ARC Review the publisher sent this to me in exchange for an honest review* The synopsis * Eighteen-year-old Stella Sandell stands accused of the brutal murder of a man almost fifteen years her senior. She is an ordinary teenager from an upstanding local family. What reason could she have to know a shady businessman, let alone to kill him?
Stella’s father, a pastor, and mother, a criminal defense attorney, find their moral compasses tested as they defend their daughter, while struggling to understand why she is a suspect. Told in an unusual three-part structure, A Nearly Normal Family asks the questions: How well do you know your own children? How far would you go to protect them?*
I loved this story it was full of so many twists and turns. The story is broken up into three parts. The first part is from Stella’s father’s perspective Adam. He is a pastor who is is super overprotective of his daughter and in my opinion with good reason. Stella is definitely a rebellious teenager who tries and does everything to get under her father’s skin.
I completely understand why Adam did what he did. Stella pushes back against her father at every turn doing drugs and having sex. If it wasn’t for Stella’s best friend Amina her parents would have been completely in the dark. When she confides in Stella’s mother Ulrika one day that Stella had been smoking Pot at 14. Adam goes into overdrive. He watches over her even more intensely. When she begs her parents to let her go to conformation camp despite her being non-religious they agree to let her go.
This for me was the turning point in the story. When one night while she is at camp she goes off with a camp counselor Robin whom she has a big crush on. She is excited to be alone with him but things take a turn for the worst when she is raped by him. Made even worse by the fact that her father witnesses the attack. Horrified he rushes Stella home. What pissed me off though was Adam’s reaction. He did not want to report Robin to save his daughter the shame of a trial. Ulrika however disagrees and wants to press charges. An argument ensues but no charges against her attacker.
This attack obviously changes Stella and her behavior. It makes her more vulnerable. The novel’s premise is that Stella is accused of murdering a wealthy older man Christopher Olsen. We learn that she had a relationship with. Part 2 of the novel is from Stella’s point of view. Did she do it or did someone else? Stella and Amina met Christopher Olsen at a nightclub called Tegners. Chris and Stella struck up a conversation and became friendly. At the end of that first meeting they shared a ride home. From that point on a relationship forms.
That changes when Stella is contacted by one of Chris’s ex’s Linda. She warns Stella to stay away from him claiming he is dangerous and violent. When Stella refuses to listen writing her off as crazy. Linda turns to Amina begging her to make Stella listen. When she in turn does some digging in on Chris she learns that he has lied about his age and is into some things that Stella is uncomfortable with. So she backs off of him. When he turns up dead at a playground Stella is arrested suspected of his murder.
The last part of the novel is from Ulrika’s point of view. She being a defense attorney will do anything Stella off including we latter learn disposing of evidence. Including a bloody shirt, cell phone and the murder weapon. The most shocking part of the story? Is Stella’s best friend’s role. When Stella backs off Chris and their relationship. He turns to Amina. Although flattered at first while on a date. He rapes her when she resists him. Wanting to retaliate Amina goes after him. While the story doesn’t really say Amina runs Stella while pursuing Chris. It makes it seem like they are both guilty of the murder. I really enjoyed. It kept me on my feet the whole time I was reading!
Stella’s father, a pastor, and mother, a criminal defense attorney, find their moral compasses tested as they defend their daughter, while struggling to understand why she is a suspect. Told in an unusual three-part structure, A Nearly Normal Family asks the questions: How well do you know your own children? How far would you go to protect them?*
I loved this story it was full of so many twists and turns. The story is broken up into three parts. The first part is from Stella’s father’s perspective Adam. He is a pastor who is is super overprotective of his daughter and in my opinion with good reason. Stella is definitely a rebellious teenager who tries and does everything to get under her father’s skin.
I completely understand why Adam did what he did. Stella pushes back against her father at every turn doing drugs and having sex. If it wasn’t for Stella’s best friend Amina her parents would have been completely in the dark. When she confides in Stella’s mother Ulrika one day that Stella had been smoking Pot at 14. Adam goes into overdrive. He watches over her even more intensely. When she begs her parents to let her go to conformation camp despite her being non-religious they agree to let her go.
This for me was the turning point in the story. When one night while she is at camp she goes off with a camp counselor Robin whom she has a big crush on. She is excited to be alone with him but things take a turn for the worst when she is raped by him. Made even worse by the fact that her father witnesses the attack. Horrified he rushes Stella home. What pissed me off though was Adam’s reaction. He did not want to report Robin to save his daughter the shame of a trial. Ulrika however disagrees and wants to press charges. An argument ensues but no charges against her attacker.
This attack obviously changes Stella and her behavior. It makes her more vulnerable. The novel’s premise is that Stella is accused of murdering a wealthy older man Christopher Olsen. We learn that she had a relationship with. Part 2 of the novel is from Stella’s point of view. Did she do it or did someone else? Stella and Amina met Christopher Olsen at a nightclub called Tegners. Chris and Stella struck up a conversation and became friendly. At the end of that first meeting they shared a ride home. From that point on a relationship forms.
That changes when Stella is contacted by one of Chris’s ex’s Linda. She warns Stella to stay away from him claiming he is dangerous and violent. When Stella refuses to listen writing her off as crazy. Linda turns to Amina begging her to make Stella listen. When she in turn does some digging in on Chris she learns that he has lied about his age and is into some things that Stella is uncomfortable with. So she backs off of him. When he turns up dead at a playground Stella is arrested suspected of his murder.
The last part of the novel is from Ulrika’s point of view. She being a defense attorney will do anything Stella off including we latter learn disposing of evidence. Including a bloody shirt, cell phone and the murder weapon. The most shocking part of the story? Is Stella’s best friend’s role. When Stella backs off Chris and their relationship. He turns to Amina. Although flattered at first while on a date. He rapes her when she resists him. Wanting to retaliate Amina goes after him. While the story doesn’t really say Amina runs Stella while pursuing Chris. It makes it seem like they are both guilty of the murder. I really enjoyed. It kept me on my feet the whole time I was reading!