A review by bookthia
No Good Asking by Fran Kimmel

4.0

I liked this story of a family struggling to understand each other, suddenly called upon to care for another, even more broken, soul. I loved that it was the character with the most reasons to be bitter, angry and withdrawn, who was open, caring and willing to love. I was engaged with all of the characters and I liked that the author told the story in different parts, from each character's perspective. Doing so allowed the reader to understand their motives better. The dynamics of Eric's and Ellie's marriage was interesting to me -- I know SO MANY people who are in similar situations. They love their spouses but don't know how to communicate their deepest feelings, resulting in silence, withdrawal or worse, blame. I think it is realistic that a major change, like the one that happened to the Nyland family, can jumpstart a stalled marriage. To me, the moral of this story was that love is an action word. By demonstrating active and non-judgemental interest in our family members, we can show empathy and acceptance. Truly the foundation for loving relationships. This book shows how one family regained that ability by the example of a 12 year old girl.