Is it me?

I think most kids who have siblings wonder, "am I my parents' favorite?". If you could know, would you want to? And what happens when you discover you're not the favorite? Those are questions that come up for the three adult daughters of Vivienne and Patrick Fisher when an accident at a family get together happens.

Three generations of the Fisher clan have gotten together for a week long celebration of Vivenne's 70th birthday. But on the first day of the trip a freak accident occurs and Patrick leaps in to save one of his daughters. A natural reaction for a parent. But what's not so natural-feeling to the the other two daughters is how clear it is that he deliberately chose who he was going to save, and it wasn't them. And everyone knows it. While Patrick tries to brush past what was made clear, the rest of the family is left struggling to continue the family trip without showing how that one moment has caused a shift in the family dynamic. Old rivalries are resurrected and life decisions are thrown into stark relief as each member re-examines their place in the family.

I loved this one from start to finish. The author brings her characters to complicated life. The tension brought on by who Patrick saved was a great jumping off point to explore the ways in which childhood events can seem so minor to some in the family and be foundational for another in shaping their identity and role. Beautifully done.