A beautiful debut novel on immigration, mental illness, and the bond between sisters. This book made me cry multiple times. Stunning.

I really really wanted to love this book, but sadly I didn't. It was just meh to me. I really enjoyed Lucia's storyline vs. her sisters. I appreciated the novel tackling a difficult subject matter such as mental health and the effects it has on family, how we can help them and whether or not we should force our loved ones into treatment.

Everything Here Is Beautiful tells the story of two very different sisters, and the bond of sisterhood in the face of mental illness. This is a moving story with memorable characters.

An insightful look into mental illness. It shows how not only the person with the disease is affected it affects everyone around them.

Two sisters moved at a very young age from China to America with just their mother and through hard work and grit they found the American dream. Miranda is the older sister and when their mother passed away she became the protector of her sister, Lucia. Neither sister remembers their fathers death, but it greatly impacted their lives. When Lucia starts battling mental illness, Miranda basically puts her life on hold to put her sister and their family first.

This book was completely about the sister relationship and how unique it is. These sisters must really rely on each other without any extended family around; they must keep each other close in the good and bad times. Yes, there was definitely some interesting cultural things because these women are Chinese-American, but that was just a minor compared to the major dissection of the sister relationship that this book did.

The other big aspect of this book was mental illness. I am not close to someone who battles mental illness, so I can't rate the honesty of the portrayal, but I really appreciated how it was written. There would be a chapter from Lucia's perspective and you forget that maybe she isn't a reliable character and then a chapter would be from the perspective of her current love and the story was oh so different - it was so interesting to read. It really put things into view for me that a mental illness can distort the view of reality.

I loved this book and the writing. I was so impressed and excited to find out after finishing that this was a debut and I can't wait to read what Mira T Lee has next!

Everything Here is Beautiful is a beautifully written examination of a woman with mental illness, told from several different perspectives, kind of zooming in and out on the woman herself and leaving some things up to mystery. I'm not as good as the writer at articulating nuance, so it's hard for me to explain what I found so lovely about this really intense, sometimes horrifying novel. Partly it is the strong bond between sisters, and partly I think it is the joy that the characters can find in life even when it's really difficult.

I’m not going to lie, but it’s been a long while since I read this book. This review will likely be a “mini” review, but I’m going to do my best but it was sooooo good!

The story follows Miranda and Lucia, Chinese-American sisters who are very different from one another. It is a story of how the sisters’ relationship unfolds over the years of their lives. It’s also the story of how Miranda does or does not cope with Lucia’s mental illness, how Lucia does or does not cope with it, and the story of the others swept up into their lives.

All of the characters here are very deftly drawn. They’re sympathetic, but you can also be realistic about their plight. The perspectives shift from Miranda to Lucia and occasionally to the men in their lives. When I read each perspective, I was all in for that person, but then seeing the other side also frequently helped me see the bigger picture. I was constantly thinking and readjusting and I loved the whole rollercoaster.

Now, don’t get me wrong. This book was good, but it was also a very brutal read. It was an emotional rollercoaster and a very hard read at times. From Miranda’s angst over how much of her own life needs to go to her sister’s care, to Lucia’s desire to be independent, to the men who love Lucia and aren’t sure what to do, each person plays a part in this complicated life of theirs.

Overall, this was a great literary fiction read. The sisters’ relationship is heartbreakingly real, and the love they share is a complicated force throughout their lives. It’s also interesting when you get to see them from others’ perspectives, because it gives you new insights into them as people that you can’t get when you’re in their heads. If you’re looking for an engrossing read and are okay with the difficulties associated, I highly recommend this book.

Note: I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I kept hearing a lot about this book; it was blurbed by one of my favourite new authors, Celeste Ng, so my hopes were high. "Everything Here Is Beautiful" is an intense, evocative read. The shifting narratives work incredibly well together, and Lucia's perspective was particularly well-written.

This one took a while for me to really get into. It is really the story of Lucia and the lives around her that she touched in some way. They author has incredible insight as to what it might be like to have a mental illness and what that might feel like from the first person perspective. She also has a really good grasp of what it might feel like to be an immigrant living in America, both legally and illegally, to feel anxious that you might be caught and sent away, that you might never see your loved ones again. There are a lot of different cultures at play in the novel and I also enjoyed that aspect a great deal. The ending is really worth reading the entire novel.

Heartbreaking story of sisters, filled with unexpected beauty and poignancy. Gorgeous writing, unforgettable characters and setting.

Loved this book. Didn’t want it to end. Highly recommend.

Love love love. Incredible book. Fabulous book club pick too

Everything Here is Beautiful is a potentially powerful book about mental illness and its impacts that conveys the idea but not its full emotional impact. The narration of the book moves between time periods and narrators, making the story at times difficult to follow and the emotional thread even harder to hold on to. The story line of immigration becomes a second focal point in the book, distracting from and competing with the depiction of Lucia's story.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2018/03/everything-here-is-beautiful.html

Reviewed for NetGalley & Penguin First to Read program.

