A review by leeza_robertson_writes
The Girl and the Grove by Eric Smith

4.0

Let me start by saying, this is a very special book for both obvious and not so obvious reasons. First the obvious, this book deals adoption or more to the point, the bridge between being adopted and feeling like you belong to a family. We meet Leila, our main character when she has found herself in a new adopted family. Her anxiety is palatable, you can seriously taste the acrid raw emotions of her past and present experiences as they ooze out of her. The story takes into consideration all the normal adoptive themes; family, identity, place and belonging. This is the obvious part of the story and an important one.

The not so obvious part, the bit that for me is the real WOW factor is the way Leila's energy comes through the pages. How we feel her tight, constrained, contracted life force slowly but surely unwind throughout the cause of the book. This is not always easy to do but Eric does an amazing job. If you pay close attention you can physically feel when Leila lets go, allows the control to slip from her fingers and slips into the space of the unknown.

This book will end up becoming a must-read for adoptees. But I also really encourage those who just struggle with place and purpose to pick this book up and find their own point of understanding in the magic of the Grove.