dahlya_krm's review against another edition
5.0
Honestly I think this is genuinely the best book I've read in a while. It's about family, love, pain, acceptance and a bunch of other things that are just really REAL and I'm crying REAL years right now... I promise they are happy tears though.
hiyutsyd's review against another edition
5.0
THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL IM LITERALLY CRYING!! honestly i’m to dumb to elaborate but i have no complaints.
e_brinkert123's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. I finished this book in one sitting, totally blowing off any plans I had for a productive day, because it was just THAT good! In such a short amount of time, I feel like I was able to connect to Grace, Maya, and Joaquin in such a spectacular way that can only be credited to amazing writing! I know that these characters will stay with me, long after I file this one onto my bookshelf. As I read, I pictured conversations I would have with them and ways I would reassure them. I feel as if I made three new best friends in an afternoon. Though I have never faced the exact obstacles, I could relate to every feeling and reaction that was described. In the center of it all, Far From the Tree was about not just family, but finding a place in the great big world, something that every being in this planet can understand.
While this book had so many different stories running throughout, it still remained true to its core purpose — family. It began and ended with Grace’s story, which gave that wonderful feeling of closure and cemented her tale as the anchor point from which everything else developed. This organized the many, possibly confusing, dimensions of the story into an understandable, yet linear, plot, rich with sub-branches of complexity. I loved learning the minds of each of the core characters, and recognizing the similarities and differences in the thoughts of the three siblings who had just met. Each voice was crucial. The struggles and triumphs of the characters within these 374 pages broke my heart and then put it back together even better than before.
Anyone looking for a heartfelt and satisfying read must pick this book up. It will open your heart just a little bit more and make you question, “What really is family?”
While this book had so many different stories running throughout, it still remained true to its core purpose — family. It began and ended with Grace’s story, which gave that wonderful feeling of closure and cemented her tale as the anchor point from which everything else developed. This organized the many, possibly confusing, dimensions of the story into an understandable, yet linear, plot, rich with sub-branches of complexity. I loved learning the minds of each of the core characters, and recognizing the similarities and differences in the thoughts of the three siblings who had just met. Each voice was crucial. The struggles and triumphs of the characters within these 374 pages broke my heart and then put it back together even better than before.
Anyone looking for a heartfelt and satisfying read must pick this book up. It will open your heart just a little bit more and make you question, “What really is family?”
lavitale's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
laceyde13's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
freesien's review
4.0
I think Robin Benway is too much of an underrated author. I have yet to find a book of her that I didn't like. I love her characters and the stories she tells. She also handles emotions very well, as this book is clearly an indication for it.
I was hooked from the very first page and immediately taken to Grace, Maya and Joaquin. I loved that family and love were the main topics, it made my heart swell with emotion the entire time I was reading this book. All the relationships between all the charcters felt so authentic and real, Robin Benway is a clear natural at characterization.
I want to keep reading Robin Benway's books for the rest of my life because they always make me happy.
I was hooked from the very first page and immediately taken to Grace, Maya and Joaquin. I loved that family and love were the main topics, it made my heart swell with emotion the entire time I was reading this book. All the relationships between all the charcters felt so authentic and real, Robin Benway is a clear natural at characterization.
I want to keep reading Robin Benway's books for the rest of my life because they always make me happy.
coffeecozybooklover's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this young adult book.
Grace is a normal teenager until she becomes pregnant in high school. Her boyfriend dumps her and she's forced to give her baby up for adoption. She can't go to school anymore because everyone treats her like she's done something unforgivable.
Grace was adopted by her parents after her real mother couldn't care for her and her siblings. She has a brother and a sister that she has recently been in touch with.
Mia comes from a family of two unhappy parents. Her adopted mother is an alcoholic and her sister isn't very nice to her. Mia feels out of place since she was adopted and her sister is their real child.
Joaquin hasn't been adopted in his whole life but has been moving from foster home to foster home. He finally has met a couple that wants to adopt him but he doesn't want to be. He's almost 18 and a senior in high school, he doesn't want them to find something wrong with him and regret their decision.
Grace wants to meet her biological mother but her brother and sister want nothing to do with it.
Very good young adult book about adopting and accepting yourself.
Grace is a normal teenager until she becomes pregnant in high school. Her boyfriend dumps her and she's forced to give her baby up for adoption. She can't go to school anymore because everyone treats her like she's done something unforgivable.
Grace was adopted by her parents after her real mother couldn't care for her and her siblings. She has a brother and a sister that she has recently been in touch with.
Mia comes from a family of two unhappy parents. Her adopted mother is an alcoholic and her sister isn't very nice to her. Mia feels out of place since she was adopted and her sister is their real child.
Joaquin hasn't been adopted in his whole life but has been moving from foster home to foster home. He finally has met a couple that wants to adopt him but he doesn't want to be. He's almost 18 and a senior in high school, he doesn't want them to find something wrong with him and regret their decision.
Grace wants to meet her biological mother but her brother and sister want nothing to do with it.
Very good young adult book about adopting and accepting yourself.
joujals's review against another edition
4.0
Oooof. Gosh, if this book was a person, I'd give it a hug. It tugs at your heartstrings in the best way.
ohlittleowl's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely beautiful from start to finish. Each of the three siblings has such a unique voice, and their struggles... so heartbreaking, but with such a satisfying conclusion.