There is something very amazing and important about this book.  The central character Hattie is the thread that ties her children together, but the book is more about her children's struggles.  Each story inhabits a wide range of emotions.  Each child is a vivid individual.  The significance of the book for me was the transformation through a portion of American history and the tiny window of it that we are able to look through.  This book amazed me!

This book blew my mind. After the first section ended very suddenly, I struggled where the book was going to go. It is like a huge literary puzzle. A connect-the-dots in word form. The time and space of the book span generations and never gets boring. I thought it to be a wonderful thrill ride. I still thank my friend for recommending it to me.