Will I love Far from the Tree?

I love the title, and the story takes off immediately after.

Three siblings, all put up for adoption, who have different families and meet for the first time as teenagers. I love how Benway explores the importance of blood relatives and how, most times, a found family may be more important.

But it’s the characters of this novel that are the true stars. They are emotionally raw and, at times, heartbreaking individuals who learn about who they are. 

This book is different from his usual fare. It’s a realistic novel and deals with families and adoption.

It was part of a school read. He found it engaging, so good he couldn’t wait to see what was happening and frequently commented on the excellent writing.

I heard a lot of “wows” about how the author built suspense.

This book is powerful. When three biological siblings find one another they’re all at different stages.

Grace, at sixteen, has just given birth. Joaquin, the older brother, has bounced around foster care homes. And the youngest, Maya, searches for traces of herself in her new bio siblings. I imagine all kids who are adopted, at some point, struggle with why they were given up. These three are no different, but they are so dynamic and lovable, and despite Joaquin’s struggles, he shines as an older brother who wants nothing but the best for his sisters.

Watching these kids love each… show more.