The Ruby Slippers

by Keir Alexander

Old Rosa the bag lady shuffles along the streets of New York, stinking, silent and shunned by man and beast. Time and again her nephew, Michael Marcinkus the grocer, has tried to help - but Rosa remains unknowable, hushed inside her hulk. On the day of the St Patrick's Day Parade, Rosa is in a terrible accident. As she lies in a coma, Mr Marcinkus visits her squalid flat and unearths something remarkable from the monstrous piles of junk: two glittering pieces of Hollywood history. How on earth does decrepit old Rosa come to own such treasure? And what is to be done with them now? Word of Rosa's 'Ruby Millions' soon gets out, and these old articles of faith become an irresistible beacon for the misplaced hopes and darkest desires of an unforgettable cast of characters. Could a pair of priceless slippers really bring some magic into to a mundane life? Would an unexpected windfall bring a hope of happiness? Lives are changed, relationships tested and real values challenged. But in the hunger to possess the prize, will anyone stop to learn the incredible story of the woman to whom they once belonged? The Ruby Slippers is a rare and moving story about the search for meaning, and the meaning of value.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Audiobook

432 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 2014

Reviews

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only reason this book was even on my shelf was because of the "Wizard of Oz" connection and the ruby slippers. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the story and actually really enjoyed this debut novel. There were many characters each with their own stories to tell but somehow they all end up being connected in some way. Just goes to show that the degree of separation between lives is tiny. I found this to be an enjoyable, moving and entertaining read. Made me want to own a pair of those ruby slippers that Dorothy wore. 3.5 star read.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really admire and love books that take stereotypes and flip them on their heads. I love how they can somehow convince you that the way in which people look at the world is tarnished; even if you completely agree with what the book is saying, you still find this sense of acceptance and hidden meaning when finishing. In some respects, The Ruby Slippers does this.

It takes a very unusual approach to storytelling - it interweaves different characters storylines together - with all being, not only connected to each other, but to the mysterious slippers.

But firstly, ask yourself this: have you ever heard the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover"? Pff, of course you have, I'm on Goodreads after all. But, do you agree with it? If we turn this into a method of describing people, you would mostly definitely agree, wouldn't you? You would say that you should never judge people based on their appearance, because what is inside, their life experiences and their personality is what counts. But, if you were to see a very unclean, scruffy person scouring the streets - would this phrase occur to you? I doubt it - I am definitely guilty of that in some respects.

The Ruby Slippers introduces us to Rosa, our unclean, scruffy member of society. She is lonely, hoards countless pieces of rubbish and is frowned upon by almost all who see her - including her own family. However, as the book continues, the stigma that is attached to Rosa is slowly broken. You begin to see her history and life experiences, and her personality. The tarnished view in which her family held her in was changed for the better - originally, they too were basing it on their thoughts on her "cover" and a family history they never knew the full story of.

I really enjoyed the Rosa and Marcinkus family story line - it did exactly what I thought it would. The family learnt acceptance, love and the meaning of family. A very well rounded and lovely moral.
The other characters stories were also well received. I really liked how everyone ended up linked together and all reached their desired goals; whether it be through acceptance of others, self appreciation or understanding love.

My only quarrel lies with the fact that at times, especially at the beginning of the story, it was very difficult to engage with the characters. Yes, they had to start at a certain level to be able to build themselves up and develop, but it was difficult to get into their storylines. This lack of admiration for the characters has made it a very unmemorable novel - I felt that it had the potential, but didn't quite live up my expectations. Like most, I like stories that hook me from the word go, and this just didn't. It was well written, engaging towards the last half, but there was somewhat of a personal struggle to get to that point. Maybe that was the point - the writing was so good, I disliked the characters and then loved them - but part of me was hoping for more...

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinions of the books, and any expressed are that of my own.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

“She stinks. It has to be said. Stinks to high heaven”. This is our introduction to Rosa, the old bag lady who walks the streets with her dog Barrell who stays with her when no human will. Her nephew and only relative, Michael Marcinkus is called to her hospital bed after she is involved in an accident during the Parade. When he and his wife Grace go to her apartment they are disgusted by the squalor and filth that she lives in. Nothing has ever been thrown away, not even rotten food. However in amongst the filth and stench they find a box containing a pair of ruby slippers. Gradually we are told of Rosa’s story and how she acquired such beautiful items.

