Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity, and the Meaning of Family

Identical twins Isabella and Hà, born in Vietnam and raised on opposite sides of the world, were reunited as teenagers, despite all odds. Award-winning journalist Erika Hayasaki spent years interviewing birth and adoptive family members to bring the girls' experiences to life, challenging conceptions about adoption and what it means to give a child a good life. "Somewhere Sisters" is a richly textured, moving story of sisterhood and coming of age, told through the remarkable lives of young women who have redefined the meaning of family for themselves.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 21 November 2022
Publisher: Algonquin Books (division of Workman)

In 1998, in Nha Trang, Vietnam, Liên faced the challenge of caring for her newborn twin girls, Isabella and Hà. Hà was taken in by Liên's sister and grew up in a rural village, attending school and playing with neighbors. They experienced sporadic electricity and frequent monsoons. On the other hand, Isabella was adopted by a wealthy, white American family and renamed her Isabella. She grew up in the suburbs of Chicago with her nonbiological sister, Olivia, also adopted from Vietnam. Isabella and Olivia attended a predominantly white Catholic school, played soccer, and prepared for college.

However, their lives took an unexpected turn when Isabella's adoptive mother discovered her biological twin back in Vietnam. Award-winning journalist Erika Hayasaki spent years conducting extensive interviews with the birth and adoptive family members to bring the girls' experiences to life. Told from their own perspectives, the book challenges conceptions about adoption and what it means to provide a good life for a child. Hayasaki contextualizes the sisters' experiences within the broader history of twin studies, intercountry and transracial adoption, and the nature-versus-nurture debate. She also incorporates the latest scholarship and conversations surrounding adoption, particularly among adoptees.

Somewhere Sisters is a deeply textured and moving story of sisterhood and coming of age. It explores the complexities of identity, belonging, and the search for one's place in the world. The book offers a unique perspective on adoption, shedding light on the experiences of adoptees and their families. It is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of adoption and the profound impact it can have on individuals and families.

Dimension: 152 x 229 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781616209124