I really enjoyed this book--it was both an easy read but also full of substance that resonated well with me. I think it was especially interseting reading this book in the context that I read Julia Glass' second book The Whole World Over beforehand and also really enjoyed it--but some of the characters make cross over appearances.

One of the most enchanting aspects of the book was what the author did not write. She never really delves into long diatribes of "who loves who, who has scorned who, and why"--its all done through side-conversations with characters as they cross paths in a very non-chalant way--like you're voyeuristically listening in on intimate conversations while you're reading along.

More specifically speaking--I really enjoyed the second section of the book that discusses one of the main character's life after he's emigrated to NYC and started a book shop. He is gay and he is living in an environment that was(is?) profoundly affected by the AIDS virus. This section of the book struck a chord with me only because it really humanized this period of time that I really did not know much about. There was more to this section than the AIDs crisis--it seemed to really be about the trials and joys of the personality we embody and the connections we make as a result.