Next of Kin

Like all people, the characters of Next of Kin make judgments, either in the moment or in blanket opinions. The book explores how judgments can perpetrate lasting harm through the beginning of Chloe and Warren’s relationship, Chloe’s adoptive parents, and the presence of Odette (the social worker). When Chloe and Warren first meet, neither likes the other. Chloe finds Warren’s lateness and attitude irritating, and Warren assumes Chloe is rich and spoiled because of where she lives and how she dresses. Because they both need the Team Up program, they look past these initial judgments to accept a partnership, but their initial snap decisions about each other set them up for strife in the early days of living together. While they all move into the same apartment, they keep their lives separate, which leads to Chloe barely keeping up with Willow’s care and Warren bearing the brunt of the financial obligations. As a result, Warren starts to see Chloe as the parent of a newborn doing the best she can, and Chloe realizes Warren has given up his entire life to get Luke out of the system. Learning about one another allows Chloe and Warren to give up their initial judgments and work together, which lowers the tension and stress in their lives. Foregoing judgment eventually leads to them becoming a true team and shows how much of a disservice their judgments were.

While Chloe and Warren’s combined arc shows the effect of snap judgments on a relationship, Chloe’s adoptive parents highlight the downfalls of being judgmental as a character trait. From the moment Chloe’s adoptive parents come into the story, they clearly disapprove of Chloe’s choices regarding Willow, which they show through not acknowledging Chloe’s responsibilities or making impractical suggestions about how Chloe could change her life. Chloe’s adoptive parents value financial success and status above all else, and they look down upon Chloe because she has not achieved these things. During dinner in Chapter 26, Chloe’s mom rants about how Chloe shouldn’t do things like borrow Warren’s car because doing so doesn’t help her learn from her struggles. As an example, she cites herself, saying she and Chloe’s father worked hard to make their money so “[they] don’t need to concern [them]selves with borrowing or…public transit (172). Her hesitation makes it clear she feels public transit is beneath her, and this judgment leads to Chloe giving them an ultimatum—to either accept her choices or leave. They ultimately decide to stay and accept Chloe’s life, but their judgmental natures could have ended their relationship with Chloe, revealing the harm of approaching life from a place of judgment.

Unlike Chloe, Warren, and Chloe’s adoptive parents, Odette’s character shows the benefits that come from refusing to pass judgment. Odette’s page time in the story is low compared to the main characters, but her impact is felt from the moment Chloe meets her at the hospital in Chapter 2. In Chloe’s first meeting with her birth mom, she barely contains her frustration and hurt while Odette maintains calm. After what Chloe experienced with her mom, her feelings are understandable and even justified, but this does not change the fact that Chloe’s judgments harm her more than her mother. By contrast, Odette views Chloe’s mom as someone who continues to make poor choices but has the potential to change. By doing so, Odette frees herself from judgment because she recognizes that, while frustrating, Chloe’s mom has no power over Odette’s life. By releasing expectations and judgments, Odette frees herself to see the best in others. This doesn’t keep her from experiencing negative emotions or from wishing people would change, but it does allow her to continue offering support. Odette has been working with Chloe’s mom for years, and this long-standing relationship draws a parallel between Odette’s influence and how Chloe’s mom finally cleans herself up. Chloe’s mom takes a long time to find what she needs, and the novel suggests that having support, even from just one person, can make a difference.