I was immersed in this book during a recent trip to Maui, hence the scenic photos :)
If I could rate this 6 stars, I would. Wow...I am an avid reader and usually can finish a good book pretty quickly. However, due to the intensity and depth of the writing, it took me a bit longer to finish.
The book starts out with one of the characters, Lydia, being dead. It is basically in the first sentence of the book. She is the daughter of 3 children born from a Chinese father and an American mother. The whole story goes back and forth from past to present about what lead to her death. The book digs deeply into racial issues from the 60s and into the past of both parents. The story also focuses on the relationships between the 3 siblings (before and after Lydia's death). That is the basic premise of the story, and there is not much more I can say without spoiling it.
Not only was this book intensely deep and well-written, but it really really makes you think about the reality of life and family dynamics (especially bi-racial families). Every single sentence in this book was significant, and the book alternated a lot between past, present and future. It's a book that definitely needs your undivided attention! The writer does an amazing job allowing you to truly connect with each character and what shaped them to be who they are. I highly recommend this book and would LOVE to see it on the big screen.
The only negative thing I could say~ it's very depressing , but worth it. Beyond amazing!
