In HELLO FROM THE GILLESPIES, Monica McInerney has crafted a multi-faceted storyline that is often hilarious and surprisingly touching. Every Gillespie has a secret aspect of their lives, except possibly for Ig, the youngest, who is blunt and non-judgmental about others. Except for kissing—he doesn't want to see people kissing. The rest of the family care about what the other family members think of them and try hard to keep their secrets. However, when all the Gillespies are under one roof, the former sheep station in Australia, chaos breaks out and all the emotional walls come tumbling down.

The title of the book is derived from the annual Christmas letter that the mother, Angela Gillespie, sends out each year. She usually sends out the usual chatty and cheerful letter to all their friends and acquaintances. She has writer's block because this year has been difficult. And lately, Angela is suffering from both headaches and the irrepressible urge to be brutally honest.

Just for practice, she types everything as it is—not as she'd like it to be. All the family's problems and issues: her twins loss of employment and their romatic affairs; her youngest daughter's inability to find her niche; her weird son's imaginary friend and how he keeps running away from school; what she thinks of her husband's aunt who is coming to spend the holidays (it isn't good); that she thinks her husband is having an affair and doesn't talk to her any more. She even writes about her secret fantasy life of a life of luxury with a different husband and family. She says what she thinks because this is for her eyes only. But, by some quirk of fortune, the email gets sent out to all one hundred people on the mailing list.

Is this a dysfunctional or regular family? Every marriage and every family goes through stages in which things seem crazy. McInerney presents us with situations that are relatable and common for a family: a mother gives all her time to take care of her family, but doesn't really spend time with them individually and has no time for herself; a husband takes all the financial cares on his own back and doesn't want to bother or disappoint his wife; grown children who are self-centered and don't realize that their parents have lives that don't necessarily include them and much more.

Although this story has a hilarious and unlikely plot, the family dynamics are still there. You know the Gillespie family will never be "normal" by the usual standards, but it will always take care of its own—one way or another. McInerney obviously has experienced ups and downs of a complicated family. HELLO FROM THE GILLESPIES has a message: people have to feel needed to bring out the best in them (even a grumpy old aunt). I would love to read more about this endearing but wacky family in future books.