The Family Gift is an Aga-saga, Irish style. By ‘Aga-saga’ I mean a novel about a family living comfortably in picturesque surroundings but facing and trying to deal with problems which are of various degrees of seriousness.
Freya is a popular television chef with a loving husband, Dan, and three children, the oldest of whom is 14 year old Lexi, Dan’s daughter from his first marriage but adopted by Freya at age two and loved by her as much as the two younger children,
The very real and recognisable problems confronting Freya and Dan and their parents, grandparents and siblings include post traumatic stress following a mugging; trying to separate social media life from real life; an adopted child’s need to connect with her birth mother; plans for a happy retirement thrown into disarray by the sudden disablement of a partner, and the heartache of two people longing for children but having to deal with the prospect of infertility. That sounds like a lot but all the pieces fit together well to make a most satisfying read.
Cathy Kelly always creates thoroughly likeable characters and she writes with warmth, humour and wisdom. It is always a pleasure to read one of her books and The Family Gift was no exception.
Published by Orion.
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