The Lotterys More or Less – Emma Donoghue (2018)

The Lotterys More or Less by Emma Donoghue, published in 2018, is the second book in the beloved Lotterys series, which began with The Lotterys Plus One. Set in the eclectic and bustling household of the Lottery family in Toronto, the novel follows nine-year-old Sumac Lottery during a turbulent holiday season as she navigates shifting traditions, unexpected guests, and emotional growth. The story blends whimsy and warmth with socially relevant themes, celebrating the joyful chaos of a large, diverse, queer family.

Plot Summary

In the big, busy, bursting house called Camelottery, nestled in snowy Toronto, nine-year-old Sumac Lottery is counting down to the winter holidays with all the enthusiasm of a child who treasures order, lists, and traditions. Her family – a wonderfully chaotic blend of four parents, seven kids, a grandfather, and a menagerie of pets – is not like most. The Lotterys are noisy and loving and fiercely themselves, and the holidays are supposed to be full of rituals: The Nutcracker, cookie parties, the Ice Sculpture Fest, the Solstice Parade, and yes, snow. Sumac believes it all must go according to plan for the magic to happen.

But this year, things are different. One of her dads, PapaDum, is away in India, working to transform a building into housing for the homeless. He’s taken her big brother Sic with him, which throws the balance of the household into a quiet, shivering lurch. The holidays don’t feel right without him, and Sumac’s calendar of carefully planned events hangs heavily with the absence.

The family is already juggling the gaps left behind when Luiz arrives – a slight, cheerful, nineteen-year-old couchsurfer from Brazil, who brings a swirl of sugar-sprinkled avocados, flip-flop dances, and unexpected hugs. Luiz doesn’t fit into Sumac’s neat picture of the holidays, especially since he takes up space in their basement, in their meals, and most notably, in her thoughts. He eats too many bananas, stays out late, and showers too long. He is a walking interruption.

Grumps, Sumac’s Scottish grandfather with a fading memory and sharp tongue, offers both comic relief and quiet weight. He forgets what the Solstice Parade is but remembers old sayings about fishy guests. His confusion mixes with lucidity in ways that tug at Sumac’s heart. Meanwhile, the rest of the family blusters on: Aspen, the dramatic older sister with a flair for costumes and mischief; Wood, the weather-obsessed brother; Catalpa, the aloof teen who half-lives in her room; Brian, the fierce and forthright four-year-old who knows exactly who she is; and Oak, the baby with a fondness for bananas and finger-painting his face.

As Sumac decorates, crafts, and pushes for perfect traditions, she struggles with a holiday season that refuses to behave. The snow is slow to fall, and when it does, freezing rain threatens to wash away the festivities. Luiz’s unexpected joy at seeing snow – real snow, not just a dream from his home in Rio – makes Sumac look twice. She begins to notice things: how he laughs, how he flops in the snow, how he tries.

In a moment of chaos, Luiz joins Catalpa and her friends for a sledding adventure. A hidden tree stump sends him flying, and though he brushes it off with a smile and a samba, something is wrong. Later, during the Solstice Parade, while lanterns dance in the dark and Sumac finally starts to feel the holiday magic, Luiz mentions fireworks in his head, flashing in his eye. Sumac’s unease grows. She tells MaxiMum, the most grounded of the parents, and soon Luiz is rushed to the emergency room, his eye swollen with a retinal detachment.

The hospital is noisy, stark, and full of waiting. Catalpa confesses that Luiz hadn’t worn a helmet. Aspen jokes and sulks. Sumac worries over whether he can afford care. Luiz admits he has no travel insurance. But CardaMom – bright, bold, and dressed like the sun – assures him: they’ll pay for his surgery. We broke it, we’ll fix it. The Lottery creed.

Back at Camelottery, the family adapts. The calendar still ticks forward, but the pressure to control every moment eases. Even Sumac, so tied to the weight of rituals, begins to see that change doesn’t always mean loss. The Nutcracker becomes a jazz version with light-up tutus. The cookie party, the polar plunge, even the burning of effigies at the end of the parade all shift slightly, wobble, then right themselves.

Luiz recovers slowly, lying flat with an air bubble in his eye to hold the retina in place. The Lotterys check on him, feed him, read to him. He’s not a guest anymore. He’s woven in.

