This seemed like exactly the kind of book I would enjoy, but the pace moved so quickly that I could barely connect with the characters.

This was a really good story with important messages. It's about the freedom of choice and the importance of libraries. And especially how important having opportunities and access to libraries are to immigrants.

This book shows the true meaning of wanting to be free from the past and start a new life. Also, escaping from a place that you cannot stay.

Stanislava was stuck in a Slovene community. She finds a library book and discovered something. Inside the book that Stanislava is reading shows a character named Katinka who adopts an American name Katie. Katie wants to live the American dream and is in college. Stanislava wants that dream too. She adopts the name Sylvia.

Then Stanislava’s sister Stina runs away due to the fact that she’s a caretaker. Stanislava’s parents made her give up school to take over Stina’s place. She made the decision to run away and live out her dream.

The book is a good historical read.