The Family Remains

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2022

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue-Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Themes

Trauma and Moral Responsibility

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of sexual assault.

The disturbing details of Henry and Lucy’s childhood trauma in the house at Cheyne Walk make it clear that as adults, both are clearly still affected by their traumatic upbringing. Both siblings have also committed crimes. Jewell uses their characters to ask whether Henry and Lucy’s past trauma should cancel out their responsibility for their crimes.

Henry has a sinister side. He is obsessed with Phin to the point of impersonating him; at several points in the novel, Henry struggles to hide his true nature and control his nasty urges. Nevertheless, he manages to mostly blend in well with society. When he finally confronts Phin, he does no harm. Henry’s true crime lies in the past: He killed Birdie, recently moving her remains to avoid getting caught. Since testimony from Lucy and Justin reveals that Birdie was evil and abusive to the Lamb and Thomsen children, particularly Lucy, the novel asks readers to consider whether Henry killing Birdie was actually in self-defense—her death allowed him and the other children to escape. Justin believes that the Lamb children were victims to such a degree that Henry should not be held responsible for his trauma-based actions. Justin even goes so far as to take the blame for Birdie’s death so that Henry can avoid punishment. Henry is never charged with Birdie’s murder, as Detective Samuel Owusu either doesn’t have enough evidence or decides to let Justin’s confession stand because justice has been served. Henry’s renewed interest in creepy impersonation—this time of Kris Doll—complicates the novel’s morality, however. Are Henry’s actions justified because of the trauma he endured under Birdie’s influence?

Lucy is also responsible for killing someone. She killed her ex-husband, Michael, while he raped her, after suffering abuse from him for several years. Not only did Michael torment his first wife, but his controlling, abusive behavior also affected his second wife, Rachel. She too suffered from his coercive gaslighting and was also raped by him. While the novel does ask whether Lucy was justified in killing Michael, she was much more obviously simply trying to defend herself mid-attack. Killing in self-defense while actively being sexually assaulted does not fall as closely into the gray area of Henry’s murder of Birdie. Michael caused Lucy and Rachel significant trauma, and readers would be hard-pressed to argue that Lucy should be held legally responsible for his murder. However, the novel does pose a different moral quandary about Lucy and Rachel’s situations: Of course neither woman is responsible for her rape or abuse, but should either woman feel guilty for getting involved with Michael in the first place? His many red flags are a clear sign of his instability, but Rachel ignored them in her eagerness to be partnered. In contrast, Lucy had little context to understanding what a healthy romantic relationship should look like.

Secrets and Lies

Jewell highlights secrets and lies from the past as she builds tension and suspense throughout the novel. Nearly every character harbors secrets and tells lies to keep them hidden. The end of the novel reveals some secrets, while others remain buried.

Some characters are willing to share secrets that are traumatic, but not damning. On the other hand, secrets that could endanger others often stay hidden. Many secrets from the Lambs’ past remain hidden until Samuel starts asking questions. Libby and Lucy eventually open up to Samuel about what happened in the Cheyne Walk house. For instance, Lucy has never told anyone about the way Birdie groomed her to have sex with David Thomsen, but she admits this to Samuel and describes the darkness of Birdie’s character. Even though Lucy is willing to reveal this secret, she continues to hide that she killed Michael in self-defense. While she is willing to describe her own trauma, she knows it is worth keeping quiet about her dead ex-husband to protect herself and her family.

Other people in the novel keep secret events that they think incriminate them in a different way—by besmirching character. Rachel does not admit even to her father that Michael raped her because she feels guilty and partially responsible for not avoiding Michael in the first place given the many red flags about his professional and personal life she saw. The only person with whom Rachel shares this truth is Lucy, another of Michael’s victims. Rachel wants to protect her self-image at all costs—she only tells Lucy after realizing that Lucy has gone through something similar. Similarly, Rachel’s father, Brian, lies several times about the reasons for his money problems. Only Rachel’s persistent digging convinces Brian to admit someone is blackmailing him; Brian finds it difficult to confess his vulnerability and the fact that the blackmailer is using revenge porn featuring his daughter. However, once this truth is revealed, Rachel works to protect her father and eventually gets his money back. In these cases, opening up about the truth allows Rachel and Brian some measure of closure and emotional comfort.

