Far From the Tree explores relationships and what family really means. Robin Benway’s writing style is simple, but that does not take away from the story, which is full of layers. The story is told in multiple points-of-view of the three protagonists: Maya, Grace, and Joaquin, biological siblings who were given up at birth. Benway covers heavy topics, such as adoption, teen pregnancy, foster care, bullying, alcoholism, and physical abuse as well as positive topics such as family, friendship, love, and the bond between siblings. I really enjoyed exploring the siblings’ stories and how they weaved together. The character development in this book was excellent. All of the protagonists grew emotionally. This is such a wonderful, special, heartbreaking book about what it means to be a family, and I highly recommend it. It is very emotional and personal, so I think that readers will be able to easily relate to the characters and the story.