novel examines their struggle to come to grips with their common genealogy and their attempts to build the familial relationship they never had.
Spanning multiple cities, the story takes readers on a journey of soul-searching and self-discovery. Benway does a tremendous job of fleshing out each character with a deep sense of empathy and sincerity, allowing readers to empathize with their unique circumstances.
Their journey is not just about finding their biological family; it is about exploring the nature of `family’ in general and the roles that people play within it. The novel revolves around themes that are particularly prevalent in contemporary culture, particularly with regards to identity and belonging.
As the characters navigate the shifting landscape of commonality, they discover that biological connections do not necessarily define kinship. The author has done excellent research to make sure that the laws and social aspects of adoption are accurately depicted in the book.
Benway writes with a fresh, engaging voice that easily captures the reader’s attention. Her pacing is on point, keeping readers on edge and steadily turning pages.
The plot is emotionally evocative, and readers will be invested in the characters’ fates. The author elegantly weaves together the separate narratives of the characters, ultimately culminating in a heart-warming and satisfying conclusion.
If there was one criticism of the novel, it would be that the plot is not particularly groundbreaking, and its twists are, for the most part, predictable. Moreover, readers who are not fans of the young adult genre may find the plot too sentimental.
However, the novel’s reception has been overwhelmingly positive, and it is precisely because of the quality of the characters and writing. It is a novel about family and love that will appeal to young adults and adults alike.
Overall, Far from the Tree is an exceptional piece of literature that will leave readers feeling more appreciative of the bonds they share with the people around them. Told with heart and honesty, Robin Benway’s novel is a must-read for anyone aiming to explore complexities that surround individual identity and the bonds that tie us together.
The novel gets a rating of four out of five stars. Readers looking for an emotional page-turner that tackles the topic of family and social bonds with sincerity will find Far from the Tree an exceedingly satisfying read.
