The most notable characters are the oldest sibling Filippa, the heart of the family, her volatile younger sister Bepa, and their strict but loving father Alek, who has a keen insight into other people. Some readers will be disturbed by descriptions of Bepa physically and verbally abusing her husband, youngest daughter, and nieces while spoiling her older daughter, turning her into a bully. It’s fascinating to see the way each generation influences the next: Alek and Filippa and her daughter Lana are caring and protective.
While it’s a compelling tale of a family struggling to remain close, the pacing is often slow, despite frequent time jumps and the Kristoffs’ numerous romantic disasters—they tend to fall in love too quickly with near strangers without learning from their mistakes. Hints of family secrets add mystery, such as involvement with the Mafia, or why the Kristoff siblings were removed from their home by social workers in childhood, and the milieus of Russian immigrants, the opera world, Santa Monica’s Muscle Beach, Milan, and more are all evoked with precision and heart. Sometimes it’s even infectiously upbeat: “Didn’t you know—I’m dizzy on a dame named showbiz?” asks Julian, née Boris, striving to make it as a tenor, buoyant with the possibilities of what can be achieved in the American century.
Takeaway: Century-spanning tale of a family struggling to overcome heartbreak and trauma.
Comparable Titles: Sana Krasikov’s The Patriots, Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
