THE FARADAY GIRLS

Author: Monica McInerney ISBN: 0345490231 9/2007 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: BALLANTINE

As a child, Maggie Faraday grew up in a lively, unconventional house­hold with her young mother, four very different aunts, and eccentric grandfather. With her mother often away, her aunts took turns looking after her—until, just weeks before Maggie's sixth birthday, a shocking event changed everything. Twenty years later, Maggie is living alone in New York City when she receives a surprise visit from her grandfather Leo, who brings a revelation and a proposition: He's preparing a special gift for his daughters and needs Maggie's help. When the Faradays gather from all parts of the world to celebrate Christmas in July—a longstanding tradition—Maggie uncovers unexpected family history and learns that the women she thought she knew so intimately all have something to hide.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

THE FARADAY GIRLS is a complicated, intimate look at sisterhood, secrets and the things families will do in order to ensure love and the status quo are never threatened. Four sisters, four completely different personalities, combine to raise one very well-loved child. The quirkiness inherent in Maggie's family isn't something she fully realizes until she's an adult. A request by her grandfather to return to the fold in order to celebrate yet another unusual family tradition reveals the true family behind the façade. Some of their hidden motivations are profound and astounding, and all leave a huge impression on Maggie.

There are parts where this book drags a bit, places where the action nearly grinds to a halt while one sister or another dominates the tale. This lack of cohesiveness was somewhat unsettling, making the book choppier than I would have liked. But when there are so many characters in a story, each with their own voice, motivation and action, it seems that this could hardly be avoided. The overall story is interesting, although it did make me glad that I didn't have a slew of sisters to contend with while growing up. Their bonds felt like they could strangle as well as hold dear, and there were points where I definitely didn't like each of the sisters in turn. It's a miracle that Maggie managed to grow up at all in that off-beat environment. Monica McInerney has a unique writing style and a charming way of telling a story.

Kay James