The Bottom Line
The English American is Alison Larkin's first novel, and it's a work of fiction drawn from the author's own experience as a young English woman who meets her biological parents, two eccentric Americans. Part chick-lit story about finding love, part emotional exploration of the lasting effects of adoption, The English American is a charmingly-written novel.
Pros
- Vivid, likeable characters make The English American a quick, fun read
Cons
- Larkin's novel has high aspirations, but the voice and pacing belong strictly to chick lit
Description
- British Pippa Dunn reconnects with her American birth parents
- Hoping to discover her family, Pippa relocates to the United States
- The more she learns about her birth parents, the more confused Pippa becomes
Guide Review - 'The English American' by Alison Larkin - Book Review
Alison Larkin is a British performer and comedienne who drew from her personal experiences to write her first novel, The English American, about a 28-year-old British woman who connects with her American birth parents. Not surprisingly, it throws her identity into confusion and she moves to the United States to learn more about her relatives and herself.
At first, the creative (and sloppy) tendencies of her mother, and the sense of humor (and red hair) of her father are traits Pippa Dunn is delighted to match in herself. Delving deeper, though, she and her new biological parents struggle to figure out how to fit into each other's lives.
Larkin writes easily and with humor, and her characters are well drawn and interesting. The emotional passages seem to have been intended to be weighty and resonant, but at times they fit awkwardly with other tropes of chick lit on which The English American relies. Despite this, Larkin's novel is an admirable effort and thoroughly pleasant read.
