Beth C.
Written on Aug 4, 2014
I had heard wonderful things about this book, but what I heard pales in comparison to actually reading it. It goes back and forth from the past to the present in order to not only describe the life of new immigrants to the United States, but to also explain what is happening and why. The characters are so finely tuned that they were real within the story - I laughed in parts, I cried in parts, and I was truly sad to have to say goodbye to them. They aren't perfect - each has their own trials, their own strengths and weaknesses...but they make do, push past, and live (and love) large.
To me, this book is more about family - its strengths and its weaknesses - than anything else. Family can simultaneously lift you up and throw you down harder than anyone else. Sometimes, when one makes a choice absolutely inscrutable to everyone one, family will be all you have left. So far, I would have to say this is my favorite book of the year - and I don't often say that (I tend to be one who has too many likes to come up with a favorite) lightly. This is also a book that you could come back to over and over again for the nuances that will change as you do. I can't recommend this book strongly enough - it's heartbreaking in its beauty and in its humanity.