Customer Reviews

The Other Sister

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The Other Sister
S.T. Underdahl. Minnesota: Woodbury, 2007. 248 pp. $8.95.
ISBN 978-0-7387-0933-8

What if everything you thought about your own family was a big, fat lie? This thought springs into the mind of fifteen-year-old Josey after her parents reveal a secret that could change her life forever. Everyone hopes that they have a normal family with very little or no secrets among them, and for Josey Muller, it seemed like she had that life. She has a Mother and a Father who love her and two brothers, who at times drive her crazy, care for her too. We are greeted with a cover of The Other Sister, with the word other out of place in a black hole. This other is significant and highlights the beginning of Josey's discoveries.
Fifteen-year-old Josey Muller is the only daughter of Anne and Bill Muller. Or at least that is what she thinks until her Mother springs the news that she has an older sister. Audrey Merriday is ten years older than Josey and was born while Josey's parents were in High School. Their parents forced them to put her up for adoption merely only a minute after being born. Audrey has now contacted her mother through an adoption agency and her Mom is more excited and happy than Josey has ever seen her.
For Josey Muller, this is not pretend...it is her life. Suddenly she's not the only daughter, and sister of her two brothers. This girl Audrey, her older sister, is all her parents can talk about. She wants to be in high spirits like her Mom, but how is she supposed to be thrilled when her entire world has gone topsy-turvy? Is it possible that she could ever enjoy having a sister? "I hoped I wasn't going to start passing out whenever anyone referred to Audrey as a member of the family, like some kind of post-hypnotic suggestion" (121). Josey feels displaced that her parents are ecstatic and her brothers are adjusting fairly well. She is no longer the only girl. She is no longer the middle child. She is now the other daughter, and she is not quite sure how to act around the newfound sister.
A Theme that progresses throughout the book is `Don't judge a book by its cover'. The book stands close to that saying in a way that Josey is learning not to make assumptions without fully knowing about the circumstances. Getting to know Audrey not only as a person, but also as a sister is going to be difficult for the whole family, particularly Josey, but she can't get carried away with judgments that she isn't equip to make.
The only way Josey can deal with these occurrences is to take a step back and truly see not only how she feels but also how her sister feels. There are two parts to every story and Josey just needs to step out of the box and take an outlook from Audrey's shoes. By Josey worrying about how the situation was affecting her family, and most of all herself, she was forgetting that Audrey was left dangling between two families. Will Josey give the situation a chance?
Tender and heartfelt, The Other Sister is brimming with emotion. Josey's struggle to cope with news and find her place is easy to relate to. Even though she does come off selfish and for a teenager, way in control, but I think it's a teenager's nature to pretend to be that way. And although some ideas don't get through as easily as expected, it causes you to be thinking in Josey's shoes, you are caught in the act of laughing and crying with Josey. Relatable and eye-opening, The Other Sister gives readers a chance to see behind the scenes of adoption reunions.

The idea that someone else - rich and famous and permissive - is your parent is a common childhood fantasy. The idea that someone else is your sibling is NOT, however. When the new sibling is beautiful and smart, a young girl's life can suddenly seem turned upside down. This is the premise of Underdahl's well-crafted novel about 16-year-old Josey, whose parents never told her that she was not quite the only girl in the family. When her adopted-out older sister, Audrey, is reunited with the family, Josey has to deal with a host of new feelings, many unpleasant and difficult, and a re-arrangement of family relationships.

Underdahl's characters are well-rounded and likable. Josey's interactions with her friends are believable peeks into the lives of teenaged girls, and her parents are complex in their longing for and delight in their first child, while understanding the difficulties that Josey is having accepting this new view of them and the family. I'm older than the target "young adult" audience, but because of Underdahl's excellent writing (and also because I once was a 16-year-old girl), I found "The Other Sister" engrossing and found that I was really caring about the characters and their situations. Although this book is a must-read for any person whose life has been affected by adoption, it is also a genuinely good story that had me absorbed from the first page to the last word. I give it my highest recommendation.

Everyone hopes that they have a normal family with very little or no secrets among them, and for Josey Muller, it seemed like she had that life. She had a mother and father who loved her and two brothers who, although they can sometimes drive her crazy, care for her, too. But then Josey's life turns upside down when her parents tell her that her brothers aren't the only siblings that Josey has.

