Brother and Sister: A Novel [Paperback]

Joanna Trollope (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 24, 2005

Brought up by the same parents, but born to two different mothers, Nathalie and David have grown up as brother and sister, and share a fierce loyalty. Their decision as adults to try to find their birth mothers is no straightforward matter. It affects, acutely and often painfully, their spouses and children, the people they work with, and, most poignantly, the two women who gave them up for adoption all those years ago. Exploring her subject with inimitable imagination and humanity, the celebrated author of Marrying the Mistress and The Rector's Wife once again works her magic.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[A] cool, smart book." (Entertainment Weekly )

"The author is a master storyteller, a credit indeed to her famous literary ancestor, Anthony Trollope. Highly recommended." (Library Journal )

"Joanna Trollope is to British literature what Sue Miller is to American...Exceptionally readable." (Philadelphia Inquirer )

"Trollope is a pointillist of domestic relationships...With well-placed strokes, she brings to life all of her characters." (Washington Post )

"Yet another winner." (Kirkus Reviews (starred review) )

"Joanna Trollope...[is] an astute observer of complicated family relationships...Trollope handles all these revelations with a deft touch." (Seattle Times ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Joanna Trollope, the nationally bestselling author of sixteen other books, lives in Gloucestershire, England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (March 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582344760
• ISBN-13: 978-1582344768
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,315,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "The abandoned baby lives inside each adoptee.", October 16, 2005

By 

Mary Whipple (New England) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Brother and Sister: A Novel (Paperback)

In this tension-filled domestic drama, Joanna Trollope shows how the adoption of two children, now adults, have affected all the families involved--the birth mothers and their later families, the adoptive parents and grandparents, and the adoptees themselves, their spouses, and their children. Nathalie, the partner of Steve Ross and mother of their child, has always considered it an advantage to be adopted, to be "chosen," but when her young daughter Polly needs surgery for a condition that may be inherited, her own adoption becomes an issue for her. Asking "What else don't I know about where Polly's come from?" she suddenly comes to a life-changing realization: "I want to be like people who know where they come from." She and her brother David decide to search for their birth mothers.

The rippling effects of the decision to search for birth mothers dominate this carefully constructed novel. Nathalie's adoptive mother, not surprisingly, is devastated that both of "her" children need to find "other" mothers. The birth mothers, by turn, have created new lives of their own, each dealing with her "lost" child in her own way. Nathalie's husband, David's wife, and their children are also affected, not least by the fact that Nathalie and David choose to share their feelings with each other, rather than with their spouses. As the ripple effects continue, other characters, even including employees, are drawn into the emotional vortex, and unexpected complications send the action in surprising directions with new twists and turns.

Trollope reveals the inner lives of her characters through beautifully realized dialogue, and she pays particular attention to the details of personality and domestic relationships. The reader is quickly drawn into the action and empathizes with the characters, who seem realistic, though they are not fully developed. In fact, we learn about each one only what is necessary for the author to illustrate the myriad effects of adoption on the adoptees and the people who love them. The themes dominate, controlling both the action and the characters themselves. A vivid domestic drama with an unusual subject and characters, the novel shows us how relationships are tested and tempered. Ultimately, both the characters and the reader come to a new appreciation of the complexities of love and families. Mary Whipple

5.0 out of 5 stars a proper upbringing, November 14, 2011

By 

Cat mom (LI NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brother and Sister: A Novel (Kindle Edition)

this novel shows how very talented,ms. trollope really is. her insights on adopted children are excellent. in addition,she really understands parenting and sibling relatonships.