The Birthparents

by FRANK SANTO

The Bronx. It’s America at its most vibrant and chaotic; it’s also where one foster care caseworker—a would-be white savior from New England, a twentysomething kid prematurely jaded by the system—takes it upon himself to reunify a troubled birthmother with her children, against the recommendation of his world-weary but wise Hispanic boss. (Nevermind the fact that the mother in question just might have a crush on him—either that, or she’s running game for her own purposes. And nevermind the fact that her ex-husband, a serial abuser whose casefile’s thick with bruises, just might have killed someone to protect her in the past—and might be willing to do so again.) What follows is a vivid portrait of lives intersecting and colliding as they grapple with timeless poverty and privilege, parenting and responsibility, drug abuse and insanity.

As gritty as a cracked city street, as full of light and shadow as a crumbling row house, as hard to discard as a piece of summer sidewalk bubblegum stuck to your shoe, The Birthparents does for early 21st century New York what Charles Dickens did for mid-19th century London, not only preserving it for posterity but bringing it to life, and showcasing the shared humanity of characters climbing up (or clinging to) every rung on the societal ladder. It’s a stunning debut by an incredible new voice—Frank Santo.

Genres: Literature, Contemporary

328 pages, Paperback

Published September 12, 2023

Reviews

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frank Santo's The Birthparents is a fictional account about an inexperienced foster care case worker working in the Bronx. Told across two different timelines, we learned about his seriously flawed time as a would-be white saviour, and the repercussions that has on his later roles as a husband and father.

It's one of those books that is so stark and glaring in its realism, so unrelenting in its misery, that you feel like you've been put through the ringer once you finish it. It's also one of those frustrating books because of the sheer fecklessness of a man who was supposed to be the last hope for countless families.

It also brought up a lot for me because my mum was a 'birthparent' and my brother and I were taken into care. Ultimately, that turned out to be a gift to me and my family and we have all reconciled. Nevertheless, this book hit hard in many places.

The Birthparents further reminded me of two things. The narrator's tone reminded me of Torey Hayden and the way she used to describe her various interactions with vulnerable kids and their families. I don't know whether it was intentional by the author (or natural based on his own experiences) but it lent to the authenticity of Lee Todd's account and the numerous mistakes he made.

It also reminded me a lot of the Netflix series Maid and the ways in which vulnerable individuals are further failed and brutalised by the systems that are meant to help them (I've not read the book).

A small part of me has to wonder if this book didn't venture too far into poverty porn and I've deducted half a star for that.

I've also deducted a further half a star because I read an ARC from Edelweiss and the copy I read had several typos. I would hope that this is corrected in the final proof as that would make this a 4.5 star read.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Andrew Boryga recommendation! And, as a fost-adopt parent, this book really hit home. The system isn't these families' friends. It is illogical and inflexible and changes faster than anyone, birthparents, those interested in fost-adopt, and social workers can keep up. And while the author states that none of these events took place within the agency he worked at, I guarantee most of not all and more of the situations he mentioned have taken place. I've heard horror stories first hand. The characters felt real, flawed, and loveable. This was a good reminder that not all situations in the foster care system end tragically but that there is still a lot of damage for all concerned along the way.

[Brooke Sausser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up wanting answers about family reunification and the foster care system. Does it work, or doesn’t it? Is the system good, or is it bad? Can “bad” people change? The Birthparents didn’t answer that question, but that was the point.

Instead, this book provides a complex, compelling exploration of the issues the system is trying to solve and the issues it creates. As someone who hasn’t been involved with that system, I can’t say with certainty that this story does or doesn’t do it justice, but I can say the story rang authentic and true. It is insightful and critical of itself. The characters are all humanized and painted in shades of gray.

The author describes horrible events, which in most cases, would make this a depressing and slow book to read. The book did feel slow and fast at the same time and didn’t follow the arc you would expect. But the author doesn’t linger on the horribleness, or dwell in the why. The author instead asks provocative questions and leaves you to answer it for yourself. There is no resolution here, and as another reviewer said, there are no clear winners or losers. I will be puzzling over the statement, “You can’t feel another person’s pain” for a long time.

[Rebekah Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book brought up so much trauma and made me feel so seen. We need more books like this.

[Asher · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can’t say that it was good, but it gets two stars for being better than I expected for showing some of the ugliness of family policing

[Jeff Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This normally isn't the type I book that I would pick up, but it was recommended to me and I have to say that I'm really glad I read it. The characters were well written and the plot kept you guessing the entire time. I especially appreciated how the author relied on his own experiences as a social worker to provide a view of how the foster care system exists today because in a lot of ways this "fictional" book felt like a very real story.

I would say that people of all ages and backgrounds could enjoy this novel and even if its not your bag, sometimes it can be refreshing to pick up something different.

[Wendy Remez · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars-Lee is a 26 year old caseworker for the dept of children and family services when he is assigned the case of Margarita (Rita), her teenage daughter, and 2 year old son. They have the same birthday, Lee and Rita, and he takes it as a sign that he can save her. My heart breaks for all the times that she backslides, and he tries harder to make it all right. This book is heartbreaking, and the characters are so real. Extremely well-written, but definite trigger warnings for rape and child abuse.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Birthparents is a poignant commentary on human nature — despite vastly different backgrounds, the two main characters are ultimately not that different, both seeking a sense of purpose and seemingly driven by love, even if their actions prove misguided at times. It is the complex interplay between these characters, who show themselves to be endearing and well-intentioned, yet simultaneously frustrating and despicable, that drives the narrative. Ultimately, the book reminds us that no person, regardless of race, class, age, or upbringing, can be colored as black or white; we’re all shades of gray (or perhaps more accurately, as vibrant as the colors of Rita’s hair).

