It all started with James Piper, a young Scottish Canadian who fell
in love and eloped with the wealthy 13-yr old Lebanese immigrant,
Materia Mahmoud. Their marriage produced four daughters --
Katherine, Mercedes, Frances and Lily -- whose lives and love for
each other became the heart of the story. Imagine Alcott's LITTLE
WOMEN, only very dark, foreboding, and wickedly funny.
This book was breathtaking, captivating, enthralling, depressing,
harrowing, engaging, thrilling, and everything else 'ing'. It will
make you laugh, it will make you grieve, you will be shocked and
disgusted, and just when you thought the dust has settled, things
turn for the worse right up to the ending.
Some people may find this novel depressing. And it is. It is
depressing and at times, very disturbing. But that's exactly what a
good book does - it evokes emotions. Depressing or otherwise, a
good book always gets under your skin. MacDonald achieved that in
this novel and I commend her for it.