Everything Here Is Beautiful is the story of two sisters – Miranda and Lucia, the daughters of a Chinese immigrant single mother. Miranda is the typical oldest child, responsible to a fault. After their mother dies, she becomes almost a single mother to Lucia. When Lucia develops a mental illness, Miranda’s role as her care-taker becomes all the more important.

This novel is an honest exploration of mental illness and how it affects not only the mentally ill person but their friends and family as well. I liked that Lucia was not portrayed as an enigmatic, glamorous creature. Her situation was not romanticized. Lee eloquently captures Lucia’s internal struggle with her demons. I was able to understand why she had trouble staying on her medication and how when she went off of it, her mental illness could take over her mind without her even realizing it. Miranda loves her sister fiercely, yet can’t help getting frustrated with Lucia at times. It’s hard for her to accept that Lucia can’t control her mind, even though rationally she knows it’s true.

I chose this novel to review because Celeste Ng, who has become one of my favorite authors, blurbed it. I’m so glad I did. It’s a beautifully written, character driven novel about sisterhood, motherhood, love and mental illness. Everything Here is Beautiful is a fantastic debut by Mira T. Lee. I’ll be following her and eagerly awaiting her next offering.

The story is beautiful, the writing is beautiful, the characters are beautiful The author totally got it right, Everything Here Is Beautiful.

Love is everything. But now, I think love is just romantic way of explaining selflessness.

It is beautiful. I didn't do the ugly cry or even a tear but this story gripped me. Lucia's story. It is a mix of culture, travel, sisterhood, love and mental illness.

Lucia and Miranda are sisters. They are Chinese Americans and before their mother died, Miranda was given the task to watch out for her sister. Lucia is restless and always searching for something. She is well liked and like a child without walls. Miranda is reserved but loyal.

The narration is done in different voices and each voice has a different rhythm. It is strong in character and the plot is driven by their relationship with Lucia.

One of those voices is Yonah. A Jewish shop keeper whom Lucia married. He was the easy going and loved life. Always saying how everything was beautiful; he was in his own reality. Their marriage was carefree and happy until Lucia started listening to the voices in her head. It is then she left and met Manuel. Another voice

Manuel met Lucia at the Laundromat in New York. Manual was in New York illegally from Ecuador always looking over his shoulder wondering if he was going to be deported. Their relationship in many ways was the same as their conditions. Him living in fear of deportation and her of having control of her life in spite of the voices. When their daughter was born, it came to Lucia's undoing. This lead to another voice

Lucia was sent to the mental hospital. It is the hospital where there are many voices that you come to know Lucia in a deeper way and the illness that she suffers from. The agony of losing control of your life and how it affects the people that love you.

Each of these voices give credence to mental illness and the guilt that comes with it. Even though it was tragic in many ways, there was hope as well. I think that was how it drew me in. Highly recommend this to those that love a human interest story and the tragedy of mental illness.

A Special Thank You to Penguin Group and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Everything Here Is Beautiful is a story about family and mental illness. Each family member has to make tough decisions in their lives yet they still manage to stand by each other.

Lucia has a “normal” childhood until her 20’s when the serpents start talking to her in her head. Her mental illness takes her life into directions that no one would want to take. What I took away from all her mental issues was how much her sister, Miranda, stood by her. Even when on a different continent Miranda manages to keep in touch and find ways to support Lucia. I loved how Miranda stands up to her husband to help her sister when she needs it the most yet she doesn’t allow Lucia to take advantage.

By reading this book I was able to better understand how mental illness can affect a person, a family, and a society. The points of view of Lucia without the serpents and Lucia with the serpents opens my eyes to how helpless a person can be when really they just want a life with love, support, and family. Miranda, Manny, and Yonah also get their turns sharing their stories in alternating chapters. This gives the reader a total look at the life of Lucia and how it appears to those who know her best.

This novel is beautiful inside and out. The cover on this one is absolutely stunning and the content inside blew me away. I will admit that everything about this book screamed out to me – the exploration of mental illness and its impact on families is SO up my alley. I had some trepidation going in since books on this topic have certainly disappointed me in the past for lacking authenticity. But, this book may well be the best I’ve read about mental health issues. It’s quite raw and achingly beautiful. It’s not what I’d call a happy book … rather, it’s a book that will move you and help you see things in a new way.

