In contrast to its title, "Familiar" is anything but. Published by a small innovative publishing company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, I ran across the J. Robert Lennon novel while applying for an internship. For some reason, the book cover, though not groundbreaking in its content or design, intrigued me: a hand holding a cracked circular makeup mirror with an eye peering into it.
It defies classification in nearly every category from its narrative structure and lack of resolution to its dabbling in multiple genres.
The reader is suddenly and without explanation or background immersed in the broken and complicated consciousness of the main character Elisa who is abruptly thrown into what appears to be a life that is seemingly her own, but not quite as she knows it. We are taken on the journey through Elisa’s perspective, gathering information as she does and through her memories, slowly piecing the events together along with her.
For this reason, one could almost consider the novel an unconventional story of mystery, as it compels the reader to analyze the protagonist’s situation to come up with some explanation. In the same vein, it could be seen as adventure for it’s a novel of exploration into a new world. It also uses a common trope of the adventure genre, almost a genre in itself actually – the coming of age story. Elisa goes on a journey, whether it’s a truly physical one or only in her mind, she transforms into something new by the end.
Additionally, science fiction appears in the concept of parallel universes which dominates Elisa’s consciousness as a possible explanation for her situation. The novel even nods to the meta-fiction so popular nowadays with reference to another novel about parallel worlds within the work titled Familiar. Beyond the abstract conundrum of the protagonist, the story also takes on a very realistic tone delving into the dark places of a grieving mother’s mind who’s also trying to navigate the ups and downs of parenthood and marriage, as well as her own independent desires.
However, my favorite classification, though it may not be the most fitting, is a psychological thriller. The rollercoaster ride we are taken on through Elisa’s consciousness by way of flashbacks, flash-forwards, and frequent contemplation of existence not only dominates the structure but also seems to yield the most interesting analysis.
The novel’s untraditional ending which refuses to resolve instead lends to a deeper look at ourselves and our reality. "Familiar" challenges readers to examine the power of the mind to shape one’s existence, for better or worse. The book cover shows a woman looking in a mirror inviting readers to reflect on their own lives and their ways of thinking and understanding the world around us. The whole novel makes one question the reality they have constructed for themselves.
One of the simplest, but most memorable quotes to reflect on from the novel is the idea presented by Elisa’s seemingly troubled son Silas that “stories exist to make sense of life.” It’s as if Lennon is directly addressing readers and confronting them with their own need to read in to this novel for something to apply to their lives. Instead of giving them a direct answer, the unfamiliar story of a "Familiar" way of thinking provides them with questions to apply to their own search for meaning.
