Akin is the third book I have read from Emma Donoghue. I am familiar with her slow, character driven writing style and long chapters. This book was a bit different with chapters that were 30-50 pages versus 75-80. 

Set in NYC and on a trip to Nice, this book tells the story of 79 year old Noah and 11 year old Michael. Noah is Michael's great uncle and  the only suitable kinship foster placement for Michael when his grandmother dies. They have not seen each other in years. We slowly learn the backstory that has brought them together as they struggle to form a connection. 

Noah has long been planning a trip to his childhood home of Nice for his 80th birthday. Suddenly accompanied by a cranky adolescent, Noah investigates the mysterious past of his late mother. Was she a Nazi collaborator? What do the pictures from her past mean? The parallels between Noah’s past and Michael’s childhood are beautifully drawn. 

If you love a character driven novel with unlikely characters coming together, this book will be a great fit for you. The connection and tension between Noah and Michael pulls the heartstrings in such a genuine way. Emma Donoghue shows not only her great writing skills but also tender insight into what it means to be young and old and alive.