To be sure, this book was an epic, sprawling, magnum opus. The characters were rich, the writing was excellent, and the stories within were compelling. I received an advance copy of this novel through net galley, so it was fun to get to read it months before it officially releases. Though I can’t quite put my finger on what, there were certain elements that made me like, but not love, this book. I appreciated the delicate topics that it addressed, and I appreciated the historical fiction aspect of reading about characters living in France in the 1940’s. I think my favorite parts were those that dealt with abortion and with unions/strikes/fair wages and working conditions for women during this time period. I will say that I’m quite used to tackling lengthy reads with no problem, but this took me weeks to get through. Perhaps some parts were unnecessary, but, still, a book full of heart and very human characters that is certainly worth reading, particularly if you like the humor of the absurd and historical