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Dreams of Significant Girls

3.05 of 5 stars 3.05 · rating details · 260 ratings · 67 reviews

Shirin is an Iranian princess; Ingrid, a German-Canadian eccentric; and Vivien, a Cuban-Jewish New Yorker culinary phenom. The three are roommates at a Swiss boarding school, where they spend their summers learning more than French and European culture. As the girls’ paths cross and merge—summers together, school years separate—they navigate social and cultural differences

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Hardcover, 256 pages

Published July 12th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

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Jun 25, 2011 Aleeeeeza rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-netgalley-galleygrab, 2011-read

The first thing I’m going to say about this book on my review is: What is up with the title?! Because honestly, when I first saw it on Galley Grab, I sort of assumed it was a story about lesbian lovers and decided to skip it, since I wasn’t in the mood for that kind of book. And then I stumbled upon a Goodreads review of it by this fantastic blogger, and I went, “Hey, this sounds really good!”

It turned out the book was NOT about lesbian lovers, no, but actually three girls and three summers they...more The first thing I’m going to say about this book on my review is: What is up with the title?! Because honestly, when I first saw it on Galley Grab, I sort of assumed it was a story about lesbian lovers and decided to skip it, since I wasn’t in the mood for that kind of book. And then I stumbled upon a Goodreads review of it by this fantastic blogger, and I went, “Hey, this sounds really good!”

It turned out the book was NOT about lesbian lovers, no, but actually three girls and three summers they spend in a boarding school in Switzerland. I like boarding school settings, yes, and I adore foreign settings, too, especially European ones. The book is also pretty short, so I decided that, yeah, I’d give it a try.

AND I AM SO GLAD I DID!

I’m at a bit of a lost cause as to what to say about this book, why I liked it so much. It’s like one of those quiet, brilliant and unassuming books that slowly settle under your skin and before you know it, are making you go, ‘Oh my God, I love this book!’ That’s kind of how it was for me. There’s not really any groundbreaking action that goes on, but more of a slow, gradual sense of understanding you form with the characters. So yes, it’s safe to say this is, for the most part, a character-driven book. Even so, the plot is utterly gripping and you can’t help but be entranced by the journey the girl’s lives take over the course of three summers that they spend together.

Now, for the girl’s themselves. The book is told in three different first-person POVs. There's Vivian, whose Dad escaped a brutal death in WWII and escaped to Cuba, where he met her mom, then moved to Miami with her and eventually New York. You have Ingrid, whose Dad was a forced Nazi during WWII and ran off to Canada as soon as he could. Then, lastly, you have Shirin, the daughter of an Iranian prince. First of all, I loved how each of these girls belong to such vastly different cultures, and how we get to see glimpses into all of them. But the cultural barriers aside, they all have such definite personalities that always shine through, and through their unique, personality-injected voice it’s always easy to tell who’s narrating the story.

And the character-growth they all go through? Absolutely PHENOMENAL. What I loved even more was how this incredible friendship between the three enabled them to become who they are. The honesty you see in each three as they fumble their way through education, boys, parents, and life…it’s stunning.

I'm just not quite sure why the book had to take place during the 70s. Maybe because of how much more innocent the teens were back then? Okay, not innocent, obviously, especially after reading about Ingrid. But they were a little bit more clueless than the teens today. (At least, I think so.) The World War II also plays a big part in the book as well. But I'm still a bit confused over that.

So as an ending note I’ll just say, I quite heartily endorse the book. (I just used the phrase ‘heartily endorse’. I must really like this book, then.) I’m not normally into these kinds of books, but maybe I just hadn’t ever come across a book as great as this.(less)

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Jun 26, 2011 Cass - Words on Paper rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-release, read-2011, minority-groups, never-again

2.5/5

DREAMS OF SIGNIFICANT GIRLS reads like The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, aimed at a substantially higher age group. Set in the 1970s, Garcia's strengths lie in honestly exploring mature awakenings in young teenagers with an air of both sensitivity and brashness, but also the friendships that the girls develop. The three girls who we follow in this book, Shirin, Vivien and Ingrid, change so much during and inbetween the three summers at PierPont Boarding School for Girls, that it makes...more 2.5/5

