Far From the Tree

Far From the Tree by Robin Benway (2017), narrated by Julia Whelan

Robin Benway has really outdone herself and I have no idea why it took me so long to check out this book, given all the enthusiastic reviews I've read of it in the last couple of years.

It begins with Grace, who accidentally became pregnant and gave her baby up for adoption, spurring her to seek out her own birth mother. Instead, her parents put her in touch with her biological sister, Maya, and the two of them find their older biological brother, Joaquin. Grace and Maya were adopted as babies, but Joaquin, now 17, has been in foster care the whole time. His current foster parents want to adopt him, but he's afraid of what might happen based on past experiences. Maya is also having kind of a rough time, dealing with her mother's secret alcoholism and her parents' unhappy marriage. But all three are stronger now that they have the support of their newfound siblings.

I loved everything about this book. All of it. The characters were amazing and imperfect and different from each other, and I loved how the siblings are in totally different family situations but understand one another fundamentally because they were given up by the same mother. It was believable how they all hesitated to share their deepest secrets with each other for fear of rejection. Most of all I loved how they were there for each other when it really mattered.

We started with Grace and I found her story the most painful of all, I think. She was viewed by Maya and Joaquin as a total good girl, and she probably was. She had supportive parents, did well in school, and never got into trouble. But when she became pregnant by her boyfriend Max, his parents made it clear that they wouldn't let her pregnancy - which they viewed as totally Grace's fault - get in the way of his future success. While Grace labored to have their baby, Max was being crowned homecoming king. He had a new girlfriend and everything was perfect for him. Meanwhile, Grace no longer had friends, the other kids called her "baby mama" and a slut. She knew that giving her baby (who she thought of as "Peach") to a more adult, stable couple was the right thing to do, but she also felt guilty and worried so much about what would happen to her. Her desperate need to find her birth mother was partly just so she could let her know that she is ok.

Each one of these kids had a great story, made up of bad luck and misguided decisions, and it was really fantastic to see how they came together and helped each other, and to see their joined story unfold. Julia Whelan is an excellent narrator and I was glad to see her name on this book. If you like teen books or books about sibling relationships I highly recommend this one, and I also suggest you check out Robin Benway's other books because they're all great!

Emmy & Oliver

Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway (2015)

At seven years old, Emmy, Oliver, Caro and Drew are all good friends. But one day after school, Oliver's dad picks him up for the weekend and never brings him back. For ten years, everyone misses Oliver, the police look for him and his dad, his mother is a complete mess, and his friends feel an empty, gaping hole in their lives. And then Oliver comes home. Now seventeen, he's back at the house next door to Emmy, trying to fit in with his family which now includes a step-father and two younger sisters. He's also trying to fit in back at school and with his old friends. To all of them, Oliver has returned home; to Oliver, he has just been kidnapped all over again.

Since Oliver has been gone, it's not just his mother who was worried. Emmy's mom is so protective that she doesn't want Emmy to go to college, but instead plans for her to stay at home and attend community college. Emmy learned to surf three years ago and loves it, but knows her parents would never let her be on the surf team so she sneaks around and steals precious hours at the beach, hiding her activities. Emmy actually has a pretty good relationship with her parents, but they clearly want her to live in a protective bubble and she just doesn't know how she'll get out from under their thumbs.

When Oliver returned, all the adults admonished the kids to give him space, with the result that Oliver felt ostracized and alone. Finally, Emmy and Drew and Caro started hanging out with him regularly again. Of course they've all changed since ten years ago, but they are getting along very well. Especially Emmy and Oliver, who quickly become more than friends.

But this isn't just another teen romance. Despite the title and cover, it felt much more like it was about friendship. Emmy and Oliver do start dating, but they were friends first and even their romance is based on friendship. Plus, Drew and Caro are huge parts of the story. So if you're turned off by the idea of a teen romance, I would urge you to give it a chance.

The storyline about Oliver's abduction is done so very well, in all its subtle complexities. To Oliver, he wasn't a victim of kidnapping, he just moved away with his dad. He knows now that what his dad did was wrong, but for as long as he can remember, that was just his life. Now he has been uprooted and needs to adjust to a whole new life. I felt so bad for this poor kid! He feels so torn and confused. Thank goodness he goes to therapy.

There is much to love about this novel, but I found Caro to be especially endearing. She is the youngest of six kids (I am the youngest of five myself) and she is super funny. She shares a bedroom with her older sister Heather and they are opposites in the cleanliness department. Heather is like a tornado and Caro is a complete freak for organization and neatness. I marked several passages just because of her clever quips. Like, when she was commenting on a news anchor whose appearance hasn't changed in decades: "She probably makes so much money that she could hire a team of tiny elves to hide in her hairline and hold her face up." Robin Benway is just full of this kind of clever dialogue.

I read Audrey, Wait! several years ago and despite some minor criticisms I really liked it and still recommend it regularly. Although it's tough to pinpoint exactly what makes it so special, Emmy & Oliver is even better - I'm so glad I read another Robin Benway novel.

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway: a review

When Audrey ends her relationship with aspiring rock star Evan, he writes a song about their breakup called "Audrey, Wait!" It shoots to the top of the charts, shooting his band to stardom. Unfortunately, it creates a great deal of notoriety for Audrey as well, and she finds herself hunted by fans and paparazzi, making normal life impossible.

I had a couple of minor issues with the book. First, it was poorly edited in spots - there was a repeated sentence in one chapter, and later in the book a minor character's name changed from one paragraph to the next. Second, the entire premise of the book is faulty. A million songs have been written about relationships or breakups, and I can't think of one instance in which the subject of the song has become famous. I know we all dialed 867-5309 over and over back in the 80s, but did any of us really care who Jenny was? Even though it's easier to stalk people nowadays, I don't think this has changed. Although plenty of people become famous for nothing (I'm looking at you, Paris), I just can't see Lindsay Lohan clamoring to play someone's ex-girlfriend in a music video.

Having said that, this book reminded me why I love the young adult genre. You see, those minor issues were totally overshadowed by everything I liked about this book. It was fun and silly and Audrey was totally likeable and didn't take shit from anyone. She had a great side-kick in her friend Victoria, and her budding romance with her ice-cream shop co-worker James was totally cute. I also love the role that music played in her life, and the way that was integrated into the book. Every chapter began with a quote from a song, most of which I've never heard of because unlike Audrey I am completely out of touch with what is popular these days. I'm hoping for a sequel. Two thumbs up!