Far From the Tree by Robin Benway

Challenge #48 ~ “A book that was a finalist or winner for the National Book Award in any year.”

farfromthetree

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My opinion in three sentences:

This was an absolutely phenomenal read – I found myself making extra time in my day purely to sit down and read this, which is a feat reserved for very few books. I was blown away, much as I was with Benway’s Emmy & Oliver, at the distinct voices of the protagonists, the strength of the characterisation and how ‘to life’ Benway was able to bring the book. It’s a sappy, warming tale, yet handles (in a sensitive and well-researched manner) a whole plethora of themes and issues that will have you laughing, crying, and everything in between.

(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:

Where do I start?

Benway has no mercy. She grabs the reader by their lapels, pulls them straight into the story and leaves them to be tossed on the waves of the story. One moment it’s a heart-warming tale, the next it’s heart-wrenching, and with such realistic telling, the reader is left vulnerable to it all in the deep clutches of an emotional rollercoaster.

Tissues? A necessity, though I can’t guarantee whether it will be tears of laughter or woe!

A warning for the book:

It’s not going to be winning an award for the most original plot of the decade – you’ll have seen the tropes before – but it is (and has already been) a deserving award-winner. Benway puts her own twist and personal elements into the tale, too, so it’s far from regurgitated trash that you’ve heard umpteen times before. And, hey, if you’re going to read this story in one of its forms, with such literary finesse, this has got to be up there with the best of them!

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