We meet a cast of characters who appear to be completely random – a troublesome teenage boy, a 14 year old girl who feels abandoned by her father, a rich, sick and bitter old man raging against life and a man keeping a vigil at his dying lover’s hospital bedside. All have their own voices and their own part to play in the story of Rosa’s slippers.

This is an extremely well written debut novel but I have to admit to feeling disappointment that it didn’t quite live up to its promise. For me, there was a lack of engagement or connection with the characters and at times I felt it was over-written. The story travels from Latvia from the start of WWI to America with the tragedy of war movingly portrayed. I would have liked to have known more about Rosa’s history and I felt that she wasn’t given the prominence in the story that she deserved.

Greed, loss, family secrets and regrets are just some of the facets of this story. There were many parts of the book that I enjoyed however sadly it won’t be a memorable read for me.

[J.B (Debbie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ruby Slippers is the type of book I absolutely love. It’s a story where all the characters end up connected in some way or another and each individual story is told, concluding with some connection to another character. Michael is a grocer who is almost nearing retirement age. His aunt Rosa is a social pariah who is seen as the smelly old bag lady, which is exactly how she looks. However, an accident soon reveals Aunt Rosa’s secrets; in particular a pair of ruby slippers.


The book takes us on a journey of exploration in relation to the slippers and we discover their amazing history. Michael himself is taken on a journey of self-discovery finding out more about Aunt Rosa than he could ever have imagined and struggling with the trauma of his childhood during the war. Soon the slippers become prominent in the lives of James, who has just lost his partner Paulo and Harrison who desires the ruby slippers in a very dangerous way. The Ruby Slippers shape the lives of many characters in the book, taking them on a roller-coaster of emotions and difficult decisions to make.


This book was very enjoyable and extremely well written. Sad and poignant at times, the story also offers hope and a promise of a better life. The story doesn’t speed along but takes the reader on a gentle saunter through the lives of many interesting characters, each flawed but all likeable and interesting. Highly recommended. The book is due for release on 20th March so add it to your wishlist or pre-order from Lovereading site or Amazon. Published through Constable and Robinson.


*This review will also appear on Lovereading.co.uk as I am a member of the Reviewer panel. I received an advanced copy in exchange for a honest and unbiased review.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Takes a while to get fully immersed into the book with there being so many characters and it takes 90 pages before the Ruby Slippers make an appearance. I was expecting a bigger back story on the character Rosa but I'm guessing the author was proceeding with caution as Rosa briefly interacted with Judy Garland.
I did read an interview with the author on what inspired him to write this book and it wasn't through a love of Wizard of Oz (it was linked to a dream where he was told to write a book about red shoes). I feel that this book in the hands of someone who was more passionate about The Wizard of Oz would have told a different story.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since The Wizard of Us first graced our screens we’ve somehow been captured by the magic of those iconic ruby slippers and this novel weaves a narrative that captures that magic beautifully; its prose is beautifully wrought. Old Rosa, the bag lady at the start of the story is an arresting individual with a secret story to tell. But the New York characters who chase the dream draw you in to a compelling plot that’s cinematic in its scope and style. There’s a pace to the short chapters, which follow a range of characters, drawing you in to the complex workings of each individual’s soul. The sheer variety of character and the honest way in which they’re portrayed kept me hooked into the story. Basically there’s an old grocer, a no-good youngster in a hoodie out to get what he can, a gay guy with a too-much forgotten daughter and a pretty miserable specimen of humanity in a wheelchair. They’re all manoeuvring against one another and there’s a lot that happens that you just couldn’t predict!