Josey also has a much older sister, Audrey, the daughter that her parents had to put up for adoption, hoping that she would get a better life. Audrey is getting married and thought that this would be the perfect chance to find her birth parents and possibly even meet up with them. At first Josey is perfectly fine with the whole ordeal; that is, until the day she will finally get to see her sister draws near, and the entire situation becomes all too real for her.

Josey's entire life that she was so used to was officially going to change. She wasn't going to be the only daughter and sister in her family, and her parents are beginning to forget about how she feels. What's worse is how Josey's dream of becoming a psychologist has already been accomplished by her older sister, which only makes Josey feel inferior to Audrey.

The only way Josey can deal with these occurrences is to take a step back and truly see not only how she feels but also how her sister feels. But will Josey give this situation a chance?

THE OTHER SISTER was completely real and meaningful. Having Josey as the main character just gives the book the perfect tone it needs to truly capture the essence that a teenager would feel when something unexpected pops up in their life. A very unique story with an ending that was surprising and perfectly written, THE OTHER SISTER was a great debut from S. T. Underdahl.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankryn" Nguyen

My very first thought when I finished the book was that I wished it hadn't ended. I wanted to keep reading about Josey and Audrey's life as they both grew older. I'm hoping there's a sequel! I highly recommend this book for all ages.

Underdhal takes you gently by the hand onto a journey that is emotional, funny and often painful. This is an honest, frank, unbiased account of a reunion told from the prespective of a teenager who suddenly discovers she isn't the "only" daughter, and the road she travels to accept this.

Our author has a way of telling this story, a full understanding of the feelings of all parties involved, that grabs you in such a way that you will be unable to put this book down. Beautifully written, intelligently written, a wonderful read. I look forward to reading Remember This and Summer on Lake Tulaby, if her first book is anything to go by, they will also be amazing reads.

The "Other Sister" is a book one cannot easily forget.

S.T.Underdahl delivers the story in an easy-to read, charismatic voice, and offers a front seat view to the staggering amount of emotions families come face to face with when dealing with adoption.

The reader cannot help falling in love with Josey, the young girl whose life is quickly turned upside down when she learns of Audrey, her "other sister" who was separated from the family at birth. Through Josey's words, one is quickly absorbed in the intricate pattern of emotions both families must deal with, and learns that one's perception can easily shift if considered from a different point of perspective.

"The Other Sister" is a touching, delightful read, sure to capture the hearts of all; it's an inspiring story of inner struggle finally overcome which will transport the reader on an amazing journey of hope and sisterly love.

An amazing story that keeps one very interested throughout. The characters have a way of pulling you into their world and put you in their shoes. Definitely a great read for anyone.

Reviewed by Jessica Clark (age 17) for Reader Views (6/07)

The main character of this book is a teenager named Josey. Josey's life could be defined as normal; she has great friends and deals with school, gossip, boys, and dances. She loves her parents and both her brothers, even when they annoy her. But Josey's world is turned upside down when she finds out that her parents have been keeping an enormous secret. Josey has now found out that she has an older sister who is 25 and wants to get in touch with her parents. Josey now feels awkward around her own family and even her friends. After letters coming and going for weeks, a meeting is arranged. All Josey has heard is about how much she, and her sister Audrey, are alike and now she has to meet this complete stranger. After an awkward meeting and a horrible departure Josey is not sure how she feels anymore. Josey's parents decide it's best if she spends a weekend alone with Audrey. Josey reluctantly goes and is amazed at what she finds out about her new sister.

My opinion of "The Other Sister" is that it's a good read, but it was lacking in connection for the reader. The main character came off as selfish, and for a teenager, seemed way too in control. The story was well-written, but felt dry in some aspects. After the abrupt ending, there is an epilogue that leaves way too many questions. The epilogue was actually more of some good guidelines for a second book. Over all this was a good book.

Book received free of charge

This is a very well written book with excellent character development. I enjoyed the interactions between Josey and her friends and family. The author did a very good job of dealing with a sensitive issue without being preachy. I would recommend this book to all ages.

What a well written, very interesting and stimulating book. Very interesting the way the author wrote from the other viewpoint. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to anyone.