Review Detail

Josey's world is turned upside down when her parents tell her that the child they had and gave up for adoption in high school is coming back into their lives. In the blink of an eye, this new, perfect sister is welcomed into their family, by everyone but Josey, who suddenly realizes that she doesn't know who she is or where she fits anymore.

Situations such as these are very rare, which makes this novel different, perhaps even more so because author S. T. Underdahl has experienced this kind of reunion firsthand. The story is engaging, but the dialogue seemed to me a bit too pat, the first-person narration seemed a little bit too detached, a little bit too clinical for a sixteen-year-old, even a budding psychologist--although when you get to the end you may understand better why Josey's voice wasn't 100% believable. The well-drawn characters of Josey's brothers and best friends and the discussion of the nature/nurture debate are the high points of this novel that gives a different, interesting perspective on the issue of adoption and the question of what constitutes a family.