Santo’s authentic depiction of parenthood as life’s greatest joy and challenge is one of the book’s biggest strengths. There’s a depth to these relationships that wins the reader’s trust in Santo as a reliable storyteller —as a child or parent (or both), we’ve all experienced at least a piece of what Santo captures.

It is the exploration of this series of contradictions that left me reflecting long after finishing the book. His writing is honest, sometimes unsettling so, which prompts the reader to look inside him/herself.

The Birthparents is a masterfully crafted first novel from Santo. Looking forward to seeing what he does next.

[Alex Palantoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I lived in NYC during the 2010s and despite not having experience with the foster care system…the book immediately transported me to a fully realized world with characters you frequently want to shake sense into or hug…often a mix of both.

What’s most impressive about The Birthparents is despite the sometimes dark material, the book is a page turner. Santo does an expert job of bringing you in the room of some harrowing scenes but doesn’t linger or misuse the reader’s attention. The plot keeps moving and I found myself deeply invested in Lee, Rita, and her family. Also, frequently when you’re drained by an emotional scene, Santo seamlessly weaves in true moments of humor.

With pop culture oversaturated by virtue signaling “you should agree with this” spoon-feeding and formulaic anti-heroes, Santo does something refreshing; he gives us a world where everyone is trying their best but their best often isn’t enough. At the end of the book, there are no clear winners and losers…just characters who are making their way through life, love, and family. Santo treats his readers like adults and for that a great book elevates to a full 5/5 read.

[Nina Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This electric read draws you in and pulls you deeper into the world of the Bronx's child welfare system. This piece has no heroes or saviors, only people trying to make the best of terrible situations. The characters feel real, that you are merely stepping into their life at any particular moment, much as the protagonist Lee does into the lives of these birthmothers. As you read, you're tempted to yell at them (Lee included) to make different choices, knowing that they might well be the choices you would have made given the time and the circumstances surrounding you. The book made me think about the connections we make as we go through life, those bonds with family and friends, and what it means to be a parent and care for ourselves within those bonds. Bonds that may thin, break, or, like some couples in this book, come together only to pull apart repeatedly. I love not knowing how or where the story was taking me. I let Frank Santo take the wheel and keep driving, knowing it would be okay. It's all going to be okay. I hope.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to enjoy this book, the parts about DCFS and the struggles of the kids, finding proper placements, emotional damage etc are interesting and the author did his homework to get the right info/feel however the flopping back and forth between 'then vs now' and the DCFS vs the personal life is just too confusing. Also going back to the mom's childhood in DCFS is confusing. It seems like 3 story lines are blending.

I liked parts of the book, I enjoyed what was supposed to be the main story line but this gets messy.


3 stars for bringing to light the huge problem kids in DCFS care face every day.

[John Julius · Rating 5 out of 5]

For writing this impressive debut novel, Santo deserves five stars. He's a talent to watch, gifted at plotting, at character, and at lively no-nonsense prose. Another Goodreads reviewer docked Santo half a point for falling into "poverty porn." Good God, what foolishness! Full YouTube review of The Birthparents and Down These Mean Streets: A Memoir here: https://youtu.be/JNNjokSfYVo

[Gregory Kirschen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely riveting. I found myself immediately invested in the protagonist as well as the birthparent and family whose case he is working on as we are thrown into the story. Santo takes his time to create richness and complexity in each character. His use of dark humor at just the right moments adds much needed levity to the depressing realities of the foster care system. He also handles the issue of race relations delicately and thoughtfully, and I found the novel very self-aware. Overall, a truly outstanding read.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and compelling story about a disillusioned social worker and his (misguided?) quest to actually do some good for once. The author did a fantastic job of writing multi-dimensional characters with nuance and depth. The character of Margarita was so vividly portrayed, I felt like I knew her. No matter how many awful things she did, just when I thought she could never win me back, I found myself sympathizing with or even rooting for her. This story had me glued to my seat until the very end. Absolutely loved!

[Emily Navarra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book within a day, despite what the timeline on here says.

I have loved ones who foster and people who have been adopted. This gives a very real look into the foster system and how intense and frustrating it can be. I truly enjoyed reading this book, although it was fiction… I’m sure that there are real life cases out there that are very similar to the ones written in here.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I understand the deep and daunting nature of the book, i feel the writing was a bit off for me, and it took me a very long time to get through it. I almost DNF’d but pushed through and finished.

[Lisa Heinsohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Difficult but honest look at the foster care system by a former caseworker

[RP18 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frank's debut novel is a refreshing respite from the woke mind virus that's watered down so much of modern media.

Many people have strong opinions about how to solve complex social problems despite no firsthand experience with them.

Frank not only experienced the sensitive subject matter he writes about, he manages to write in a way that somehow entertains yet surrenders to the uncomfortable reality that sometimes there is no obvious solution to a devastating problem.

[Bristol]

Really great story, and standout dialog. Zagged every time I expected a zig, which seems especially fitting considering the story.