The Family Stringis a wonderful coming-of-age story that explores the bonds between mothers and daughters, and the subtle ways in which they express their love for each other in trying times.

Set in 1960s Adelaide, 12-year-old Dorcas grows up in a family of Christadelphians, a denomination of Christianity whose strict, fundamentalist beliefs forbid worldliness and entertainment. However, this simply doesn’t work for wild-child Dorcas, whose lovable humour, irrepressible cheek and naughty streak goes against every rule and restriction her mother tries to impose. As Dorcas’ dreams of the outside world grow bigger and bigger, so too do the internal conflicts of her family, and Dorcas is left wondering if the ones she loves will ever strengthen their bond again, or if it willinevitably fall apart.

When I was not reading this book, I was thinking about this book. My heart was with Dorcas on every step ofher journey. She’s an engaging, lively character whose naïve and trusting nature sometimes brings the reader to grief, as Dorcas doesn’t always understand the full picture of the situation before her. Nevertheless, she quickly lifts your spirits again with her consistent pestering for a dog and knack for causing havoc. You’re intrigued by the community the family is surrounded by and the secrets this town holds; the mystery behind why Dorcas’ older brother Daniel is exiled, the past Dorcas’ mother hides beneath her stony exterior, and the severity with which religious fanaticism can affect a young child’s mind. Social propriety is an all encompassing burden on Dorcas as well as her mother, who longs for acceptance and conformity, no matter how much it may tear apart her family.

Denise Picton’s debut dissects the complexities of family bonds, and how despite the arguments, tension and sometimes even hatred, love will always prosper and win out in the end.