A review by leahgustafson
Foster by Claire Keegan

emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This short novella really packs a punch! To be honest, I love when writers can tell a complete, compelling story using language to capture strong feelings/emotions in a short amount of pages. I am always impressed by the precision and thoughtfulness this takes! 
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Foster is the story of a pre-teen girl living in rural Ireland who is sent to live with relatives due to her family’s struggles while her mom is pregnant with a new baby. Claire Keegan does an incredible job bringing to life this girl’s confusion, heartache, longing, and (for a time) love/contentedness. Her use of language is incredible! 
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One thing that stands out about this story is that Keegan puts a lot of trust in the reader to fill in the gaps of what’s going on. This might feel strange/different at first, but I felt the rich descriptions and expert use of language did not leave me guessing too much. After thinking through it more, the uneasiness or initial confusion does a great job to parallel the girl’s experience. We (the reader) experience the story through her observations/interactions which (I find) makes it even more impactful. 
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This is a beautiful novella that I read in one sitting. If you’re looking for something quick but also literary, this is an excellent choice! 
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