Reviewed by Patricia Selinger, Head of Preservation
Everyday people in modern, middle-class England and the far reaching impact of decisions people make are common themes in novels by Joanna Trollope. Brother & Sister explores the issues surrounding adoption through David and Nathalie, a brother and sister adopted from different mothers into a family. When Nathalie decides to search for her birthmother, and cajoles David into searching for his also, they and their families change as they work through anger, abandonment, victimization, forgiveness, and intimacy. What does it mean to be a family? What is a mother? Who am I really? Who do I “belong” to? What is “mine”? These are questions Trollope’s characters must answer for themselves. Her characters and their issues seem very realistic. No one is perfect and their flaws are believable. People who might appear weak have inner strength that is not always evident. Likewise, those who appear strong have weaknesses. The plot moves with a nice combination of introspection and action. This story will hold your attention from beginning to end.
