Family Family

Laurie Frankel

62 pages 2-hour read

Laurie Frankel

Family Family

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2024

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

India is a passionate, driven actress who faces the challenges of her demanding career and her expanding, non-traditional family. Her early experiences with teenage pregnancy shape her fiercely independent path. She prioritizes authenticity and resilience in both her stage acting and her journey into motherhood.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Sarah Allwood

High School Girlfriend of Robbie

College Girlfriend of Davis

Adoptive Mother of Fig

Adoptive Mother of Jack

Client of Ajax Axelrod

Best Friend of Dakota

Rebecca is a teenager living in Seattle who loves to sing. Raised by her single adoptive mother, she experiences curiosity and confusion regarding her origins. She corresponds with Fig online, sparking a journey to better understand her biological roots.

Key Relationships

Adopted Daughter of Camille

Biological Daughter of India

Biological Daughter of Robbie

Online Correspondent of Fig

Robbie is a visiting professor's son who moves to India's high school. He has a beautiful singing voice and becomes India's first romantic partner. Together, they face adult decisions at a young age when they unexpectedly conceive a child.

Key Relationships

High School Boyfriend of India

Biological Father of Rebecca

Davis is a talented college student who plays opposite India in a campus theater production. He is biracial and has a natural acting ability that rivals India's formally trained skills. Their onstage chemistry quickly bleeds into their personal lives.

Key Relationships

College Boyfriend of India

Biological Father of Lewis

Supporting Characters

Fig is India's intelligent, precocious adopted daughter and Jack's twin sister. She struggles with fear and a need for security following early childhood trauma. Seeking to help her mother during a public relations crisis, she uses her technology skills to reach out to others online.

Key Relationships

Adoptive Daughter of India

Twin Sister of Jack

Online Correspondent of Rebecca

Jack is India's adopted son and Fig's twin brother. Unlike his sister, he does not excel in academics and occasionally gets into trouble, but he shares a strong protective bond with his family. He has little memory of his life before his adoption.

Key Relationships

Adoptive Son of India

Twin Brother of Fig

Lewis is a preteen who loves wearing superhero capes. Raised by two loving fathers, he occasionally faces questions about his biracial identity and his physical differences from his adoptive parents.

Key Relationships

Adopted Son of Drew

Adopted Son of Andy

Biological Son of Davis

Biological Son of India

Sarah is India's pragmatic and supportive mother. Working as a lawyer, she provides her daughter with grounded advice, tough love, and steady encouragement. She supports India's autonomy even when she disagrees with her choices.

Key Relationships

Mother of India

Camille is a single mother who adopts Rebecca. She is straightforward, capable, and skips the lengthy, idealized adoption profile binders in favor of a direct, honest approach to parenting.

Key Relationships

Adoptive Mother of Rebecca

Drew is one half of "The Andrews," a married couple who adopt Lewis. He had a stable, supportive upbringing that contrasts sharply with his husband's difficult past, bringing balance to their partnership.

Key Relationships

Husband of Andy

Adoptive Father of Lewis

Andy is the other half of "The Andrews." He overcame a harsh, abusive childhood and homelessness to build a warm, creative family with his husband. He uses his artistic skills to express his life story.

Key Relationships

Husband of Drew

Adoptive Father of Lewis

Ajax is India's dedicated talent agent. He consistently pushes her to expand her career from Broadway into television and film, acting as both a professional guide and a protective shield against media backlash.

Key Relationships

Talent Agent of India

Romantic Partner of Henri LeClerk

Dakota is India's college roommate and best friend in New York. She shares India's theatrical aspirations but faces a harder path, often working as a barista to support herself while auditioning for stage roles.

Key Relationships

Best Friend of India

Henri is an eccentric director and actor. He directs India in her breakout Broadway play by creating the script organically, and later stars opposite her as a romantic lead on the television show *Val Halla*.

Key Relationships

Colleague of India

Romantic Partner of Ajax Axelrod

Evelyn is a relentless media journalist working in the entertainment industry. She thrives on sensationalizing personal lives for headlines and aggressively pursues India's family for exclusive stories.

Key Relationships

Media Antagonist to India