one of my best friends gifted me this book for my birthday, and i’m so glad she did. i wasn’t expecting to be as invested in the book and the characters as i was, considering the book's length, how it took place over several years, and mentioned many characters. while i’m very close to my immediate family, i feel like anyone can relate to the intricacies this family represents, including myself. the book also represented to me the importance of not letting things go unsaid; so many of the characters felt different weighing emotions because they didn’t share how they felt or didn’t know how to communicate with each other. this book tugged at my heart. 

I liked this! It feels like ages ago now that I finished it. It's a perfect light and easy read containing depth of character without a searing or heavy plot. In fact, I was surprised by how little plot there was, but I enjoyed that. Everything doesn't come together with deep thematic resonance or catharsis, which I admit I'm often drawn to. Not every family goes through a crisis requiring that. Each chapter is focused on a different family member's point of view, spanning maybe three generations, but I don't think Tyler ever revisits any one character's internal perspective. I felt a peaceful sort of letting go in this, and the way characters are revisited from a distance within another family member's observation or relationship with them. The vignette style of charting this family felt different than others I've read lately, and I liked that novelty. No one develops into a villain, protagonist, or black sheep. Rather, everyone walks their own path and finds their own version of fulfillment in a very realistic way. I particularly enjoyed the grandmother's story

Immersive. Visceral.

Spanning from 1959 to 2020, "French Braid" tells the story of a single family (over four generations), exploring its complexities. It's the first Anne Tyler book I've read. Now I plan to read them all.