I really enjoyed this book and flew through it. It centers around the Riva siblings, and the story switches between present day (which, in the book, is 1983) and their family history starting in the 50s. The trials these siblings have faced are many, and the trauma they hold is deep. The writing was very fluid and nuanced. I enjoyed the siblings honest relationships and “through thick or thin” spirits towards each other. I felt like I “knew” Nina and Hud the best, with Jay and Kit being a little more vague. Part One was all the family history and Part Two was the party scene in present day. Part Two was fast paced and full of a wide range of characters. Both parts intertwined so well. A feelings book, for sure.
This was a really interesting read. I was hooked by the main character, Nella, from the get go. She was thoughtful, smart and complicated. The main overall theme was about living and navigating the world as a Black woman in the corporate world, which is an important perspective to be reading about. This book has a major twist, and it was a slow burn. It took almost to the end to get there, but mystery is intertwined from the first chapter, building and totally reframing the story by the end. It was a bit hard for me to keep track of the small details between the character switches in some chapters, and I missed some nuances towards the end of the book. I had to flip back to make sure I understood what was happening, so I think part of the surprise was delayed for me. But I still think it’s an important book and would recommend it!
*(spoiler alert)*
I super enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting, helpful and well rounded. Piper’s husband dies in a boating accident, but she still lives her daily life like he never left. Anders is a budding reporter and wants to find out why. The outcomes of the slight (and interesting) mysteriousness to Tom and Piper’s relationship (the flashbacks) and the reasoning of why Piper still acted like Tom was there, just seemed so normal. There was so much great buildup to these potentially interesting reasonings, and the reasons were….developing the island, and, because she wanted to. Like, they are fine outcomes, but I was left feeling like meh. But I truly did like this book. The story line keep me reading. The sense of place was lovely, the island becoming almost like an entire other character. The characters were varied and authentic. And the themes of community, mental health, grief and small town life were all well written.