This could have been a very heavy book but the difficult topics (and there are a lot of them) are discussed so sensitively from so many perspectives that it is something enlightening and uplifting.
Bond's discussion of Lauren's RTS includes details of the syndrome as well as how coping with the syndrome affects the entire family group- the reader doesn't feel like a voyeur but instead invited into the lives of these characters. I was worried when I read the blurb that the plot would revolve around infidelity and would focus on the relationship between Sarah and Paul (the parents in this family); I've never been more glad to read a book I wasn't sure about.
The Second Child is an incredibly touching portrayal of complex family life, including the feelings of confusion and being overwhelmed when things don't turn out as neat as 'two parents and two children'. I think one of the most grounding aspects of this novel is the bureaucracy of the various hospital and governmental departments involved with Lauren's case and how the various characters react and develop within that framework.
Bond's discussion of Lauren's RTS includes details of the syndrome as well as how coping with the syndrome affects the entire family group- the reader doesn't feel like a voyeur but instead invited into the lives of these characters. I was worried when I read the blurb that the plot would revolve around infidelity and would focus on the relationship between Sarah and Paul (the parents in this family); I've never been more glad to read a book I wasn't sure about.
The Second Child is an incredibly touching portrayal of complex family life, including the feelings of confusion and being overwhelmed when things don't turn out as neat as 'two parents and two children'. I think one of the most grounding aspects of this novel is the bureaucracy of the various hospital and governmental departments involved with Lauren's case and how the various characters react and develop within that framework.