One for the Road: Forever Lily

I wanted to feature a book this week that had to do with the adoption process, and the journey many mothers or fathers make to bring a child from another land into their lives. Forever Lily: An Unexpected Mother's Journey to Adoption in China is such a book, but the reviews on this memoir are mixed. Author Beth Nonte Russell accompanies her friend Alex to China, where Alex has arranged to adopt a little girl from an orphanage. But when Alex has a change of heart, it is Russell who winds up adopting the child herself. A strange turn of events indeed.

It's a true life tale that touches on a wide range of feelings surrounding motherhood and the adoption experience, but some reviews I read claim that the elaborate dream sequences Russell shares throughout her story seem far-fetched, and only serve to distract the reader. If the plot of this real-life adoption at all sparks your interest, pick up a copy and see for yourself -- Russell receives some praise for a well-written book that does a fair job of explaining the adoption process, and includes wonderful description about the experience of traveling in China.

Filed under: Books, One for the Road