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all those pages

Revisado: 03-17-25

the story was not worth the time it took to read it and the signs were there all along

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Must Read!!

Revisado: 08-13-22

Gratitude to Sepetys for her accurate portrail of 1989 Bucharest and the very specific details of the communist/authoritarian regime that reigned over us through fear! There wasn't one aspect of my lived experiences as a Romanian teen this novel didn't cover accurately and that is hats down to Sepetys' skills as a historical fiction writer. Readers will get close to feeling what it was like to be a teenager on the brink of and through a popular uprising Revolution: fear, powerlessess, lack of trust at the foundation of lack of basic needs such as safety.

The protaginist Cristian/Cristi is spot on with his polarized needs and wants, though his progress in the span of the novel seems a tad exagerated. I appreciated archetypes embodied by Bunu the dissident, the ghostly overworked father, and Mama, whose concern for her family errodes her mental health. Cici's character missed the mark, as there was so much possible complexity that failed to manifest. I loved the use of the Romanian words 'Mama', 'Bunu', and first and last names 'Cici', 'Florescu'

The thriller aspect was so close to my lived experiences, it didn't quite work for me, and the unraveling at the end didn't seem to honor the predicament of the surprise antagonist. The intelligence reports were spot, as were the nicknames of the shady characters serving the regime.

I will reccomend this book with my whole heart!

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Breathtaking

Revisado: 06-28-22

A memoir of contrasts woven masterfully: the beauty and ugly of humanity, the fascination with what isn't and gratitude for what is, deep research and mundane moments, projected upon labels and carefully chosen identity, daughterhood and motherhood, and humor, so much humor.

Reminds me of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous in its breathtaking descriptions, but unlike Ocean Vuong's novel, I could not put down this memoir - despite its length, I knew I would finish reading it.

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Not my top ten

Revisado: 05-13-22

If you are interested in reading memoirs that center mother-daughter relationships, this memoir will appeal. I liked the characters and their eccentricities, I felt I was present for at all the dinners.

It wasn't clear to me why the fourteen year old daughter had time to be her mother's sidekick. I wondered why weren't there friends her own age to occupy her time and consume her energy? Why wasn't she occupied with her school, extracurricular activities, friends? As the daughter matured, the arrested development became apparent but still I craved scenes from her life away to be as detailed as the dinner parties.

For an adult reader, the memoir felt, well, a lot like the main characters' MO: superficial. The last 1/3 felt rushed.

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See Tito's world through his senses

Revisado: 12-24-21

Deeply insightful and at times reading like what I imagine it would feel to read a painting, or the ocean, Tito's sensory experience moved through his stories into my body and shed light on how our human dependency on relationships impacts the neuro-divergent ecosystem that is Tito's being. So much gratitude for Tito's desire to be known and for the support those around him provided so the world would know his story.

This book is a must read for anyone curious to feel what it is like to be born nonverbal, and anyone interested in demystifying neuro-divergence.

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