Sumac’s thoughts of PapaDum sharpen. She misses him fiercely, realizes that her longing isn’t just for her dad but for the calm he brings, the meals he cooks, the way he holds all the threads of Camelottery together. But she also sees PopCorn trying, stretching himself thin to fill in gaps. She sees MaxiMum calling dentists and fixing lanterns. She sees CardaMom chasing toddlers and paying for surgeries. They’re a relay team, missing a runner, but still moving forward.

The Solstice Parade, cold and wet and loud, is as dazzling as ever. The Lotterys dance under the rain-soaked lights, each costumed and glowing. Grumps forgets where he is, but Sumac takes his hand. Aspen screeches, Brian threatens to bite, Oak squeals with joy. And through the blur of light and music, Sumac catches a memory – a story PopCorn tells her – that he met PapaDum at the very first Solstice Parade, twenty-five years ago. A beginning that became a family.

In the days that follow, the snow deepens. PapaDum and Sic return. The calendar is worn and marked with changes, but the house is full. Full of motion, laughter, even some tears. The Lotterys, more or less, are home again.

Main Characters

• Sumac Lottery – The central figure and emotional anchor of the story, Sumac is intelligent, detail-oriented, and passionate about structure and fairness. She is the fifth of seven children and struggles with the disruption of family rituals when one of her dads, PapaDum, is away in India. Sumac’s quest to preserve tradition and control change fuels much of the emotional tension and growth in the narrative.

• Grumps – Sumac’s Scottish grandfather, who struggles with dementia. Grumps’ presence adds layers of memory, confusion, and occasional clarity, often serving as a poignant reminder of the vulnerability of age within the family dynamic.

• PopCorn – One of Sumac’s four co-parents, known for his artistic flair and spontaneous nature. PopCorn contrasts with Sumac’s need for order, often advocating for flexibility and open-mindedness, even when Sumac resists change.

• MaxiMum and CardaMom – Sumac’s mothers. MaxiMum is a logical, science-minded character with a calm demeanor, while CardaMom is more emotionally driven and expressive. Both provide stability amid the family’s chaos and offer Sumac guidance in different ways.

• Catalpa, Aspen, Wood, Sic, and Brian – Sumac’s siblings, each with unique personalities that influence the family’s rhythm. Catalpa is the moody teen; Aspen is rebellious and dramatic; Wood is factual and practical; Sic is the eldest and currently abroad with PapaDum; and Brian, formerly Briar, is the youngest adopted child asserting her identity with fierce clarity.

• Luiz – A young Brazilian couchsurfer who disrupts the family’s usual dynamics. His eventual eye injury and the family’s response to it become central to the plot, pushing characters, especially Sumac, to evolve in empathy and understanding.

Theme

• Change and Adaptability – The novel explores how even the most tightly knit families must confront and adapt to change. Whether it’s the absence of PapaDum, the unexpected injury of Luiz, or weather disrupting traditions, each incident challenges the characters to evolve.

• Family and Non-traditional Households – The Lotterys represent a non-nuclear, queer family that defies societal norms. Their structure, though unconventional, is portrayed as deeply nurturing and functional. The book emphasizes that love and care define family more than biology or tradition.

• Tradition vs. Spontaneity – Sumac’s desire to stick to holiday traditions is at odds with the chaos of life. Through her journey, the novel questions how rigid adherence to ritual can hinder joy, and it suggests that flexibility often reveals deeper truths about connection and meaning.

• Generosity and Responsibility – Luiz’s eye injury and lack of insurance become a moment of reckoning for the Lotterys, who step in with compassion and commitment. The story subtly critiques inequity while highlighting the ethics of care and communal responsibility.

• Childhood Agency and Growth – Sumac is portrayed with remarkable agency, intelligence, and emotional depth. Her growth from a pedantic planner to a more open-hearted family member mirrors the process of growing up and learning to see beyond one’s own needs.

Writing Style and Tone

Emma Donoghue’s style in The Lotterys More or Less is whimsical, immersive, and conversational, layered with intelligence and warmth. Written largely from Sumac’s perspective, the narration is peppered with sharp observations, witty dialogue, and charmingly literal interpretations of the world. Donoghue excels at capturing a child’s voice that is both earnest and insightful, allowing readers to see the world through Sumac’s curious and critical eyes.

The tone balances lighthearted humor with sincere emotional depth. Donoghue writes with empathy, particularly when portraying family dynamics, identity, and intergenerational tension. The richly diverse cast of characters feels authentic and vibrant, with the prose shifting seamlessly between comic episodes and heartfelt moments. The book’s inclusive worldview and nuanced portrayal of family life lend it a hopeful and celebratory tone, even when tackling difficult themes.