A review by reading_rainbow_with_chris
Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

emotional reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

“Family Lore” by Elizabeth Acevedo

Flor has had a dream. Her family knows that her dreams are her gift, an omen of what is to come. So when Flor tells her sisters she wants to have a living wake, all thoughts turn to their past and the potential futures as they await what Flor will say about her dream when the time comes. 

This was a beautiful novel about sisterhood, family, and some of the specific cultural experiences related to being Americans emigrated from the Dominican Republic. Acevedo has knack for beautiful language and character development in a way that feels quiet and slow, but always engaging. I also really appreciated the lightness with which she handled the “gifts” of the women in th story. It could have been very heavy handed, coming across as a bit juvenile, but Acevedo gave these light mysterious touches just enough sway to gently move the plot when needed. They were less a feature and more a simple fact of the worldbuilding, which made this novel feel mature and fresh while still on moving universal themes. 

Overall I’m not sure if this will make it to my top 10 by the end of the year (it’s been a great year for books), but it is beautiful and touching and all of the heartfelt things that make for a perfect read.