DREAMS OF SIGNIFICANT GIRLS reads like The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, aimed at a substantially higher age group. Set in the 1970s, Garcia's strengths lie in honestly exploring mature awakenings in young teenagers with an air of both sensitivity and brashness, but also the friendships that the girls develop. The three girls who we follow in this book, Shirin, Vivien and Ingrid, change so much during and inbetween the three summers at PierPont Boarding School for Girls, that it makes this book a valuable read. It shows how the little memories can become so irrevocably interwoven with histories, when shared with close friends. The good and the bad, the troubling, the worrying, etc.

I loved that there was a historical aspect to this book, and it shows in the detailings how much Garcia researched. While I believe (though I may be wrong) that some of the girls' ideaologies were advanced for the time period, I found every other detail spot on.

Out of the three girls, I find it a bit difficult deciding on a favourite. They all deal with similar issues, mainly revolving around family and guys, but just under different circumstances. On top of that, each had quintessentially differing qualities and interests. Garcia fleshes out the three girls' characters and histories with an immaculate and admirable amount of detail and care, which is to be commended. Whether or not I felt I could relate to them, or even really LIKE them, is another thing entirely. What I felt was, well, detached. While the characters were essentially speaking TO US when telling their side of the 'story', I still felt like I was just an outsider looking on.

I did like that Garcia took on three perspectives rather than just having one girl narrating all three lives. It, unsurprisingly, offered a greater depth in perspective - not only was one girl reflecting on her current actions, but was also an onlooker of the other girls' goings-on.

DREAMS OF SIGNIFICANT GIRLS is just that. There really is a lot of everything in this book that is explored. This THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELLING PANTS, just amped up, say seven times. Would I recommend it? Perhaps. Would I read it again? Probably not, but this book was a memorable one and I feel as though a teenager can gain a lot from reading this, as long as they're mature enough to handle it.(less)

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Feb 18, 2013 Grace rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nostalgic, reviewed, young-adult

3.5 stars

I don't even know why I picked up this book in the first place. The title was really unappealing, and the synopsis portrayed the characters as complete snobs. Yet I still grabbed this book off that library shelf, and now I do not regret doing so.

This story revolves around three girls, and three summers. Vivien comes from a loud and boisterous family, but still struggles to find her true self; Shirin is the baby of the family, the Iranian princess that has it all; and Ingrid is a feisty...more

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Oct 25, 2011 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First up is, Dreams of Significant Girls by Cristina Garcia. It's the story of three girls who become friends over the course of three summers spent at a boarding school. Viviene struggles with her Cuban background and her parent's crippling relationship. Ingrid has no expectations, doesn't follow the rules, and tries not to get caught with breaking them. Shirin is an Iranian princess who looks down on others as uneducated fools, mere commoners. I enjoyed watching as the girls grew and their str...more

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Oct 11, 2011 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2011

I loved the writing, as it was really literary, and the food descriptions could almost be tasted. This book reminded me a lot of Nina de Gramont's GOSSIP OF THE STARLINGS, right down to the boarding school, the drug and sexual content and brutality therein, the acts of defiance on the parts of the characters, and the writing style.

However, I found it hard to understand the motivations of the characters. They acted on impulse, all three of them, but I never quite got the whys of it. It made it d...more

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Sep 30, 2011 Barbara rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ncbla, strong-women

I think I loved the title of the book a whole lot more than I ended up loving the book. While it held promise in tackling several issues, on the whole it didn't deliver. The premise is not particularly new: Three very different girls bond over the course of three summers at a Swiss boarding school. The story is told, by turns, by the three girls--Shirin from Iran, Ingrid from Canada, and Vivien from New York City. Although Vivien's ancestry is Cuban-Jewish, she seems more preoccupied by her pare...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Andy rated it 2 of 5 stars

In theory this book could have been fabulous, but I felt that in execution it fell a bit short. Granted that this is not generally the type of book i'd read maybe I'm being a bit harsh, but this is what I thought of it.
Good characters- I thought the three girls, Vivien, Shirin and Ingrid, were well done. They're personalities were as diverse as they're brackrounds. They were fun to read about and well formed.

