Very surprised at the high reviews as this wasn't what I expected. The beginning of the book reminded me of Flowers in the attic and the author's writing was all over the place. No real story line and the ending was abrupt. Would not recommend reading for your book club.

I hung in to the end and wish I hadn’t. Characters were flawed and story flopped around which was annoying but the ending was too far fetched and for me unbelievable.

This book ultimately
annoyed me on so many levels. I found the main characters implausible, and irritating. I selected the audiobook. I often find audiobooks disappointing if the narrator(s) portraying the roles come across forced and unbelievable. The book was recommended to me based on a survey of favorites. It was a miss.

In this debut novel, author Asha Lemmie explores a unique aspect of history: mixed race children of American soldiers in WWII Japan - and, in an even more complex twist, children of African American soldiers. I was excited going into this novel, and Lemmie's talent with writing is obvious, but I was disappointed that the subject matter was not explored more deeply. The novel lacked the complexity and richness it had the potential for, and the ending of the novel was anticlimactic, disappointing, confusing, and not a little out of character for the heroine. Overall, I have mixed feelings regarding this title. While Lemmie is a wonderful writer, her story lacked depth and the conflict was drawn out. The relationship between the main character and her brother bordered on incestuous - and emotionally abusive, or at least unhealthily controlling. There was so much more that this novel could have been - an exploration of societal, cultural, and racial issues... a saga of a young woman who rose above her childhood trauma and social constraints to become a better woman than her predecessors. Instead, her rise to greatness - or at least betterment - was at once stunted and confused by uncharacteristic decisions and unrealistic responses to severe trauma. Acceptance of unethical social mores seems to underlie Lemmie's plot, as well as a lack of concern for historical accuracy or depth. Significant historical events and issues were brushed over or completely ignored, implying that Lemmie did the bare minimum of research, something that I find borderline unethical when dealing with issues that are so little known to begin with - her opportunity to educate through literature was ignored in favor for what one reviewer called "tragedy porn". Certainly this was a novel filled with emotional conflict, but acumen in depicting character growth and the process of emotional maturing was obtrusively lacking.

Claustrophobic and unbelievable. The heroine becomes too powerful and virtuous after experiencing so much trauma. She relies too heavily on the hired help who are too virtuous.