The front cover for this debut novelist seems to suggest that the contents will be whimsical and quirky: but I just felt that it was more than that. It might be uneven in places, but I feel the author’s voice has real poetry and in Keir Alexander a strong new literary voice is coming through. There’s some gentle humour and a rollicking good tale, but without giving away plot, there seems to me to be something poignant and elegiac in its tone at the close of the story. I’d say that if you’ve enjoyed the work of Paul Torday, Louis de Bernieres or Peter Carey you’re probably likely to enjoy this. It’s a memorable tale with a strong and impressive authorial voice. I can’t wait to see it launched this March – it should be a book on everyone’s reading list.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosa and her dog Barrell walk the streets of New York, never stopping to speak to anyone, never acknowledging anyone, but always making an impact. Rosa stinks, her odour offends and horrifies anyone that goes anywhere near her. Only her great-nephew Michael attempts to interact with her. Rosa visits his shop with a hand-written note that tells him what grocery items she wants, he hands them over and always encourages her to take a bath. It is this sense of family loyalty that pricks at Michael when he hears that Rosa has had a terrible accident during the St Patrick's Day Parade. He and his wife decide that they must go to her apartment, to clear out and to help.

Rosa's apartment really comes as no surprise. Years and years of rubbish, everything from decaying food to old underwear - the smell is atrocious. Yet amongst the rubbish and the waste they discover a beautiful pair of ruby slippers - a legacy from the old days of Hollywood, and a mystery. Why does Rosa have these slippers in her apartment?

We are introduced to a cast of characters who seem entirely unconnected, but on further reading we realise that it is the ruby slippers and their worth that bring this unlikely collection of people together. Their secrets, their hopes, their desires and their histories are played out from New York and Hollywood and across Europe.

One fabulous, iconic item is the link that binds together a story that is terribly clever, a little whimsical, but utterly human at its centre. At times very funny, and sometimes very very sad, Keir Alexander is a gifted author who has created a story full of characters who are realistic in their faults and a plot that is ambitious yet very well woven together.

[Angie Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sent this as a review book, and really enjoyed the novel. It wasn't what I expected, it was so much jmore,, A bag lady, and her dog,wander the streets,both harmless,and lonely. One day, Rosa(the bag lady) steps off the kerb, so begins the tale of The Ruby Slippers, entwining, the reader,and characters, who are all in their own way,connected to the said Slippers. It's a tale of life, love, loss, redemption, but a fairy tale, with a difference, this is one,that is believable, ,, A debut novel, that deserves more than five stars,,

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that probably deserved more critical and retail attention than it received. The first three quarters are very good, influenced in setting and structure (I would guess) by Tom Wolf's famous "Bonfire of the Vanities", only with characters in humbler and less moneyed circles. The story takes a little while to take hold, but the interplay of the characters and their particular battles is highly entertaining, and the evocation of their interior worlds - and New York itself - is detailed and well expressed.
For me, the fault of the book becomes apparent about three quarters of the way in. Alexander sets up a nice climactic scene, which the whole story has been building towards, but then takes another 86 pages to round the story off. Way too many. We even have a lengthly recap of many of the key scenes presented from the p.o.v. of a small child, complete with misinterpretations and childish naivety. Yes, the child does play a certain (transitory) role in the winding up of the tale, but 10 pages of her recollections is almost maddening, placed as it is right before the final chapter. For my money, this what we have editors for: to say "cut!"
That said, "Slippers" is still an impressive piece of work and I hope Keir Alexander can keep his literary show on the road for a long time to come.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This accomplished debut novel uncovers the minutiae of daily life and reveals the insatiability of greed, the sadness of family secrets and the destructive nature of overwhelming regret.

The story opens during the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Manhattan. Old Rosa and her dog Barrell, meander through the crowds leaving behind a vile aroma of mouldering humanity.
At a downtown Deli, Michael Marcinkus, the effusive proprietor, prepares a Macchiato for his customer.
James is a man whose sadness permeates through to the bread, bagels and bakery goods and as he sips his macchiato, he mourns the loss of his lover.
Three world-weary youths hangout outside a record store; bored and jaded they speculate on those whose lives interconnect with their own. The humiliation of hauling his bulk from the toilet seat to his wheelchair causes Malachi McBride to take his anger and frustration out on his nursemaid, Inez.
Meanwhile, over a hundred miles away in Riverhead, Long Island a teenage girl yearns for something which is sadly out of her reach.