Interesting setting- I know it's been done before but the whole boarding school for a...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Becky rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: multiple-narrators, ya, boarding-school

Dreams of Significant Girls manages to touch on all the "issues" of issue books - depression, divorce, sexual assault, slut-shaming, statutory rape, absent parents, suicide, abortion, homosexuality, revolution, war, genocide, you name it! - without actually saying much about any of those experiences. To do this, Garcia uses three rich girls, one American (of Cuban and Jewish descent), one Canadian (of German descent) and one Iranian Princess. Vivien, Ingrid, and Shirin are thrown together as roo...more

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Feb 10, 2012 BAYA Librarian rated it 2 of 5 stars

Detorie has made an entry into the growing list of novel-comic book hybrids with this peek into the journal of high school freshman Larkin Pace. While fulfilling an English class writing assignment, Larkin tells us the story of the second half of the school year. He deals with many of the usual teens dramas: the school bully, a lost love, the ups and downs of friendship, and a mean older sister. He also has a special wish: to buy a camcorder and start his film making career.

Larkin is honest, sma...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Monica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Vivien, Shirin, and Ingrid have absolutely nothing in common, at least on the surface. One is a Cuban-Jew who loves food and lives in New York, one is a German-Canadian wild child, and one is quite literally an Iranian princess. The only thing they share are three summers together at a boarding school/camp in Switzerland in the early 1970s. During that time, these girls become the unlikeliest of friends as they navigate relationships, families, expectations, and the desire to follow their own dr...more Vivien, Shirin, and Ingrid have absolutely nothing in common, at least on the surface. One is a Cuban-Jew who loves food and lives in New York, one is a German-Canadian wild child, and one is quite literally an Iranian princess. The only thing they share are three summers together at a boarding school/camp in Switzerland in the early 1970s. During that time, these girls become the unlikeliest of friends as they navigate relationships, families, expectations, and the desire to follow their own dreams.

I've walked past this book a hundred times at my library, and since I was in the mood for historical fiction but not something based around a war, I finally decided to give this a try. Over the course of a few hours, I got to know each of these girls who take turns narrating. This was an aspect of the storytelling which I loved - it's interesting to see how each of them describe the same school, people, and summers, and each girl has a very distinct voice and perspective.

However, to me, historical fiction is a delicate genre in that by setting a story in a specific time period other than the present, authors need to make it an essential part of the story, that these events could only take place in that time or place. This novel didn't quite get there for me. The girls sent each other occasional telegrams and letters during their time apart, and at the end history played a slightly bigger role, but overall I felt like you could have set this in the year 2012 instead of 1972 and it wouldn't have been so different. I also had a hard time suspending my belief that these girls would actually become such close friends - not to say such friendships never happen, but the events that unfolded combined with these personalities left an edge of apprehension always in my mind.

If you're looking for a quick one-time read that explores complicated relationships and the realities of growing up, borrow Dreams of Significant Girls from your local library - it may be the book for you. I liked it alright once, but I wasn't in love.(less)

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Sep 13, 2012 Sonia Reppe rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-teen-lit

I think some girl readers will like the three distinct voices of the three characters, of whom the point of view is shared (actually, two of the voices are distinct, one is just bland). I liked the voices of the Indian princess and the bad girl, but unfortunately, that was the only thing I liked about this book. The plot was so unfocused and all over the place, and unbelievable. It takes place over three summers, and by the third summer, two of the three friends already have successful careers a...more

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Sep 28, 2011 Catherine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fluff

YA novel about three teenage girls from very different backgrounds, who become roommates at a summer school/camp in Switzerland in 1971. Vivien is a New Yorker of Polish/Jewish and Cuban descent. Ingrid lives in a small town in Ontario, and Shirin is an Iranian Princess. The book follows their friendship for three summers. The childhoods of Vivien and especially of Ingrid needed a little more attention to explain how they became the way they were. The maturation process was fairly realistic. The...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Keli rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, identity, teen-romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 07, 2012 Tracy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I feel like it is unfair to list a date I finished this book, but it was also unfair of the NYT to give this book a review that made me write it down, check for it 85 times at my local library and then, put in an ILL request for it and then, finally, spend some of my limited free time reading it.

