FAVORITE DAUGHTER

An alcoholic father’s dying wish reunites two estranged half sisters in this debut novel.

Learning of her father’s death from a newspaper obituary, kindergarten teacher Mickey Morris, born Michelle Kowalski, is not surprised that she’s not listed as next of kin; she hasn’t spoken to Adam Kowalski in more than 26 years, since he abandoned her and her mother for another woman and a new family. So she’s shocked to learn that he’s left her more than $5 million. The catch, as sad-sack estate lawyer Tom Samson informs her, is that Mickey—who struggles with a severe drinking problem that threatens her job—must complete seven therapy sessions before she can collect the money. The therapist her father has chosen is her younger half sister, Arlo, whom he has cut out of the will. Mickey and Arlo have never met, and neither knows that they’re related. This intriguing premise could have resulted in an outrageous situation comedy or tense psychological thriller, but Canadian author Dick instead creates a melancholy family dramedy to explore the nature of grief and the way two emotionally damaged young women can recover from the trauma of addiction and bad parenting. Unlike Mickey, who resented her absent father, Arlo adored and cared for Daddy in his final days. But she too has denial issues, especially accepting responsibility for a serious professional mistake. While Dick vividly captures the chaos of alcoholism and its impact on family members and friends, Mickey’s continual poor choices and Arlo’s questionable ethics eat away at the reader’s sympathy. Indeed, the only appealing characters are 5-year-old Ian, Mickey’s favorite student, and Daria, Mickey’s artist neighbor, whom Mickey betrays in the most appalling way.

A thought-provoking but imperfect portrait of family dynamics from a promising newcomer.