Thanks to NetGalley and Ecco Books for this free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is out now!
I am so excited to share about Family Lore. It came out this past Tuesday and as much as I tried to finish it by pub day, I absolutely did not want to rush this book.
To say that I love everything Elizabeth Acevedo writes is an understatement. As I write this review I’m crying because I just finished Family Lore and I am feeling feelings. It’s beautiful. Stunning. Acevedo’s unique and powerful lyricism shines through and this book is so clearly and completely a work of love.
This is her first novel for adults and I loved it. The novel follows four sisters from the Dominican Republic: Flor, Matilde, Camila, and Pastora, and their daughters/nieces: Ona and Yadi. All of the women now live in New York, and an announcement from Flor is a catalyst for the start of the story. The point of view switches between all of the women and their stories go back and forth from past to present. There is definitely magical realism present, and I absolutely loved how the gifts of the women are woven in. With the large number of characters whose point of view we are blessed with and the histories of each, it would seem easy (or inevitable) that the women would not feel completely fleshed out, or that the story would feel like it was trying to do too much. However, this was thankfully not the case with Family Lore. Every storyline is handled delicately and lovingly and I felt like I knew these women.
There is so much I could say. If you love novels centered on women and their stories, magical realism, multiple POVs, and beautiful prose…read this book. Even if you don’t love those things…read this book anyway? I’m so glad this is a BOTM pick because I needed a physical copy of this one!
I can’t wait to read more from Acevedo. I am a forever fan.
The Bookish Bird 