Way Things Look to Me

Roopa Farooki deftly explores the relationships and rivalries among siblings in this beautifully written novel, longlisted for the Orange Prize. When your little sister is anything but normal, is there a "normal" way to feel towards her? The Murphy family is not like any other family on their block. Since both of their parents passed away, the three Murphy siblings, now entering adulthood, must grapple with the world's challenges — and each other — on their own. There's Yasmin, the youngest, who sees music in color and remembers so much that sometimes her head hurts, but whose autism renders her frustratingly distant. Lila, the stubbornly rebellious middle child who has never been able to forgive Yasmin for claiming so much of their mother's attention, leads a wayward existence, drifting between jobs and men. Asif, the responsible yet worn-down older brother, tries to hold the family together, but his commitment to caring for Yasmin has prevented him from having his own life. When the unthinkable threatens the family's delicate balance, will they stand together or fall apart? The Way Things Look to Me is a deeply moving portrayal of a family in crisis, caught between duty and love in a tangled relationship both bitter and bittersweet.