The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

A special thank you to Edelweiss and Harper for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Part two of the Between Us series by Thrity Umrigar picks up on Bhima's story from The Space Between Us.  Bhima had been a servant for the last 20 years and she lost her job when she spoke up against a crime that was committed against her family.  What is more painful to her than losing her job is the loss of the relationship with her former employer, Sera, who was her only confident in her otherwise lonely life.  Bhima must now find a way to make ends meet for her and her granddaughter, Maya.

Her luck seems to change with the chance meeting with Parvati, a bitter and street-wise older woman.    They form an unlikely relationship from acquaintances to business partners.  Each woman fills the voids in the other that were created by their pasts.  Bhima has made her first true friend.

Although set in modern day India, there are some horrific and almost barbaric things that are almost unbelievable in today's society.  Then again, we live in the western world and cannot fathom what life is like for women in India, especially poor and illiterate ones.

Umrigar's story is about love, loss, struggle, class, and misfortune due to circumstances.  Her words read like fine poetry and are a sharp contrast to the cultural brutality that is depicted.  I have had the pleasure of reviewing her before, and this certainly won't be the last.  Her writing is captivating and thought provoking and I highly recommend this series.  

You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld

A special thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You Think It, I'll Say It is a compilation of ten stories about misperception and how human flaws connect us all.  We all misread others, including ourselves.  The real challenge is to put yourself in someone else's situation to understand their choices instead of passing judgement.      

I can't put my finger on why I don't like short stories.  Perhaps it's because I'm left wanting more and feel unsatisfied, or that I don't want to be vested in characters that never fully develop.

This collection however is the exception.  All of the narratives work together as a cohesive unit, but as stand-alone stories they are incredibly powerful.  The characters are remarkably well developed and relatable, and the plots are engaging.  This is an amazing feat given that it takes most authors hundreds of pages to accomplish what Sittenfeld does in a few.

I'm completely blown away with this anthology.  So, back to my original statement: I guess short stories really aren't my thing...unless they are written by Curtis Sittenfeld.

Vi by Kim Thúy

A special thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thúy, Canada Reads winner, returns with Vi, a stunning work that explores the lives and struggles of Vietnamese refugees.

Vi, a name that means "precious, tiny one" lives up to her name as the youngest of four children and the only daughter.  She is a joy to her family.

Torn apart by the Vietnam war, her family starts anew in Canada without their father who stayed behind in Vietnam.  Vi's mother and brothers establish roots in their new homeland, where Vi feels a sense of awakening, and that the world has opened itself up to her.  She is taken under the wing by Ha, a worldly family friend/lover.  As she crosses international boundaries, she tests her own personal ones—she is learning about the complexities of life, love, relationships, humanity, and where her place is in all of this.

Thúy's prose is gorgeous, haunting, and mesmerizing.  Her writing is captivating and elegant.  She captures the spirit and innocence of a young girl while paying homage to Vietnamese culture on the backs of rich characters that are redefining tradition in a new country.