The Other Family by Joanna Trollope

I've always enjoyed English writers. I like their language, their nuances, I enjoy the differences yet similarities of everyday life. 

Joanna Trollope's book was no different. She has told an interesting story in "The Other Family."  One that will draw you in and cause you to choose sides!

"When Richie Rossiter, once a famous pianist, dies unexpectedly, Chrissie knows that she must now tell the truth to their three daughters: their parents were never married. Yet there is one more shock to come when Richie’s will is read. It seems he never forgot the wife and son he left behind years ago—Margaret, who lives a quiet life of routine and work, and Scott, who never knew his famous father. Now two families are left to confront their losses and each other, and none of them will ever be the same.

Witty, intelligent, and insightful, The Other Family is a story of modern family life from one of our most beloved authors of domestic fiction."

This book was easy to read and not difficult to empathize with the characters. Chrissie - the mother of three daughters was not easy for me to like. I got irritated at her pettiness with her youngest daughter and Richie's "other family" but at the same time could feel the pain she was feeling. I often wanted to tell her and the two oldest daughters to just grow up and move on.

Richie - although he was already dead at the beginning of the book - was still a great part of the dynamics of these two families. You had to wonder why so many people actually liked him - because of the way he treated those he loved. But then once you "got to know" him more and more you realized it was his charm that attracted people to him. Even though you could tell he loved his family - by the references his daughters made to his involvement in their lives, one could still tell that his most important priority/love - was himself.

Actually, overlooking age differences, I identified the most with the youngest daughter. She was much easier for me to understand. She had a maturity that even her mother didn't possess. 

"Joanna Trollope is the author of seventeen highly acclaimed bestselling novels including A Village Affair, The Choir and The Rector's Wife. She has also written a study of women in the British Empire, Britannia's Daughters and several other novels.

Joanna was appointed OBE in the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours List."

You can check out Joanna Trollope's official web site H.E.R.E.


I really enjoyed this book and plan on reading more from this author.