DNF at 28%

I’m sad about this one. I’ve loved the author’s previous releases (I even gave two of them 5 stars!), but ultimately this just wasn’t working for me and was starting to put me in a reading slump.

I had a really hard time keeping track of the characters, having to refer back to the character list before starting *every single chapter* and the timelines going back and forth added to the complication of keeping track of the story. This book definitely will have its audience, and there’s no doubt that Elizabeth Acevedo is an incredible writer, but this just wasn’t for me. I still look forward to checking out future her books though!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC.

Also noting that normally I would not give a star rating to a DNF, but I must through NetGalley.

I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Acevedo and highly recommend her books. This book explores the female relationships in a Dominican family that has slowly all moved to New York City.

I had a harder time getting into this book with all of the different characters and points of view. There is a list of all of main characters and how they are related in the beginning of the book and I used this to make a family tree. This really helped to remember how all of them are connected to each other., their role in the family and their special talents. This book also flips back and forth in time, sometimes without warning or a visual cue, so I got lost a few times trying to figure out what was in the present and the past. I recommend having some dedicated time to read this book in order to better focus on the story and characters. I was also a little disappointed in the ending, it felt a little rushed to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I will preempt this by saying I’ve loved every single one of Acevedo’s YA books and constantly recommend them. I was so excited to get approved for this e-ARC.

First and foremost, this is a story of family: The Marte sisters (Flor, Matilde, Pastora, and Camila), and the Marte cousins Ona and Yadi. It’s a story of sisterhood and motherhood, and everything in between. It took me a while to get into the story, between the multiple narrators and the jumping timelines, it got a bit confusing. I felt I had a grasp os the story by the halfway point, which is much later than I would have liked.

The story is character driven, and the plot moves very slowly, but I really loved the flashbacks of the Marte sisters stories growing up. It helps us learn what has made them who they are. Their messy life experiences, dreams both fulfilled and unfulfilled, their mess ups and their happy moments.

The other aspect of this book is the magical realism. While very important for the plot, I felt the magical gift we get to hear the most is Flor’s, who is able to see when some will die, has decided to throw herself a living wake. I felt some of the others where not really developed. TBH I found Ona’s gift to be just odd.

I appreciated the way she highlights you inside Dominican families and culture, this tickles my Dominican heart to no end. But I worry some phrases may not be understood by those who are not spanish speakers or are unfamiliar with Dominican jargon.
I could not let the opportunity pass to pair this book with one of the most iconic Dominican dishes: Mangú con los tres golpes. It’s mashed plantains with fried egg, fried Dominican Salami and fried cheese, a complete cholesterol bomb but so so delicious.

If you love intergenerational stories, specially between women, this is probably a great one for you.

I love Elizabeth Acevedo's poetic prose, and her adult debut had a lot of strengths! However I think the ensemble cast felt a bit muddled and we didn't delve deeply into any particular family woman.

Elizabeth Acevedo’s first adult novel is just as poignant and beautiful to read as her young adult books. In Family Lore, we follow the women of a Dominican family of multiple generations. In a sort of brown up Encanto story, the women in the family are blessed with gifts, Flor’s gift is foretelling death, and she begins the novel by inviting the family to her own wake.

Elizabeth Acevedo reads the audio book and is an exceptional narrator. I normally don’t like when authors read their own fiction, but Acevedo has a talent for performing as well as writing. Highly recommend this book and the audio versions! Especially for fans of When Women Were Dragons or Olga Dies Dreaming.

I don't often read adult fiction, so this is a bit of a departure for me, but I will read anything Elizabeth Acevedo writes! While I at first felt lost in the host of characters, I soon became wrapped up in their stories and lives. The narrative is lush with detail, sensual and compelling, weaving through the past and the present, through trauma and triumph. There's so much to unpack and explore - religious traditions and magic, first loves and betrayals, old hurts and new chances. It's a powerful, rich novel full of joy and sorrow and beauty. Highly recommend!

Hope this author sticks to adult because this was amazing, loved the intricate women, loved the perspectives. It was so well crafted. Can’t wait for more!

Family Lore is a women-centered, multigenerational family saga that explores themes of family, sisterhood, female desire, and fulfillment. The novel opens with Flor, the third-oldest child and second-oldest sister in the Marte family, deciding to hold a living wake for herself. We learn that many of the Marte women possess magical powers and that Flor's allows her to see people's deaths in her dreams. From there, the story is told from the alternating perspectives of Flor, her three sisters, Matilde, Pastora, and Camile, her daughter Ona, and her niece Yadi, moving between the present day and the near and distant past as the women contemplate the meaning of Flor's decision to hold a living wake. Did Flor dream of her own death? Someone else's?

