This is different from Acevedo's other work. Her first foray into adult fiction and prose is interesting. The writing is slower, but I've found that to be true for most poets writing novels. You sink into the language. The interruptions in the text are brilliant. And the magic is exciting and refreshing.

This is a compelling family story with an intriguing premise. What would you do if you could predict your own death and those of people you care for? Bring them all together for one last gathering before you go?

Thanks to @eccobooks for an advance copy of Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo, which has been out now for some time and which I am shamefully just now getting to review!

I’m a big fan of Acevedo’s YA novels The Poet X and Clap When You Land, so I was very excited to hear she was coming out with an adult novel.

Family Lore is, at its core, a story about women: sisters, mothers, wives, and daughters (if you liked the dynamics of The Joy Luck Club or Homegoing, I think you’ll enjoy this!)

Brought together by Flora, who has decided to throw a living wake (and whose connection to death causes everyone to wonder what she isn’t saying), the sisters and their daughters reflect on their lives and relationships and the choices that have brought them from the DR to NYC.

While I did find one plot point pulling me out of the narrative (IYKYK), Acevedo is a gifted writer and I found myself highlighting so many turns of phrase and moments where her words had my heart in my throat:

“You taught me: all of us are magic wrapped in skin. And taut with over-wrought wonder, for the fleeting time we are beings, we would have to make her up: the woman we require to survive this world.”

Thank you so much to the Publisher for sending me a copy of this book! I am a big fan of Elizabeth Acevedo’s books so I was extremely excited to read this book! I was not disappointed at all! This is one of the best books I have read in a long time! I loved this family and the characters! Elizabeth is a writer of a lifetime!

I unfortunately could not get into this one because the writing style didn't hook me. However, I believe this was covered by someone else on the FBC podcast or blog.

I previously read Acevedo's YA writing and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I went into this one very excited about a novel marketed for adults. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this one as much as I thought I would. I think that others will certainly enjoy the story, but this one wasn't for me.

This novel hooked me from the beginning and I was intrigued by the story throughout. My main critique is that on audio, it was often hard to follow who was narrating and for the middle half I found myself less invested. Picked back up at the end. overall, 3.5 stars

This has been my least favorite of Acevedo's works. I love her writing style and the storyline was interesting. I noticed on my previous reviews of her works that every single one was 5 stars. This was 3. I'm not sure if I am judging it based on my fan girling her previous work or that it just didn't measure up to the standard that I wanted. The sisters are interesting and I loved thinking about their gifts and the next generation and how they all relate. It's worthwhile to read but it won't stay with me like her previous work.

I have to say that I don't think this was a bad book, I just don't think it was me. I had a hard time keeping up with the multiple POV's. However, Elizabeth Acevedo is clearly a talented writer.

Family Lore is written in a new style for Acevedo, but her family storytelling is as incredible as always!

I am a big fan of Elizabeth Acevedo. I’ve read multiple books by her and I had high hopes for Family Lore. I was happy to get exactly what I was hoping for. Acevedo has a great way of getting the reader invested in the stories of every character.

"Family Lore" by Elizabeth Acevedo is a captivating exploration of heritage, identity, and the intricate tapestry of family stories. Acevedo's lyrical prose effortlessly weaves together the past and present, inviting readers to delve into the complexities of familial bonds and the power of storytelling. With rich characters and evocative imagery, this novel is a poignant reminder of the importance of understanding where we come from and how it shapes who we are. Acevedo's narrative mastery shines through in every page, making "Family Lore" a must-read for anyone who appreciates the beauty of intergenerational tales and the enduring legacy of family.

Another good outing from one of the best at what she does. This weaving tale of family lore is a great one. I highly recommend it.

Disappointed and I’m so sad about it. I was ready for this one to blow my mind and be a beautiful story but honestly too much porn talk and way too many POVs. 6 is just too many for me and I lost interested really quickly. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book

Flor can see the time of anyone's death. When she calls her family together for her living wake the aftershocks are felt through three generations of Dominican-American women. Elizabeth Acevedo's first novel for adults is a journey through family history- a story of love and triumph.

I am a huge Acevedo fan and was anxiously awaiting this book’s release. Unfortunately, it took me months to finish because I just couldn’t get into it. There were definitely moments of beauty in her language, as there always are. In the end, I felt this book was trying to do too much - tell too many stories from too many points of view.

This book was beautifully written, but I found the past/present timelines and multiple POVs really difficult to follow. I was constantly confused about what happened to each sister. I also don’t know that it was made clear that this was an adult book when the authors previous books were all YA, but this definitely was adult.

Family Lore is a story of two generations of an immigrant family. Most of the family members possess unique powers, ranging wildly from the ability to predict death to having an affinity for limes. Beyond their powers though, they all also face many challenges which is where their inner strength shines through, and what the book is mostly focused on.

Throughout the book we get to know this family via mostly flashbacks as they prepare for one of the sisters' living funeral. Since this event is planned by the sister that can tell when someone will die, it makes the family face the possibility of losing her, and their own mortality. They're also each at a precipice of their own, making them face where they are in life.

Family Lore is made up of things I love: it’s written by Elizabeth Acevedo, it’s a family saga and it’s magical realism. While I am glad I read it, and there were a lot of parts in it I really liked, I also never fully connected with it.

There are a lot of different topics handled in the book, infidelity, immigration, sexuality, infertility, and familial and romantic relationships. Acevedo handles each of these topics beautifully.

While I mostly appreciated reading their stories, my reading experience wasn’t entirely smooth. I felt like it dragged in so many points that it just made me want to stop reading it altogether. I think partially this was because it’s very vignette-like. If the character development or the writing were better, perhaps those might have gripped me. Basically, while there were many moving moments, I was not usually moved by them.

🎧 I’d heard her audiobooks were really great, so I listened to it on audio. I don’t know if it was because this one is in prose, but the narration was not my style.

Thank you to Ecco and NetGalley for the eARC!

Not really my cup of tea but applaud the strong writing. It was a Bad On Paper Book Club selection and glad I had the opportunity to read it.

A multigenerational story following the Marte sisters and the two daughters. The plot is in the title, this is a book of family lore. Their histories, their magic, their lives leading up to the “living wake” of the second oldest aunt, Flor, who knows when people will die.

I’ll be honest in that I felt my own lack while reading this book. Lack in what, I’m not sure— maybe culture, maybe the particular love for family, probably both. Family Lore felt like a love letter to Dominican women and the complicated mess that is familial relationships.

I was so endeared to these characters despite not always knowing where the story was heading or what the “point” of it was. I believe now, having finished it, that Acevedo is inviting us to sit around a table with these characters and enjoy a cafecito while they told their stories.