Reviews

The Relatives by Camilla Gibb

smalltownbookmom's review

4.0

3.5 rounded up - a really intimate look at the intricacies of one lesbian couple’s journey to parenthood and the complications involved in coparenting after the romantic relationship breaks down. The secondary story of their sperm donor and his captivity in Somalia I found less interesting - it’s obviously a horrible thing people over there are going through I just felt that the two storylines didn’t mesh as well together (for me) - I almost would have preferred two different novels dedicated to each story separately. She did tie it all together in the end but sort of ended it abruptly without a satisfying (for me) resolution. Overall I think I wanted more - the novel is on the shorter side. Her writing is beautiful and I greedily wanted to keep reading about these characters.

posthumusly's review

2.0

I did not like the ending. I also found the stories to be barely related. Not a great read.

summer_turningpages's review

1.0

I have started and stopped this book so many times since receiving an advance copy from NetGalley, but I just cannot get into it. The writing style is dry and boring and I did not feel any connection to any of the characters. DNF.

bibliotequeish's review

4.0

Three stories that seem to have no connection, no relevance or importance to each other.
A single social worker trying to help a child reconnect to the world through music. A newly divorced couple with a young son. And a man held captive on the other side of the world.

A beautifully woven story, that took a turn I did not really see coming.

username_1234_'s review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

challe232's review

4.0

The Relatives is about a few groups of people tied together through love or by blood. There were certain characters I really wanted to know more about, but that's not the novel's fault - it's meant to be a shorter read.

I really liked the different ways it showed how people can be considered family, and how blood ties can sometimes mean you aren't at all. I don't want to say too much more because I don't want to spoil anymore, but these characters felt like real people, so it gets 3.5-4 out of 5 stars for me.

Thanks to the author and Penguin Random House.

summerc_reads's review

1.0

I have started and stopped this book so many times since receiving an advance copy from NetGalley, but I just cannot get into it. The writing style is dry and boring and I did not feel any connection to any of the characters. DNF.

sapphicbookworm's review

3.0

a quick read that does what it says on the tin but not much else. 

literary_chameleon's review

dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.5

jennus's review

5.0

This book is short and interesting, sad and hopeful and just delightful.