I liked the characters which kept me reading. I feel they were all strong and well-developed. There was just enough fact to make the fiction intriguing. I felt that this in some ways could have been my family's history though none of them stayed on the east coast. I particularly liked how each of the characters grew up and out from their roots without a need to deny their roots. I loved how every one of the characters had at least one serious flaw to their personality and many lovable traits to balance.