It was enlightening to learn more about the struggles that a Haitian child faces in this country and how the new culture impacts generations differently.

Very enjoyable, easy read, tough subject area.

A Haittian girl travels to live with her mother in New York after being raised by her aunt in her native land. The story had the potential to be fascinating. Unfortunately this story is written with absolutely no emotion, there is almost no character development, and the reader doesn't develop a connection with anyone in the book. The critics praised this story for having come from such a young author. I felt that it was very apparent that it was written by someone very young. The writing gave the impression that the author had very little life experience, very little knowledge of life after twenty, very little understanding of the evolution of the human soul. There are large gaps of time in the story line, which rather than adding to the story, just leave the reader feeling as though they don't understand what is going on. Largely, while reading this book, I felt like I was reading the outline for a story rather than the story itself. The story reads like a brief summary of things that occurred in the life of the girl telling the story. With a little more life experience, and a lot more flesching out of the details of the story, the author very well could have turned this into a wonderful novel. As it is, the story left our book club members with little to discuss and almost unanimously disappointed.

...to the realities of tens of thousands of others. Gets us out of our comfort zone. Goes far beyond the little we receive in sound bites.

This book is very dramatic, and envelopes you right into what it is like to be a young girl in Haiti. After reading the first two thirds of the book, I really wanted to know what kind of life Sophie would make for herself. What she would do. I wanted nothing but the best for her, she had alot to carry for such a young girl...but proud to say...she did it! This book will grip you and you will cheer for Sophie like you would a friend.