Samuel is characterized as particularly adept at reading body language and recognizing when people are lying. His skill serves him well as a detective, and allows him to know what information to accept as truthful or to reject as deceitful. His unyielding pursuit of truth and perception of Henry’s lies leads him to uncover that Henry killed Birdie, although Samuel does not find proof for this conclusion. Samuel’s quest for the truth is not the same as his duty toward the law: He is content to have uncovered what really happened, but does not feel the need to arrest Henry to close the case. Instead, given Justin’s confession, Samuel is satisfied that justice has been served. A similar thing happens with Michael’s death. Although we do not get to see the French police investigating this killing, their eventual conclusion that Michael was killed in an organized crime execution—a theory that confirms that he was a drug dealer—allows them to consider the matter closed. The novel’s willingness to let some lies uncovered stresses the idea that truth, justice, and legal culpability are not the same.

The Strength of Family Bonds

Jewell explores the strength of family bonds as she depicts the ups and downs of family relationships throughout the novel. Despite trauma and secret-keeping, connections remain strong for the Lamb family and for Rachel and her father.

The Lamb siblings, Henry and Lucy, have contrasting personalities, but their brother-sister relationship is strong as they look out for one another. Lucy follows Henry to Chicago not only because she worries he may harm Phin, but also because she cares about Henry and wants him in her life despite his dark side. Even Henry’s choice to block her calls doesn’t stop her from pursuing him. In turn, Henry has looked out for Lucy—she, her children, and her dog have been staying at his place for over a year. Even though the children and dog sometimes spoil his pristine apartment and his solitude, Henry embraces his identity as a brother and uncle. Henry also forces Lucy to buy nicer clothes and take care of herself, partly because of his obsession with appearances, and partly because he recognizes his sister’s potential and wants her to do better. Even though Henry and Lucy don’t have a lot in common, they are loyal to one another and show that they care for each other, albeit in unconventional ways. After Henry finds Phin and completes his video interview with Samuel, he wants nothing more than to hug his sister and enjoy the feeling of safety that accompanies being with family.

Libby also develops a strong bond with her biological family. Even though she only meets then when she is 25, she becomes close to her biological mother, Lucy, and wants to protect Lucy and Henry from Samuel’s questions. She shares her wealth from the sale of the house with them, showing that she cares about taking care of them. Libby also wants to find Phin, her biological father, whom she wants to be a part of her life. The bonds among the Lambs and Thomsens thus overcome trauma, distance, and the passage of time. While the title The Family Remains could refer to the discovery of Birdie’s remains, it is also a pronouncement that Henry, Lucy, Marco, Stella, Libby, and Phineas form a family that remains intact despite the trauma and secrets of the past.

Rachel’s relationship with her father, Brian, also illustrates the theme of strong family bonds. Rachel and Brian have a close father-daughter relationship. They see each other often, either to share a meal or simply talk about Rachel’s latest business developments. Brian is highly supportive and encouraging of his daughter. Even though it takes a while for Rachel’s jewelry business to take off, Brian never stops doubting her talent and continues to support her financially. Rachel looks out for her father, too. She recognizes when her father isn’t himself, and digs until she discovers that he is being blackmailed. Despite the abuse she’s suffered from Michael, Rachel’s love for her father is strong enough that she is willing to confront Michael to get her father’s money back. She is prepared to threaten, or even kill, Michael if that’s what it takes to rescue her father. Rachel and Brian’s close relationship is another example of the strength of family bonds and the steps one will take to provide for and protect one’s family.

Through the Lambs and the Golds, Jewell shows that family relationships can be stronger and more enduring than all others. Although time, personality flaws, distance, and secrets have the potential to weaken family bonds, the characters in The Family Remains show that these factors need not keep close relatives apart.