What happens when in a single moment your entire life falls apart? 

This is what happens to two suburban neighbouring families in an affluent area where the wives are best friends, whose children have grown up together. When Lorrie’s eldest son Knox begins dating Eden’s only child Summer, the two mothers’ have mixed feelings about the relationship. They feel the young adults are too young to get serious, and since it’s their senior year, they’re months away from heading to two different colleges. What they would never, ever have anticipated is that the week before graduation Summer would accuse Knox of rape. Knox claims it was consensual, Summer insists it wasn’t. Now there’s a divide between Lorrie and Eden, Knox and Summer, their family and friends, and the wider community. Can forgiveness even come from such an unforgivable act? 

I award 4.5 stars to Such a Good Family. It was heartbreaking, uncomfortable, emotional, and gut-wrenching. The plot went in an unexpected direction, and I liked that it did. I also appreciated that things were never overly dramatic, outlandish, or twisty with secrets coming out of the woodwork, and that it remained realistic and grounded in reality. The main themes were trauma, sexual consent, victim-blaming, loss, family crisis and breakdown, ostracism, and suburban social cliques, but also, picking up the pieces, moving on, starting over, growing up, and coming of age. 

The multiple POV’s allow you to experience the fallout from all sides and show each character’s reactions, feelings, views, and coping mechanisms. Several chapters took place prior to the incident starting six months beforehand, but the majority of the book focused on the aftermath taking place over the span of a week. 

A discussion-invoking and thought-provoking read which would make a great book club selection. I don’t usually like to compare authors, but the tone, style, and emotional impact reminded me of Jodi Picoult, Celeste Ng, and Angie Kim. I highly recommend this debut.