“A riveting familial rollercoaster, The Earthquake Child portrays one mother’s determination to raise a child. Bravo to Elayne Klasson for so honestly describing the ripple effects of adoption, for child, birth parents, and adoptive parents. This is a gripping story wrought with emotion and truth.”
— Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg, author of Eden and The Nine
“Beautifully written, compelling and important, Elayne Klasson’s book, The Earthquake Child, will rock you in all the best ways. Nature vs Nurture comes alive in this brilliantly crafted story of an adoptive mother’s unfailing love, a young birthmother’s grief and shame, and an incredibly gifted, yet troubled son. I doubt I’ve read a more compelling book that covers so authentically the emotional ups and downs that come with the adoption of a child. Read this book. You’ll be glad you did.”
— Laura L. Engel Author of “You’ll Forget This Ever Happened – Secrets, Shame, and Adoption in the 1960’s”
“Elayne Klasson’s second novel, The Earthquake Child demonstrates her psychologically sophisticated treatment of a woman’s journey to cultivate loving relationships in a complicated world, that was so beautifully apparent in her first book. The themes of second marriages, infertility, adoption with its dilemmas for all three members of the adoption triangle underlie the poignant story at the heart of The Earthquake Child. Anyone who has ever had to send a child away for his safety and that of the rest of the family will relate to Klasson’s authentic, sensitive portrayal of that agony. The victory in this deeply affecting, well-told story is that there are no villains and no heroes. Rather, good human beings try to address the hurdles of forming and blending families, never knowing which challenges for an adopted child are just tremors, which will become major quakes, and how to manage expectations in the aftershocks. Don’t miss this book.”
— Barbara Stark-Nemon, author of Even in Darkness and Hard Cider
“In Elayne Klasson’s new novel, the mother-child relationship takes center stage, but is amplified by the adoption equation. This well-crafted and true-to-life plot involves two mothers and the son they both cherish. It is about love, loss, longing, and the road to becoming whole. The Earthquake Child shows the fierceness of a mother’s love, the angst of adoption, and the secrets that set individual wants and needs colliding. Whether you are inside the adoption experience or on the outside looking in, Klasson’s well-informed novel will leave you thinking. And isn’t that what a really good book should do?”
— Julie Ryan McGue, author of Twice a Daughter: A Search of Identity, Family, and Belonging.
“This fine novel provides the reader with many pleasures. You’ll find well-drawn characters to care about, a suspenseful story, an emotionally-resonant depiction of the psychological stresses related to adoption,
and a prose style that is clear and enjoyable to read.”
— Monica Starkman MD, author of The End of Miracles, Professor emerita of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School
“Joshua’s struggles illustrate the conundrum of nature and nature and how ill-prepared adoption triad members can be when embarking on the adoption journey. Love, loss, and genes propel Joshua to act out in unimaginable ways. Following Joshua and his mother on their journey, with all its twists and turns, keeps the reader’s rapt attention, hoping for a better future for this troubled young man. His story is a thought-provoking and page-turning read for all parents, prospective parents, and for those examining the connections which make a family.”
— Elaine R. Gordon, Ph.D. Author of Mommy, Did I Grow in Your Tummy?,
Clinical psychologist specializing in alternative family-building and reproductive medicine