I am a big fan of Acevedo's YA novels, so I was really excited to read her first novel written for adult audiences. I loved so much about this book--Acevedo's way with words and the characters she created especially. I loved that the story deliberately centered the inner lives of women and their relationships. Acevedo mostly used the shifting narratives effectively, and though there were some characters who didn't shine quite as brightly as the others (Pastora, Camile), I grew to love them all the more I heard from them. (Matilde, I love you the most).

This novel made my heart feel full and I am excited to see Acevedo continue to grow as a writer.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book!

I am an enormous fan of Elizabeth Acevedo's YA books. She has a magical way with words and can weave incredible stories. I was so excited for her first adult novel and while it was beautifully written and incredibly poignant at times, the story just did not captivate me like I hoped it would. The story centers on 4 sisters, all of whom have a different special gift. Through flashbacks and moments in the present, readers learn about the sisters, their mother, and some of their children. I had a bit of a hard time keeping the characters distinct and clear in my mind, which took away from the reading experience somewhat. I know many readers will love this story and the writing is beautiful!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Family Lore is a multigenerational tale of magic, tradition, and family bonds. It follows the sisters of the Marte family, who each have their own magical gift. Their relationships are all colored by history in their homeland of the Dominican Republic. They all live in the New York now and must adapt, helped by the younger generation of women. When Flor, the sister who is closest to the spirits, decides to have a living wake, the family is concerned that she knows something is coming. They all agree to help prepare, but old tensions surface and emotions run high.

This book is definitely centered more on characters than action. Most of it occurs over the period within a few days of Flor’s wake, so it is slow-paced and character driven. I liked that there were flashbacks to their childhoods, it provided a more vivid picture of the family history. I loved the magical realism elements, and the descriptions of the Marte women’s powers. The family relationships were poignant and I love that the whole story was centered on women characters of color.

I recommend this book for readers looking for a family saga, magical realism, and women POC characters!

Sadly, I have decided to dnf Family Lore. I’ve read and enjoyed all Elizabeth Acevedo’s YA novels and expected to enjoy her first adult novel as well. I should have looked at the genre of her newest book before deciding to read it. Acevedo’s YA books are all realistic fiction and I assumed her adult novel would be the same; however, it’s actually magical realism. Being latine myself, I feel like I should like that genre, but I’ve never really got on with it. I think in the right hands, other readers could really enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-arc copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Flor has abruptly decided to throw herself a “living wake” and what none of her family can deduce is whether her magical gift of seeing death has shown her own. This novel follows Flor and her four sisters and two nieces as they prepare for the wake while remembering their past. I liked this book for the beautiful writing but I had a hard time getting into it, mostly because magical realism doesn’t really interest me and I don’t know that it was necessarily needed in this book. I am interested in seeing what this author writes next as I did enjoy the writing style. I received a digital advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

When Flor announces she’s planning a living wake for herself, her family knows she’s keeping some kind of secret. After all, Flor has long had the power to know the exact date when someone will die. Is the wake a sign Flor’s time has come, or someone else’s? As Flor’s wake approaches and her sisters and nieces gather, it becomes clear she’s not the only one with something to hide.

Family Lore is a magical story of one Dominican American family at the crossroads of their past and future. It's got a big cast of nuanced characters, and I love how all their journeys tie into each other. I do feel like it spent a while winding up and ended closer to where it should have begun, but I will honestly read and enjoy anything Elizabeth Acevedo writes.

2.5/5 stars

I have loved some of this author's YA books. This is an adult book that explores the family dynamics of a Dominican-American family. It is a character driven story about sisters: Flor, Matilde, Pastora, and Camila. And two of their daughters: Ona and Yadi. It features some magical realism.

A few of the sisters have special "gifts". One of the sisters Flora can predict when someone will die. And she decides to have a live wake. The idea of this was okay. But I wanted more from the build-up and from the actual event

The book moves back and forth in time. And at times it was a bit confusing. I also didn't really enjoy the sexual content.

I did enjoy the Latin culture. And the language was beautiful. But I really struggled to get through this book. I wasn't invested in any of the characters. And I wish that a lot more had happened. Also the ending wasn't my favorite. I feel like this book would be for people who enjoy family stories centered on sisters. And who like character driven books.

