Review of Twice the Family

[Lucia Granger]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Twice the Family" by Julie Ryan McGue.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Sisterhood by Julie Ryan McGue is a beautiful and heartfelt story about family and identity. I would rate this book four out of five stars. I am always drawn to reading memoirs about families and their unique stories of life struggles. While the book was well written with no noted errors in grammar or spelling, I didn’t totally love it. At times, the pacing felt slow, and I found myself waiting for a dramatic turn or unexpected twist that never quite arrived. The author did a good job walking you through the life of her and her twin. The chapter titles clearly matched the content contained within.

The book is heavily rooted in faith and the author’s Catholic religion. McGue shares a moving narrative that traces her life alongside her twin sister, Jennifer, from their adoption as infants by a Catholic family, through the complexities of adulthood. They were born to a single unwed mother who was unable to raise them. The book takes you through how the twins grew up, the adversity that was faced and the struggles of their adoptive parents. There are moments of joy and sorrow throughout the book. The memoir covers many years from their childhood all the way through their adult married lives. Julie shows throughout the book the loving bond she has with her twin and the true example of a faithful family.

This book does get into some deep subjects such as infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, disability and the death of a young child. While these topics may be triggering for some, McGue addressed all with honesty and sensitivity. Through it all, it was love, trust and faith that got them through all of these adversities. Overall, Twice the Family is a touching memoir that offers an honest look at the strength of family bonds.

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Twice the Family
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