On the surface this cast of disparate characters should have absolutely no need to interact but gradually as the story unfolds, the lasting legacy of a pair of ruby slippers will have a profound effect on the lives of this contrasting group of individuals.

I found the story remarkably easy to read and very quickly became immersed in the lives of those who feature strongly in the story. There is a fine style to the writing with some moments of sheer brilliance, and the conjured imagery goes from the hustle and bustle of a small town deli, to the squalid and foetid ambience of a hoarder’s hovel, with comparable ease.

Overall, I found that I had a real connection with the characters, some I liked more than others but throughout the novel, the need to find out just a little bit more kept me turning the pages with real enjoyment.

I read this book as part of the lovereading.co.uk readers review panel.

[Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is very different to the usual books I read but I was thoroughly entertained and enthralled by this unexpectedly beautiful story. This book is primarily a search for meaning and what is important in the lives of a varied cast of New Yorkers. With multiple characters all connected somehow to the central figure of Michael, the Latvian immigrant grocer, and hence, in turn, to the ruby slippers, the novel is a delightfully pleasant, yet unrealistic, tale. This, however, does not make it any less enjoyable.

The story revolves around Michael Marcinkus, the nephew of the reclusive old bag lady, Rosa. An accident on the day of the St Patricks' Day Parade brings Rosa closer to Michael's own life. With Michael being her only remaining relative, it it his reason for looking into her affairs. A clearing of her flat leads Michael to find a treasured piece of history, in the form of a pair of ruby slippers used in the filming of a famous Hollywood movie. These slippers come to take on meaning for Michael and his family and, in turn, for two individuals who play a part in Michael's life - a customer who has recently lost his partner and a boy from the wrong side of town who had worked for him and let him down. The importance of these slippers is revealed evermore so as Michael finds out more and more about Rosa, and hence his own, family's history in war torn Latvia. For very different reasons, the slippers come to have meaning to the other two individuals, and both have very different ideas of how acquiring these may enhance their lives.

Whilst the interlinking characters hold your attention, the most moving element of the storyline revolves around Michael and his terrible childhood and it is his journey of discovery that I found to be the part that is most engaging of all. This is a thoroughly feel good read with the key elements being dreams and the hopes for the future of the very different individuals involved.

[Stephen Hickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Spoiler Alert** I warmed to this after initial reservations about the omnipotent present delivery. The book is well constructed and moves between the three interwoven stories of James, a gay soon to be bereaved Librarian, Michael a deli store owner, and Harrison a black punk.

There is some real human insight as the lives of the main protagonists become involved in a pair of Judy Garland's Ruby slippers. The slippers are an interesting device for the writer, their potential value always reflected in the human impact they have had, first on the original owner and then on those who come into contact with them.

The book maintains a good pace and I wanted to come back to it each evening, however there are times events are contrived like the appearance of James' daughter at the crucial auction, the death of Rosa at a most convenient moment, James's father, in his wheelchair, bidding at the auction, and the almost inevitable fact that he is a millionaire and happens to be able to bid for the slippers.

I can forgive those things because the book is generally very good. As a first novel it has elements of the overwritten verbosity you might expect, but it's failing for me was at the end where I felt the final chapters were tacked on, as if the author had reached a point of no definite conclusion and was under some pressure to finish and tie up the loose ends.

James meeting Michael in the Deli he has sold is yet another coincidence and the snippets of back story on the new owner and his vision become authorial comment which is a chore to read.

There is enough to impress.

[Suad Shamma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't much of a fan of this one to tell you the truth. It definitely wasn't what I expected it to be, and perhaps that's my own fault. From the title and the synopsis and just the feel of it, I was letting my mind wander into fantasy-land, and concocting all these different ways that the story could go - most of them involving Dorothy being the old lady. I mean, she even had a dog! Could you blame me?

But no, that wasn't how it went at all. And I was very disappointed. There were so many different storylines, and they all came together in a weird haphazard, not very smooth, way. Some were interesting, some were just OK, and some were just annoying and unnecessary.

The mystery of the Ruby slippers was finally resolved through a bunch of letters that were found and read by Rosa's nephew, Michael. Michael's family made me so mad, how all of them stood against him and went from good to evil in a matter of seconds when it had to do with money. His wife especially, oh man, the anger I felt towards her. Poor guy.

