Family Lore

The first book for adults by best-selling and National Book Award-winning novelist Elizabeth Acevedo tells the tale of a Dominican-American family as narrated by its women as they wait for a gathering that would alter their lives forever.

Flor is gifted with the ability to foretell death dates to the day. Her sisters are shocked when she decides she wants a living wake—a celebration that would unite her family and the town in honor of the long life she's lived. Has Flor predicted her own demise, or that of another person? Is she motivated by anything else? She declines to inform Matilde, Pastora, and Camila, her sisters.

But there are other people with secrets besides Flor. After attempting for several years to conceal her husband's adultery, Matilde is now forced to face the reality of her marriage. Pastora is usually the quieter sister, but Flor's wake inspires this determined woman to help her sibling with her issues. As the youngest sibling and frequently the one overlooked, Camila has made the decision that she will no longer put up with being ignored.

The next generation, cousins Ona and Yadi, is also experiencing turmoil of their own. Ona has been married for a long time and is trying to become pregnant, while Yadi is reunited with her first love, who was imprisoned while they were both still children. Ona needs to determine if it's worthwhile to continue trying for a kid and for the anthropology research, which is starting to seem uninteresting.

Family Lore chronicles the lives of the Marte women throughout the three days leading up to the wake, interweaving the past, present, and cities of Santo Domingo and New York. This is an unforgettable depiction of sisters, cousins, aunts, and nieces—one family's journey through their history, assisting them in better navigating everything that lies ahead—told in Elizabeth Acevedo's distinctive and radiant voice.