The Other Family, Joanna Trollope

I think Joanne Trollope is a wonderful writer and was looking forward to diving into her latest [2010] book, The Other Family.

As always, Joanna finds new ways to explore human characteristics and emotions so well.

It seems that quite a few books I've been reading lately are taking the time to explore both sides of relationships in greater detail. Rather than learning how the "wronged" spouse feels when husband/wife leaves for another, more and more writers are trying to understand how both parties are impacted. And there is also more attention paid to the pivotal character who is leaving one relationship for another. No longer merely a selfish villian, the betwixt/between character is now often portrayed as another frail human being caught in an emotionally fraught situation -- loving two people, not wanting to hurt either party.

Emily Griffin portrayed the complexity and humanity in this now common reality, in her recent release [2010], Matters of the Heart. And, the difference is important. Rather than seeing a situation as simple "good vs. evil" or "moral vs. immoral" writers are portraying all parties as vulnerable human beings capable of both altruistic and selfish behavior. It makes for much more believable characters and a greater sense of realism.

In The Othe Family, we learn how the first wife Margaret -- left behind over two decades ago-- and the second wife Chrissie, left behind by her husband's recent death, cope with the lose of a key husband figure in both their lives - Richie Rossiter.

Richie, a talented piano player and singer whose career was definitely on the wane prior to his sudden death, leaves behind two families who are deeply affected by his lose. More unexpected, if possible, than his death, is his bequest to leave his prized piano and early musical scores to his first wife.

Margaret must come to terms with the lose of hoping that her husband will one day come back to her. Her son Scott has forgiven his father for abandoning his first family and is even willing to befriend his new-found stepsisters. But are they willing to accept his friendship?

Chrissie and her three daughters are bereft, abandoned, stunned by both the loss of a beloved husband and father, and trying to cope with the new reality that their lifestyle must change as their new financial picture is bleak.

Chrissie expects her daughters to rally around her, to staunchly defend themselves against all others, especially her husband's former family.

There are no villians in this story, just people trying to cope with change and loss. I think Joanna has done a wonderful portrayal of six lives affected by the same tragedy, each needing to find their own way through the grieving process.