The Family Tree

 

By

Barbara Delinsky

A white couple just bears a baby akin to an African American in appearance! This undoubtedly raises many eyebrows and some awkward questions too. Yes, this is how the novel The Family Tree authored by Barbara Delinsky starts, throwing in a piece of news for the reader to chew on. As the name suggests, this novel is predominantly about a quest for the roots of a family, following a peculiar development in the lives of the key characters.

This intriguing story reveals a world of blue-blooded, refined class of people placed in distinguishable positions, where the main character Hugh Clarke belongs. But on the other hand, his wife Dana had lost her mother at a very young age and found her peace of mind at The Stitchery owned by her grandmother. As soon as her African-American-resembling girl child is born, her world turns upside down with a variety of responses coming from her acquaintances, some comforting yet some too bitter. And there starts a tale of pursuit to dig up the details of her ancestors who might have been African-Americans or in other words, to bring out her family tree which was way too obscure to get hold of.

Barbara Delinsky has done a good job in weaving a tale of suspense with an incredible climax. She has tried to convey her thoughts on the racial prejudice existing even today in America. Some of the whites who feign to cling on to ideals against racism have been vehemently ridiculed by the author. Be sure to check out The Family Tree to get to know more about people who clasp faith even in the hardest of testing times.

Reviewed by

Salini Johnson, XI A