Three very different girls from different countries (Canada, Iran, and a place I've already forgotten - oh wait, Miami, Florida) come together as roommates at a fancy camp in Switzerland. They don't get...more

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Jul 02, 2011 Alex rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-ya, contemporary, for-review

At First Sight: Three different girls clash at an exclusive Swiss summer camp - at a boarding school - in the early 1970's. The three of them come from privileged backgrounds but couldn't be more different. German/Canadian Ingrid is loud, bold and eccentric; Iranian Shirin is conservative, quiet and a brilliant mathematician; Cuban Jewish Vivian moved from Miami to New York, likes to dance and LOVES to cook.

They get stuck as roommates during that first summer - and the two following ones - as th...more At First Sight: Three different girls clash at an exclusive Swiss summer camp - at a boarding school - in the early 1970's. The three of them come from privileged backgrounds but couldn't be more different. German/Canadian Ingrid is loud, bold and eccentric; Iranian Shirin is conservative, quiet and a brilliant mathematician; Cuban Jewish Vivian moved from Miami to New York, likes to dance and LOVES to cook.

They get stuck as roommates during that first summer - and the two following ones - as they battle the demons they carry from home.

Ingrid has the reputation for being a troublemaker, for being easy, and craves the freedom she doesn't have in her small Canadian town. Shirin is shy and would prefer to spend her time either with her beloved older brother or studying physics and math. Vivian wants to be the greatest chef of her time, never mind that her mother doesn't think it's an appropriate profession for a well educated girl.

As time goes by, they become best friends, even if they lives takes them in different directions, they become each other's best friends, even if they only meet for a month each year.

Second Glance: I really liked the idea of Dreams of Significant Girls - I love the title and cover, and I'm a sucker for boarding school stories, I have to admit. But somehow, this story never finished clicking for me.

Part of it is, I think, because I wasn't really aware the book was set in 1971-73 until I began to read it, and it threw me off a little. But mostly it was because I never really connected with Ingrid, Shirin or Vivien - at all. Ingrid was kind of repellent from the start; Shirin was a huge snob and sort of hot and cold all the time; Vivien was the most likable of the three, and I liked her in theory, but not like I wanted to be her friend.

And I think that was it, I didn't want to be friends with any of these girls. I didn't even want to be enemies with them, there were parts of them that read kind of flat to me.

Bottom Line: I think the enjoyment factor of this book is entirely dependent on how much you connect with the girls. I didn't, so I didn't enjoy it all that much. Other wise, the writing is good, and the pace decent if a bit hectic. Oh, it comes out July 12, 2011.

Favorite Quote: I ignored her and continued sweet-talking the soufflés. "Are you ready to come out yet?" I coaxed, feeling strangely elated. Was I imagining their collective sigh of "Oui"? With conviction, I turned to Chef d'Aubigne and triumphantly announced. "The soufflés say they are done." (less)

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Sep 16, 2012 Rebecca rated it 2 of 5 stars

The Dreams of Significant Girls is technically historical fiction but could really be taking place at any time if it wasn't for the back stories about the girls parents which firmly places it in the 70s. Three girls from three different backgrounds go to boarding school for the summer in Switzerland and end up living together. The novel jumps from these three different perspectives which is engaging and unique. The novel moves quickly and easily through the first 2/3s and then significantly slow...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Nerija rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: juv-ya, books-reviewed-at-postcards

To borrow again the Insatiable Booksluts‘ fun rating style, I give this book somewhere between 3.75 and 4 out of 5 Arabian stallions shipped from the Persian Gulf to the Suez Canal, through the Mediterranean up to the French Riviera, and then up to Switzerland.

…. Though, at times, Ingrid’s “Bad Girl” personality seemed overdone…I almost rolled my eyes when she mentioned sleeping with one of her teachers back home. Oh yeah, Note: lots of sex talk in this story. ….

