FAMILY TREE (Carole Cadwalladr)

This is an interesting tragi-comedy that covers a myriad of family and social issues, including genetics, mother-daughter relationships, mental illness, interracial romance, infidelity, sibling rivalry, and abortion. The unique set-up of Cadwalladr's novel is based on main character Rebecca Monroe's lifelong interest in dictionaries and each of the first 17 chapters begins with a definition and is further subdivided into additonal parts that also feature definitions: Parts One (beginning), Two (chance), Three (trifle), Four (revise), Five (memory), Six (crack), Seven (like), etc. through Seventeen (memory). Only the final chapter, Eighteen (end) is divided into sections headed by Roman numerals. This novel is at times both hilarious and heartbreaking. Rebecca seems like the classic child/sibling who can never measure up, but she is endearing. It will be interesting to hear what the other members of the First Tuesday Book Club think of this one!