Review of 'A Beautiful Family' - Jennifer Trevelyan

It is clear right from the start that beneath the seemingly placid surface of the novel, something is lurking. Troubled teens target the eldest daughter, the youngest gets caught up in the mystery of a vanished child and the tension between the parents is palpable. It is a powder keg of pent up and repressed emotions, just waiting for the spark to ignite it.

This is a beautifully written story which takes the reader to the very heart of the family. All their secrets are laid bare in the subtext and it is hard to fathom how the rest of the family don’t see what is happening right under their noses. However, the parents are so caught up in their own affairs that the girls are left to their own devices, leading to situations with potentially tragic consequences. The family dynamics are such that it is hard to feel empathy for the parents because they are so blind and self-centred in their different ways. This has a knock-on effect on the girls and there were a couple of occasions where I found it hard to believe Vanessa was 15 because her behaviour and attitude were more akin to that of a toddler.

Overall, I enjoyed the book very much, mainly because the skill of the writing was such that it drew you into their world and you can feel a sense of things building towards their dreadful conclusion. However, I did feel a little cheated by the ending; so much was left unresolved and yet it doesn’t feel like a ‘beginning of a series’ book. Nevertheless, this didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. I have long known I don’t like unresolved endings, but know other people who love them, which diversity of opinion is, of course, one of the joys of discussing books!