The story of the black kid (can't even remember his name - Noah?), that to me was completely unnecessary and I felt like it added nothing to the overall plot.

So yes, there were parts I enjoyed, and there were parts I just read through very quickly because I couldn't care less. But the ending was miserably disappointing. The big revelation at the end, the way it was all resolved. All that trouble and heartache, and in the end they did what they were supposed to do from the get-go.

Kind of ridiculous.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old Rosa is a bag lady. She smells, doesn’t speak and is shunned by everyone except her nephew Michael, who out of family loyalty goes to her aid when she has an accident. He goes to see her in hospital and takes on the responsibility of sorting out her affairs. When he goes to her squalid, filthy flat he unexpectedly unearths a treasure – a pair of ruby slippers, just like the ones Dorothy wore in The Wizard of Oz. How did Rosa get them? What’s the story behind them? And who owns them now?
From its startling opening lines to its satisfying conclusion, this is an absorbing and engaging book which talks of forgotten histories, damaged lives, secrets and resilience. With its varied cast of characters, all speaking in their own individual voices, with their desires and longings, demons and evasions, the tale travels from New York to Hollywood, Germany to Latvia. The many disparate and seemingly isolated strands and links are cleverly drawn together and woven into a complete picture.
And yet, in spite of its many virtues, ultimately I found this quite a weak novel overall. The characters remain somehow unconvincing, and the plot just too contrived. The symbolism of the ruby slippers is not an original idea, and in general the themes seemed a little tired and the writing somewhat overdone. An enjoyable novel, but not a great one, and one that I feel will fade pretty quickly.

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book could have been so much better. It was too simplistic, it's writing clumsy and sadly to say it was easy to put down. I wanted to hurry and read this book -though only so I could start something else. The essential plot of the book was good but found I was waiting for a twist or some big reveal which never happened, the story enfolded along very predictably and maybe that would have been ok except for the fact that the characters inside lacked personality and warmth, (except for the main character Michael). I found the writer conveniently changed his characters personality to fit in with his writing rather than mould the identities more. And what is with the dog - poor Barrel I think the writer forgot about him and his significance , then kind editor must have reminded him that he has missed a trick - so very clumsy like he slipped him back in as a afterthought. I gave it 3 stars because it could have been brilliant with a bit more warmth and depth to it - it only skims the surface.

[Kate Lomax · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some books you have to read a little before you take the hook. The many hooks in the first chapter of The Ruby Slippers reel you in and before you know it, you are picking up your Kindle when you wake to pee at 3 am, reading another few pages of Alexander Keir's literary masterpiece. Why then only four stars?
Like a marvellous painting that has been dulled down by clumsy varnish, the last handful of pages are an unnecessary garnish on an otherwise perfect meal. Kier is not an infant, and he should not try to write as if he is. Read it and love it, it is to be read and adored. Stop reading at where you, the reader, feels it has ended, and you won't, like me wander round puzzled for three days wondering what on earth possessed this clearly gifted author to pen those last few pages. I loved it so much, I want to read it again. In fact, I think I will......

[Liesbeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old Rosa, a bag lady, wanders the streets of New York with her dog. She smells badly but doesn't seem to care. When she ends up in a coma, her nephew , Michael, enters her flat, and finds a boxed pair of ruby slippers, which appear to have belonged to Judy Garland.
This for me would have been enough of a story, but Keir Alexander magics a whole host of other characters along side these two. Which is where it all fell down for me. It was like reading a short story book in fragments, hopping from one short story to the next. Yes, sort of all interlinked, but not enough to make it cohesive.
And it's a long book, which I dipped in and out of a lot as it didn't hold my attention enough to keep on reading.
2.5 **

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this in a goodreads giveaway.

This is a nice gentle, easy read. I did enjoy it but it just seemed to lack the sparkle that I was expecting. I was not expecting it to be a re-write of The Wizard Of Oz or magical in that sense at all. I was hoping for a more exciting story and I found it a little difficult to care much about some of the characters. Yes, like some others who have commented, I would have also liked more detail about Rosa's life. A little bit more humour and more about New York would have been nice too. Having said that, this is not a bad read, just not all that memorable.