Elizabeth Acevedo is one of my favorite authors of all time. I have read every book she has every written so when I heard she had an adult debut coming out, I about lost my mind. The concept of Family Lore is such an interesting one and I love books that I would describe as familial epics. I want to read a book that covers years of someone's life with sweeping and interconnected narratives. Since this book covers the slightly magical lives of the women of this family, it seemed like the perfect book for me.

Sadly, it didn't end up working out for me. The things that I thought I would love are actually what I think killed the book. The many different POVs for all the women in the family were hard to keep straight and of the many characters, only one of them was actually a standout character. It was hard to keep the events of the story straight in my head and the whole thing felt very muddled.

What I did love, however, was the writing style. I still think, even after not enjoying Family Lore as much as her previous works, that Elizabeth Acevedo is one of the voices of a generation. She has such a distinct and beautiful writing style.

Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo is a stunning and heartfelt novel that will leave readers feeling deeply moved. This beautifully crafted story tells the tale of the Marte women, a family with deeply rooted secrets that come to light in the lead up to a living wake for one of their own.

Acevedo masterfully weaves together the stories of each family member, painting a vivid picture of their lives and their struggles. From Matilde's attempts to cover up her husband's infidelity, to Camila's desire to stand up for herself, each character is richly developed and utterly captivating. The portrayal of the next generation, with cousins Yadi and Ona facing obstacles of their own, adds another layer of depth to this compelling story.

What truly makes this novel shine, however, is Acevedo's writing. Her prose is gorgeous and electric, with incredibly powerful imagery that will stay with you long after you've finished reading. The way she effortlessly blends past and present, as well as different cultures and locations, is truly remarkable.

Overall, Family Lore is a must-read for anyone looking for a moving and beautifully written family drama. With unforgettable characters and a poignant story, this is a novel that readers will cherish for years to come. Elizabeth Acevedo has truly outdone herself with this stunning work, and I cannot recommend it enough.

I enjoyed this one from Acevedo. I thought the elements of Magical Realism really added to the overall book. I liked how the story of one family’s women and their trials and tribulations navigating through life was told. The dual settings of New York City and the Dominican Republic made it more interesting. I thought the audiobook was great as well. At times, the timelines were hard to follow and I wasn't always sure which character I was reading about, but eventually it was easier to understand.

I wanted to love Family Lore. This is a family story across multiple generations. I typically like multi-timeline stories, but this one had so many characters and I kept forgetting who was who and how they were all related. The key was helpful, but having to constantly return back to it was not ideal. Acevedo's writing is wonderful, but sadly, this story was just not for me at this time.

When I saw Elizabeth Acevedo had written an adult novel, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it as I have devoured her YA books in one sitting. Alas, her newest book just didn't have the draw as her YA books have for me. This is a multigenerational tale which I normally love, but I struggled following the plot lines and keeping the characters straight. I had to DNF about 20% in. I will pick it up again to give it another try when I'm in a different season of reading.

Thank you netgalley for this ARC.

Elizabeth Acevedo is an author whose works I’ll automatically buy, without needing a synopsis or summary. Whether it’s poetry or prose, she has a way of infusing vibrant beauty and overflowing emotion into her writing. This, her adult debut, is a multi-generational tale that infuses a bit of magic, a lot of culture, and plenty of family drama.

I will say that if you’re going into this book expecting it to be similar to her previous works, your experience won’t be what you anticipate. While many of the themes common to Acevedo’s works can be found here as well, this book is much more adult in nature, and it comes with many issues that you wouldn’t see in a YA novel.

The story is also told through a nonlinear format, through the eyes of the six Marte women. Each character has a strong enough voice that I rarely had to check back to the chapter heading to see whose head we were in at the moment. I absolutely love that the reader has each woman’s perspective through the novel, especially when it comes to how they viewed each other. While I wish we’d had a bit more closure on some of the characters, I understand that this was merely a snapshot of their layered and nuanced lives. I like knowing that each of the women had more than what was presented in this particular story, and that for most of them, this three-day-time period was the start of something new and life changing.

The pacing is slow, giving us time to really dive deep and get to know each character in relation to the others. I adore character-driven stories, where we get to know each one well enough to connect and understand their motivations. The women in this book are flawed in what feels like a realistic way, and apart from the “gifts” many of them possess, they seem like women we might know and love in our own lives.

Thank you so much to Elizabeth Acevedo, Ecco, and Netgalley for this advanced copy!