Relative Strangers by Garner Paula

Relative Strangers

by Garner Paula

Why is there a gap in Jules’s baby album? A wry and poignant coming-of-age novel about finding the truth in lies, salvaging hope in heartbreak, and making peace with missing pieces.

Eighteen-year-old Jules has always wished for a close-knit family. She never knew her father, and her ex-addict mother has always seemed more interested in artistic endeavors than in bonding with her only daughter. Jules’s life and future look as flat and unchanging as her small Illinois town. Then a simple quest to find a baby picture for the senior yearbook leads to an earth-shattering discovery: for most of the first two years of her life, Jules lived in foster care. Reeling from feelings of betrayal and with only the flimsiest of clues, Jules sets out to learn the truth about her past. What she finds is a wonderful family who loved her as their own and hoped to adopt her — including a now-adult foster brother who is overjoyed to see his sister again. But as her feelings for him spiral into a devastating, catastrophic crush — and the divide between Jules and her mother widens — Jules finds herself on the brink of losing everything.

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

4 of 5 stars

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I absolutely adored Phantom Limbs, and just had to read this book. I was so intrigued by this premise of Jules discovering this whole missing part of her life, and was quite moved by her journey.

•Pro: I was glued to the this book for the first half. Fully rapt by Jules and her story, I could not put the book down.

•Con: BUT the story took a few turns in the middle there that I was not too pleased about.

•Pro: HOWEVER the ending was really strong.

•Pro: This was a pretty thought provoking look at how complex relationships can be, between both family and friends.

•Pro: Jules was a really interesting character. She loved old things and making ramen based meals in under 15 minutes (girl after my own heart). She didn't get the emotional support at home that she needed, but she was able to find a surrogate family through her friends. It contributed greatly to who she was and how she turned out the way she did.

•Con: The alcohol and drug use would not have bothered me so much, if Jules did not directly question her predisposition to addiction given that she was the product of an addict. Garner's treatment of that issue was a little too cavalier for me, and all the drug use seemed wholly unnecessary for the story.

•Pro: Garner didn't hide Jules' mom's flaws, however, she did help me understand why she was the way she was, and sort of let her redeem herself in her own way. I feel like she grew along with Jules over the course of the story, and I was really pleased with the ending Garner gave to each of them.

•Pro: That cameo!!!! I think I squealed there towards the end when an old friend made an appearance. Well done, Ms. Garner.

•Pro: At its heart, this is a story of family and what makes a family. I really enjoyed the exploration of all the different "familial" relationships Jules had, and how they all contributed to the woman she became.

Overall: A beautiful and emotional story that examines intricacies of families and friendships and how they mold and shape us.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 23 March, 2018: Finished reading
  • 23 March, 2018: Reviewed