Far From the Tree - Robin Benway - A Short Summary and Review
Far From the Tree - Robin Benway - A Short Summary and Review
By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures
A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review
A short summary:
Far from the Tree is a moving adoption story that follows several biological siblings who grow up in very different families and circumstances. Separated early in life, each sibling wrestles with questions of identity, belonging, and what it truly means to be family.
As their stories unfold, the novel explores adoption from multiple perspectives: those who were adopted, those who gave up children, and those who long for connection across distance and difference. At its heart, this is a story about searching for roots while learning how to grow where you are planted.
My favorite quote from the book:
Questions to ponder while reading:
My review:
This book feels incredibly real. Far from the Tree doesn’t shy away from the complicated emotions surrounding adoption—grief, love, resentment, longing, but it never becomes heavy-handed or bleak. Instead, it balances honesty with tenderness.
It’s also wonderfully mushy in the best possible way. The emotional payoffs are heartfelt without being forced, and the characters feel deeply human, messy, loving, and trying their best.
And somehow, it’s a lot of fun, too. There’s warmth, humor, and joy woven throughout the story, making it an engaging and comforting read even as it tackles serious themes. This is the kind of novel that leaves you thinking about family long after the final page.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.
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