Kin by Lesley Crewe

Each family starts with roots, no matter how a member is connected, and branches out to become a beautiful masterpiece. Kin celebrates that with the telling of many stories linked to a small town in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and Crewe does it in a way that leaves you breathless.

Kin is the story of Lila, Annie, David and everyone their lives connect with. The main character can arguably be their family as a whole, each of them as individuals or the community and the stunning tree that is within it. Crewe’s story is a tale of lost love, found self and lends itself to being a simple masterpiece of life in any small town or family.

David is a character I fell in love with and slowly became disappointed in though I can appreciate the good intentions he had in everything he did. Annie, his sister, a woman I easily admired and earned to be and Lila the surprise that broke my heart time and again.

Crewe’s writing immediately drew me in to have the Macdonald family adopt me as their own, having me travel as far as Montreal and back home then to hell and back. Simple decisions that we think may be for the best may destroy too many.

Capturing my heart with its symbolism and magical use of dogs, pigs, trees and nose rings to tell this story, corruption and drama is a must have in any family to keep everyone close.

If you have a family or think your existence isn’t effecting everyone around you, this is a must read.

Lesley Crewe is a fellow Nova Scotian author who I had the pleasure of briefly meeting and immediately feeling like I would always be a friend. Just finishing the film for her book Relative Happiness, Crewe can be found adding to her blog, enjoying her family or crafting another masterpiece. An amazing and generous woman you simply need to enjoy.

Thanks for reading,

Sarah Butland