Review: Finding Isobel by Mary Behan

An absorbing and poignant novel about a woman’s search for identity and path in life, Finding Isobel by Mary Behan examines the complex and painful choices that can rip families apart, as well as the kind, loving choices that can bring families together.

Isobel has always had nagging questions about her roots, as her adoptive parents were reluctant to disclose anything about where she came from. In a quest to uncover her past, Isobel travels from Canada to New Zealand in an inspiring and emotionally charged journey, reflecting on the human need to have a sense of belonging with one’s ancestors, vividly described by Behan’s brilliant pen.

When her 80-year-old friend and employer Maggie decides to end her terminal illness by suicide, Isobel finds herself at a new life-changing bifurcation. Should she go on and attend her first year at the vet school as planned, or should she wander off in search of her origins? Maggie was instrumental in Isobel’s dream to become a vet, but in her goodbye letter, it is Maggie herself who urges Isobel to change her plans. Isobel’s adoptive family had moved to New Zealand seven years back, so Maggie suggests she should start from there to find her biological parents. Though still numb with grief at the loss of her friend, and painfully aware of her boyfriend Vic’s disapproval, Isobel sets off on a journey of self-discovery that deeply changes her view not only of her current family, but also of the one that she wants to build.

From the beginning of the novel, Isobel shows a remarkable instinct for compassion and kindness, even if she has struggled to find that throughout her life. Her good heart shines through chapter by chapter, from her taking care of Maggie, to her ability to understand and forgive her adoptive parents for treating her with distance as a child. With intimate and insightful prose, Behan doesn’t shy away from difficult themes and emotions surrounding adoption, family, love, or the trauma of war. As Isobel uncovers her Serbian roots, she discovers the unpleasant truth behind the war that had destroyed her country and her family.

Even with these darker topics, the book also manages to find a balance with a delightful lightheartedness, allowing the reader to feel even closer to Isobel and her story – she’s an endearing presence who never becomes too maudlin about all of the troubles she faces, while still evocatively portrayed as a fully-rounded person. Behan treads with delicacy and respect through the thornier themes, giving her protagonist the strength to see the beauty and joy in small moments. The novel could have dug deeper into the psychological interplay between Isobel and her adoptive parents, but that is not really the book’s focus, as it looks more toward the future, and Behan eloquently examines Isobel’s hopes and motivations.

Written with intimacy and realism, Finding Isobel is a probing story about what it means to belong, asking and answering deep questions about life and the meaning of family, for a truly moving work of contemporary fiction.