Et cetera : What We’re Reading: This Is How It Always Is

I recently read 'This Is How It Always Is' by Laurie Frankel. Published in 2017, this book came onto my radar after reading Frankel's 'Family Family.' The novel tells the story of a midwestern family of seven: Mom Rosie, Dad Penn, and five kids. Mom is an ER physician, Dad is an author working on his DN (damn novel), and all five children are unique, rambunctious, and eager to hear Dad tell stories at bedtime. One evening, the kids are all sharing what they'd like to be when they grow up, and Claude, the youngest, states confidently that when he grows up he'd like to be a girl. The story continues from there, sharing the decisions this family makes in response to Claude's dream, as well as the many other dreams shared by this family.

I loved this novel for many of the same reasons I loved 'Family Family.' I find Frankel unparalleled when it comes to writing about emotionally complex topics, told through multi-dimensional mothers with a lot on their minds. The novel is full of honesty and heart, and I found myself right there with each of the characters every step of the way. In the author's note, Frankel writes, 'I wish for my child, for all our children, a world where they can be who they are and become their most loved, blessed, appreciated selves.' This book currently has 4.28/5 stars on goodreads.com and was a 2017 nominee for Goodreads Readers' Favorite Fiction.

Happy reading!

~Kelly Henkle, Library Director