Having never read anything by Benway before, I had no expectations before I started Far From the Tree. To be honest, I only clicked on it because I liked the cover, and then after reading that the book is about adopted siblings, I thought it had potential. I’m really glad that I requested this one for review, because otherwise I don’t think I would have read it. And it’s a really good story, so I would have been missing out.
Far From The Tree is hella emotional. There were tears. If you’re an emotional person, you’ll probably cry. I love that Benway’s writing was able to evoke such emotion in me, and because of this I now want to read all of her books.
The relationship between the siblings was really well done. I loved that they were hesitant to meet and get to know one another to begin with, because finding out you have two siblings is a massive deal. But then their relationships grew, and they became really protective of one another.
I did feel that the book and the relationships in it were a bit rushed. It’s a very short book, so I feel like it could have been fleshed out a bit more to make the relationships and character growth feel more organic.
Also, also! One of the siblings, Maya, is gay, and Joaquin is a POC. Yay for representation!
Far From the Tree has made me really want to read Benway’s other books. I’d highly recommend this one if you’re looking for an emotional read about some great sibling relationships. I can see why it has been nominated for a couple of awards!