In this memoir, Homes writes about her relationship with her biological mother, who reappeared in her life suddenly after thirty years—and later, her biological father as well. Initially bitter (yet curious) about this "return from the past" of the parents who gave her up for adoption, A. slowly discovers the grotesque similarities they share, but also the profound differences that, after so many years, make them inevitably distant and detached. More than that: A.'s emotional investigation of her natural parents leads her to understand their past, their mistakes, and the reasons behind their decision to abandon her.
The writer's thoughts and opinions reach us unfiltered and in meticulous detail: in the first part, this is largely a strength; in the second, she gets lost a bit too much in particulars, becoming tedious and padding the narrative unnecessarily. Even so, it remains an excellent, clear, and penetrating personal portrait of a woman grappling with her identity—suddenly so similar to that of two strangers.
Matteo Cinti, 2012