While having likable characters certainly isn’t a requirement for a good read, the more I read, the more I realized I disliked most of the main characters, perhaps with the exception of Ivy’s roommate.

About halfway through the book, the story flounders, heading towards a very unclear ending. At this point I kept wondering where the story was going. When the book suddenly takes a turn into the realm of crime fiction, it is a little bit disorienting as well as confusing. You wonder if perhaps the book is suddenly becoming a thriller or courtroom drama. While Ivy has in the past been a rather helpless character, suddenly she develops a backbone, becomes able to flawlessly plan a crime and not only executes it without problem, but apparently gets away with murder.

Everyone has secrets in this story. Everyone seems to be heavily invested in hiding their secrets from each other. Few characters show their real selves which ultimately make most of the relationships feel shallow and sad. Ivy realizes belatedly of course, that her family may actually be worth something to her after all, when they are suddenly able to help pay for her wedding and offer to help her and Gideon buy a house.

Maybe the two halves should have been two separate stories, the first story being the class and immigrant struggle, the second story the thriller.