As someone who suffers from major depression and has many people close to me (family and friends) with mental health issues ranging from anxiety to bipolar disorder to schizophrenia and more, this book really connected with me and my experiences with the people that I care about. The novel is about a woman named Lucia who descends into psychosis and how it impacts those who care for her. It’s a novel about mental illness but also about sisterhood, motherhood, finding your place in the world, and so much more. These themes are all explored so eloquently. There is a rawness to this novel and it brings the experience of loving someone with a mental illness to life in a way that I really connected with.

I am astounded by the fact that this is a debut novel. There are no false notes here … the writing is outstanding, the prose elegant, and the characters complex. I did not find any of the debut novel pitfalls that I often see in a writer’s early work – this book was just fantastic! I didn’t want it to end. This is definitely a book that I want to buy for my home library. I highly recommend this, especially if you’re interested in mental health issues. It’s a really good exploration of mental health through a beautiful story of family and love.

This is a big-hearted novel about sisters and family. The voices of Miranda, Lucia, Manny, and Yonah weave together to tell a story that is full of compassion and complexity. At the same time, EVERYTHING HERE IS BEAUTIFUL does not flinch from laying out the heartbreaking collision course that these characters find themselves navigating. Bravo to Mira T. Lee for this outstanding debut novel!

This was my third book in just a couple of months that strongly focused on characters and deep emotions. And you know what? I’m loving every second of these experiences. In «Everything Here is Beautiful» we see the story from multiple perspectives - Miranda, Lucia, Manny, Yonah. Their fates forever linked by one deep emotion - Empathy.

Mira T. Lee have done an amazing job bringing her characters to life. Even their language and choice of words changed accordingly and added that exquisite touch to their personalities. Making them as real as my next door neighbours.

Miranda and Lucia, two Chinese-Americans, whose mother emigrated to the USA when Miranda was just a little girl and Luci was still tenderly protected in her mother’s womb. Out of the two of them, Lucia was always the vigorous and sparkling one, discovering the world in her own keen and energetic pace. While Miranda, surely affected by their early years in the states, took upon herself a responsible role.

Always being spontaneous and strong-willed, Lucia dashes after her dreams and emotions, and no-one could keep her in one spot, not even her illness.

“A duck,” said Lucia. “I’m going to paint you, a duck.” “A goose!” said Yonah. “Lucy Goosey, I’m going to paint you a goose.”»


As Lucia passes through Yonah’s and later Manny’s life, they will stay forever linked together. Either because of tenderness of one’s heart, or through much more complicated emotions. But there won’t be a single moment when they would have forgotten Luci and how she changed their lives.

Manny:
«When I first marry Lucia, people wonder who is this Chinese girl? I say, this is Lucia, and everybody likes Lucia. Wherever she goes she is friend with everyone. Lucia is like child this way, without walls.»


Emotional and heart-wrenching, «Everything Here is Beautiful» deserves so much more attention.
Don’t go into it looking for plot twists and action, instead expect huge emotional response to the vivid characters and interlaced fates.

A story like this–about a schizophrenic young woman–could be ripe for emotionally manipulative storytelling, but I have so much respect for Mira T. Lee for writing it in a thoughtful, engaging, empathetic way. It’s clear that she has taken great pains to write about what it’s really like to have schizophrenia, as opposed to using it as a catch-all term to just mean “crazy” in the vaguest sense, which is something that has always made me, well, crazy.

This is the story of two sisters–Miranda and Lucia–born to Chinese immigrants and raised in the U.S. Miranda was always calm and rational, dealing with things after their parents died. She’s also taken it upon herself to take care of Lucia, whose erratic behavior has often been a source of concern. Lucia’s long been diagnosed before the novel really begins, and Miranda has been her sister’s biggest advocate. But Lucia’s married now, to an Israeli immigrant named Yonah, and Miranda can only watch as he decides that Lucia doesn’t need to be hospitalized any more. That’s when the reader sees what it’s really like to live with schizophrenia, both as the schizophrenic and the person who loves her.

Lucia eventually makes the somewhat rash decision to leave Yonah and have a baby with Manuel, an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador. It’s the first of many rash decisions she makes as she experiences the ups and downs of her disease. Eventually, Miranda moves to Europe with her new boyfriend and has to decide how much longer she can continue to act as her sister’s advocate.

This book is just absolutely heartbreaking, from start to finish, but it never feels unearned. It’s impossible not to feel for Lucia or Miranda, two women who are both struggling with two different sides of the same coin. I love how the book describes events from both of their points of view, so you can see what schizophrenia feels like from both the inside and outside. Lee also weaves in the points of view of Yonah and Manuel, which could have easily made it feel cluttered, but she does so to great effect. It demonstrates how difficult it can be to love someone with a severe psychological disorder, how hard it is to understand and manage, no matter how much you try and how well-intentioned you are.

Overall, this was a thoughtful exploration of mental illness and how hard it can be to separate a person from their disease. It’s beautifully written, with complex and empathetic characters, and I can’t recommend it enough.