[Wendy Carlyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book as it is the focus of our next book club meet. Having read the blurbs I wasn't overly enthusiastic but always glad to have my first impressions of a book shattered. I think it's a well structured and intriguing story, slowly revealed. I empathised with several of the characters and found myself hoping they would 'be all right' by the end of the story, I'll leave you to find out if they were. The eponymous slippers impact on the storyline in a number of ways.. It's difficult to say more without giving away spoilers but read and enjoy...
I also think this would make an excellent film!

[Chrys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it was very compelling from the start. I just felt that it drifted slightly near the end and I was left feeling slightly let down.
The characters were rich and the plot was detailed and well woven - would recommend this book to most people as I think that it really is worth reading, and I know others that loved it from start to finish.

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great three star read, comprising of greed, family and redemption. Quite well written for a first book and the plot is complex and well executed, but I still found myself speed reading through it, not quite deep enough for the likes of me! Maybe Alexanders next book will grab me!

[Emma Slaughter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book; it is well written and some of the characters are very engaging. Some of them are not however; particularly the character of Jack. I couldn't see the point of this character at all, and parts with him in seemed very jarring. Thankfully he is not in it much.

[Glynis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly disappointing. As one reviewer pointed out the author could have gone in to more depths of Rosa's history. An okay book but not memorable.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tale of a group of people bound together by pair of shoes. A little too light on subject matter with not a great deal of emotional attachment, which it really needed to be great.

[Melina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the weaving of the stories and characters with the story of a the familiar Wizard of Oz.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Proof copy originally reviewed for Love Reading.

This novel promised to be a good mixture between mystery and fantasy. In it the worlds of entertainment mix with that of the ordinary and downtrodden. A long list of characters, are slowly introduced to the reader in the first few chapters. They seem to be people leading separate lives but they will eventually intertwine and in some cases meet one another. The book is full of description of the characters lives and what they see and feel. I found it a bit slow moving at first, and didn’t like or relate to any of the characters. However the mystery of the Ruby Slippers started to grip me eventually. Determined to read on, I was transported into the various settings, past and present, which began to come alive. I enjoyed delving further into the book. The characters are not all likable and the settings sometimes distasteful, but their motivations are clear and in most cases understandable. The Ruby Slippers is not a cosy read, but it is a good one.

[tinalouisereadsbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rosa is a bag lady who lives in New York. When she is involved in an accident her nephew Michael the grocer goes to her home to start to clean it up. He comes upon a pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz. Other people however would also like the slippers.

I picked this book up as it was something different, something quirky. A bunch of characters are bought together in the story mainly because of the slippers. The story seemed to venture of on a tangent at times and had really nothing to do with the main content, really just fleshing the book out.

Michael and Rosa's story was for me the main reason I finished the book At times this was a struggle. The book for me could have been a bit more magical and less drab, I felt it was missing something.

The book was a very average read about a group of people who think that finding something precious and wanting it is going to make them happy when all it does is cause unhappiness. An ok book for something different.

[OxoNewbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid book in the commercial fiction genre. This novel is an ensemble piece about folks from New York and the impact of a pair of ruby slippers on them. The author used to work in film and the flitting from character to character and storyline to storyline is similar to a soap opera. Very descriptive with an over-tendency for exposition. Strong plotting with one shocking moment (which I have never come across in a book before). There were moments when I felt for Michael and the ending for Rain and Harrison saddened me a lot.

3 stars.

[Marion Roux · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. A fairly large cast of characters are drawn together cleverly - each person has their flaws, but also their own redeeming traits.
Rosa's story is revealed in'letter' form and covers the time around WW2 and how she got to America, New York in particular. There are twists and turns throughout - all plausible and keeps reader enthralled.

[Dina_s · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had this story been inverse, it would have been wonderful. The only thing interesting here is Rosa's wondrous and fascinating life story. Rest is all pretty banal. Focus should have been on her and Michael's relationship. The James/Siobhan/stalker and Harrison segues are superfluous to the storyline, unnecessary and frankly quite cringeworthy. Pity.