~ Excerpt from my Postcards from...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-september, library

As much as I enjoyed this book, I think I would have liked it better if it were three books, a la the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I felt like, because it was only three parts of one book, a lot of things got glossed over. And I really enjoyed each of the three girls, I loved how different their voices were, and I would have liked to hear more about them.

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Aug 13, 2012 Ms. Library rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-general-fiction

A lot of people have made the comparison to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I definitely think its an apt one, because this book also focuses on teenage girls being friends, and how that affects their lives. It takes place during three summers in the seventies at a Swiss boarding school camp, and it focuses on three different girls: Shirin-the the Iranian princess, Vivien, a Cuban-Jewish New Yorker, and Ingrid-the German-Canadian. These girls past informs their present, and I think Garcia doe...more

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May 11, 2012 Jordyn marked it as abandoned · review of another edition

DID NOT FINISH.

I feel like I'm getting (even) more selective with the books I read. This was one I was really looking forward to, also. A combination of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with a Swiss boarding school/summer camp element (which OF COURSE reminds me of Bloomability) meant this book had a lot to live up to. And it never really captured me, sadly. Though the writing has a very pretty quality to it, the characters themselves were difficult to like. Both Ingrid and Shirin seemed extrem...more

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Jun 06, 2013 Cheryl A rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Other than novels written in the 1970's, this is a decade mostly forgotten, especially in the young adult area. Although there were no iconic events as in earlier decades (WWII, Cold War, Vietnam), the 1970's were a time of great upheaval and change - dealing with the past and moving into the future.

This is the theme for this thoughtful novel. Ingrid is a rebellious Canadian-German whose father is haunted by his Nazi past. Vivien is a Jewish Cuban whose family has fled not only Cuba, but Miami a...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Books and Literature for Teens rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: YA, ages 16+

Shelves: 1900s, books-ive-read-in-2011, drama, realistic-contemporary, published-2011, teen-issues, young-adult, friendship

Advertised as being similar to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Dreams of Significant Girls was not at all what I expected it to be. First of all it takes places in the 1970s at a boarding school for wealthy girls. Not only do these girls attend the summer camp to get away from their parents, but to mingle with boys, take drugs, and drink. Perhaps not all of the three girls had these intentions but one girl in particular–Ingrid–was up to no good throughout most of the book. I dislike the atmos...more Advertised as being similar to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Dreams of Significant Girls was not at all what I expected it to be. First of all it takes places in the 1970s at a boarding school for wealthy girls. Not only do these girls attend the summer camp to get away from their parents, but to mingle with boys, take drugs, and drink. Perhaps not all of the three girls had these intentions but one girl in particular–Ingrid–was up to no good throughout most of the book. I dislike the atmosphere of the setting so much, after reading a 100 pages, I had to quit.
The issues and events that came up in the story were not the only thing that bothered me. The plot itself was chaotic and jumped around from past to present, from girl to girl; I felt detached from them. Each character's voice was unique and different–I would have to say that was one of the few "good" things about this book. I did read the ending of Significant Girls and the story seemed to wrap up pretty well.

Overall, I just wasn't pleased with the whole subject of the story: puberty. Honestly it sadden me because I was excited to read Significant Girls. There are too many stories that deal with nothing but this, first hooking ups, etc. Perhaps there is more to the story but in those first 100 pages it seemed like the focal point of the girl's journey.
Also, I must add that the girls on the cover do NOT in anyway resemble girls from the 70s...I mean where the heck are the bell bottom jeans? The fringe? The babydoll tops? I don't think this was a smart choice for cover art.
So yes this was not the book for me but when choosing to read this book (or not!) my main point is that it was just too much like other books I've read–making it, shall we say, a not-so significant story. (Ages 16+)

Content Awareness
Please be aware that this book contains mature elements such as sexual references/situations, language, drinking, and references to drugs. If you were to "watch" this book as a movie, I would definitely rate it PG-13.

