I loved this book. Ng has crafted a complex and interesting story with fully realized characters who are interesting and have layers to their personalities that the reader comes to know over the course of the story. I especially loved the relationships between the characters, how they changed over time, and the impact made by these changes. As the story unfolds, each event or decision made by the characters has an impact on others in the story and everything about this rang so true to reality. These characters were people one could know in their life, making the kind of choices that people do make daily, and facing the consequences of those choices as people do. So many important topics are covered in the book and done so well. I think this book will spur great conversations for book/reading groups, especially about racism, motherhood, and belonging/identity. I also thought the writing was beautiful, and Ng is truly gifted as a storyteller and at building character and place. It's a must read that I give my highest recommendation.

I liked this book a lot, I actually read it all in one day and it was worthy. Only thing that disappointed me a little was the way the author handles the not Chinese adoptive couple, with some sort of the usual racism but reverted. That said, she handles all the drama pretty well and I got the same good feeling I had with her previous book.

Questo libro mi é piaciuto parecchio e l'ho letto tutto in un giorno perché non riuscivo a smettere. L'unica cosa che mi ha lasciato un po' di amaro in bocca é stato il modo dell'autrice di descrivere la coppia adottiva non cinese, un razzismo rovesciato rispetto al solito. Detto questo é stata comunque in grado di gestirsi tutto il dramma senza scadere nel pietismo e il libro mi ha lasciato una bella sensazione, esattamente come quello prima di questo.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

Once again Celeste Ng proves that she can write beautifully. In this work seemingly bound in Shaker Heights yet really with no bounds at all, Ng shows how the expected becomes unexpected and how exterior influences can cause individuals to reexamine their basic life beliefs. The picture-perfect Richardsons' lives -picture perfect only on the surface of course- take unexpected turns when Mia and Pearl arrive in their seemingly perfect world. Some of the plot devices are a little tired, such as Mia's parents, or obvious, such as Bebe's actions, but they're all there for good purpose. Ng is emerging as one of our more important chroniclers of suburban life, and I, for one, am eager to see what she has in store for us next.

I didn't enjoy Ng's book Everything I Never Told You very much. It was fine, but I really didn't get the hype.

This book, though. This book knocked my socks off. I do feel like there was some sort of incompleteness to it, but ultimately that was okay. (The characters could have been more robust, honestly. Some were pretty shallowly sketched. Necessity in a short book, I guess.)

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC!

Celeste Ng is my new favorite author, and this is a beautiful book. Ng's writing is vivid and flawless, and her storytelling skills are remarkable. I couldn't wait to get back to this wonderful novel and drink it in until the end.

Celeste Ng doesn't disappoint her fans in this riveting new novel. Starting with the conflagration that burns down the Richardson house and looking back at the events during the earlier months that precipitated this crisis, create an entirely readable and engaging novel.

Ng has an incredible understanding of teen life and thoughts. Clearly the 4 Richardson children are in an emotional danger zone and the catalyst for the "little fires" is the introduction of the mother and daughter who shake up the privileged Shaker Heights community. Somehow, the entire family becomes involved with the nomadic and mysterious Mia and her daughter Pearl.

Through teen sex, predicable abortions, a local scandal and other tragedies, this novel never lets the reader down for a moment. The subplots are topical and interesting. The concepts of suragacy and interracial adoption are explored.

I truly enjoyed this and urge anyone who deals with teens and their complex inner lives should certainly read this.