happyThe Martian Child is a short novel, but one that grabs the reader and throws them into the author's life. It takes you from meetings with social workers, to the tender construction of a relationship with a child who finds it difficult to trust. We follow the story through tantrums and trauma, to hope, to dreams, and yes, to love. David's relationship with Dennis is a fragile one, and complicated by Dennis' past. There are many hurdles to overcome in the two years the story covers, but there is ultimately triumph in the finalisation of the adoption, and Dennis' realisation that relationships are not temporary.
An engrossing, and quick read, with heartfelt emotion on every page. It's also an inspiration to anyone struggling with the conventional definitions of family - yes, there are other ways, and yes, they do work.
