Book review: The Forgotten Sister

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By Caroline Bond
Published by Corvus 

 Synopsis: Cassie and Erin are sisters. They are close - in age, looks and personality - but there is one crucial difference: Cassie is adopted. 

 At seventeen, Cassie sets out to find her birth mother. She is hungry for the truth, but she discovers her adoption was far more complicated than even she could have imagined. In uncovering her past identity Cassie learns her adoptive parents have kept a terrible secret from her her whole life, which now threatens to destroy everything she has ever held dear.

 How did this book end up in my hands? I loved The Second Child, Caroline Bond’s debut novel, so much that I requested a review copy of her second book as soon as I heard about it… and my wish was kindly granted!

 Was it a page-turner? Looking back, I can say that it was, yes. I must admit, however, that it took me some time to get into it. At first I didn’t feel a connection with any of the characters, apart from Erin, and this slightly halted my reading progress. Things changed maybe halfway through the book and I think that it was then that I realised that I was holding onto the characters of The Second Child and expecting them to suddenly show up! Once my brain (or heart?) understood that this was a different book, I couldn’t wait to turn those pages and I was completely absorbed by the lives of these people.

 Did the book meet my expectations? Yes. Like its predecessor, it’s emotional, it’s real and it’s skilfully crafted. The book cleverly begins with a flashback and an event that actually happens towards the end of the narration. Both of these trigger the reader’s imagination and create a sense of suspense and foreboding that is maintained throughout the novel, spurring you to read on and adjusting your guesses as you go. It’s family drama at its best! 

 Three words to describe it. Moving. Dramatic. Sad.

 Do I like the cover? Yes, it’s simple but very effective and easily identifiable.

 Have I read any other books by the same author? Yes, I read the author’s debut novel, The Second Child, which I highly recommend. You can read my review here, as well as a Q&A with Caroline Bond here.

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