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Feb 23, 2012 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

really enjoyed “Dreams of Significant Girls”. It’s a nice story about three girls from different countries meeting up three subsequent years. Each girls has her own problem and story to tell and they grow together. The book is divided into three smaller books, in which one character is the main character. Between the books there are letters, which the three girls write each other until they see each other again at boarding school in summer. I really liked that the girls were so different. I also...more

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Jul 09, 2011 Morgan F rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, galleygrab, young-adult, 2011, boarding-school, contemporary, realistic, multiple, friendship, switzerland, read-2011, small-sized

This book failed. It was about three privileged girls from different backgrounds around the world building a friendship over the course of three summers at a posh summer camp (which was really just a boarding school). Oh yeah, and it took place in the 70's. I don't know why it took place in the 70's, but WWII did play a small (and hilarious) part in the novel.

Well, I can tell what this book wanted to be. It wanted to be this beautiful, stunning story of how three girls from such different backg...more

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Aug 15, 2011 L_manning rated it 3 of 5 stars

Following three summers at a boarding school in Switzerland, this book tells the story of three very different girls who become friends. Ingrid is the "wild" and "crazy" one, Vivien is the sweet one, and Shirin is the more uptight and formal one. The girls are thrown together as roommates, and the slowly bond through shared experiences. These bonds help shape their lives and their futures.

With a title like this one, I was expecting something profound or more interesting that what I got. Apparent...more

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Jul 04, 2011 kristin (paper reader) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, to-review, ya-contemporary, galleygrab, arc

This book was almost like stepping into a painting: bright, vivid, and realistic.

Lasting.
--
This was less like a book and more of a glimpse into a looking glass showing us a reflection of the story of three completely different girls. Through varying situations in their lives they ended up at a posh Swiss boarding school, each wondering just what they could possibly get out of the situation. But more than getting something out of it, their experience changes their worldview and themselves.

To be h...more

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Jul 31, 2011 Melee rated it 2 of 5 stars

Apparently the 'dreams of significant girls' don't involve much more than boys and sex. Okay, maybe that's a bit harsh - the girls did have passions that later developed into careers but those took backseat and I feel more space than necessary was devoted to the girls' amours. My inner feminist made her presence known, making grumbling noises practically the entire time I was reading. (And it takes a lot to get my inner feminist up and running. She's buried pretty deep down.)

It's a shame, really...more

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Jul 23, 2011 Stories & Sweeties {Becky} rated it 4 of 5 stars

While I didn't absolutely love this one, Dreams of Significant Girls had a strange way of keeping me captive for the few days it took to read it. Watching these three girls from completely different walks of life interact with each other was somehow completely fascinating. The story went along at a bit of a steady, quiet pace. This had a lot to do with the way it was told---alternating perspectives of the three girls and with a journal entry-style tense. Much like you would if you were reading s...more

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Apr 05, 2011 bibliophile brouhaha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, blog-tour, young-adult-fiction

This is not a book. Dreams of Significant Girls is a finely crafted vessel, and the story beautifully braids together three different narratives into a single, strong anchor. I didn't want to put it down.

As the synopsis says, the three girls are sent by their families to a premier Swiss boarding school for a summer session. Each girl is sent for a different reason, and each has her own goals and gripes associated with the trip. The three are placed in the same dorm room together, and each fills...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Sarah rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-some

I stopped on page 77. I was kinda wondering why I wasn't getting into this book and so I checked the GoodReads reviews...looks like I'm not the only one who had difficulty liking this book! The premise is good--three girls are sent to Switzerland to learn French at a boarding school. One is a Cuban American, one is a Canadian bad girl, and one is a snobby Iranian mathematician princess. But, after the initial chapters of setting up the story, I grew very bored and didn't find myself attached to...more

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About Cristina Garcia

After working for Time Magazine as a researcher, reporter, and Miami bureau chief, Garcia turned to writing fiction. Her first novel, Dreaming in Cuban (1992), received critical acclaim and was a finalist for the National Book Award. She has since published her novels The Agüero Sisters (1997) and Monkey Hunting (2003), and has edited books of Cuban and other Latin American literature. Her fourth...more

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“You never knew what to expect with Ingrid. One minute she could be sawing the locks off Pierpont's freezers; the next, providing shelter for the homeless birds of Switzerland.” — 2 people liked it

“...No small amount of schadenfreude. Do you know what that means?"

"Dad, it's the lifeline of gossip. Of course I know what it means.” — 1 person liked it

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