How did their siblings shape Lucy and William?

Lucy's brother. William's half-sister. How did these siblings shape Lucy and William? What role did siblings play in their lives?

Lucy believes the death of her brother closes a chapter to her childhood. Writing her memoir started the process. Lucy had fond memories of her brother sleeping with the pigs the night before they were slaughtered. His kindness and caring influenced her in her poverty manic childhood. For William, finding his half sister Lois made him look back on his life and regret the way he lived it. The infidelities and taking his grandfather’s money made him feel shameful. Finding and loving Lois and her love for him brought a new vision to his life.

I feel like I might have a better answer to this if this wasn't my first book about Lucy, but I do feel like the author gave me enough history to be able to understand the book I was reading. Lucy mourns her brother, and his life from such horrible origins that she shared. She may feel some guilt that she was able to escape those beginnings while he was not. William also had his share of grief over events of his childhood and adult life choices, but of a completely different sort. I love that he finds his sister again after all this time, and the fact that he completely, hungrily embraces her and her family as his own.