This is How It Always Is - Review

Review
This is How It Always Is - Laurie Frankel

     This is How It Always Is, written by Laurie Frankel, depicts five-year-old Claude Walsh-Adams, a kindergartner with dreams of being a girl. The story, told through the eyes of everyone in the family, helped tell it from the point of view of a grown-up and child alike. The story takes place first in Madison, Wisconsin, then in Seattle, Washington. It shares the fictional story of Claude as he becomes Poppy, and the struggle this family has with covering up the secret, finding who to share it with, and whether this is something anyone really is. This is How It Always Is was a fictional but well-written example of real human emotions and the ever-nagging problem of never seeming to be true to yourself. The novel connected to the real world in a way that readers could understand best: through the family. Because the story was told in the setting of the family house and atmosphere, it had a very different feel than if it had been told through the atmosphere of an outsider or just Claude himself. This style of writing helped me personally understand the worries of everyone in the family and how people of different ages and experiences interpret things differently than others; knowing the point of view of the children and parents at once was beneficial when trying to understand seperate parts of the book. However, some transitions were slightly rocky and difficult to follow, especially towards the major climax in the story. As Poppy grows older, more starts threatening to expose her secret, and because of that, there's more action towards the middle of the novel. Though it was hard to follow at first, it grew easier when reread and eventually began to make sense. The way the author illustrated each of her points made an impact on my point of view and helped me understand more about the topic. I would definitely read it again, and I would recommend it to someone. 

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