By Amanda Bridle, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

An initial glance at the cover of Jennifer Haigh’s novel The Condition might lead you to believe the book tells the story of Gwen McKotch, a woman diagnosed with Turner’s syndrome. However, the “condition” of the title is so much more than Gwen’s genetic condition. The book instead explores the conditions each member of the McKotch family finds themselves in as they struggle with the complexities of family relationships.

Haigh dives deep into the minds of each character, first setting the scene in 1976 when Gwen is diagnosed and then fast forwarding us ahead twenty years to the state of each of the three siblings, now adults, and their parents, now divorced. The characters each reflect on the current state of their lives. Through dramatic circumstances they are forced to confront the unsettling realization that their lives, even their very own selves, are not what they wanted or expected. The real story begins as each decides what, if anything, to do about his or her own “condition”.

If you enjoy family dramas and books full of introspection and internal debate, you will appreciate getting to know the McKotch family. My heart ached for each of them as the story unfolded. I wished for each of them to find their own happiness, both as individuals and as a family. Don’t miss your chance to meet and love this family and cheer them on as they discover their own happy ending.