I picked this book up completely by chance, hoping that it would be worth my while. It did not disappoint.
The story is told in many parts and in many voices across generations. It starts off with Lily, who has taken a long journey to come to Montreal in order to get married. But when her fiancé sees her, he immediately dismisses her. However, her fiance’s brother, Nathan, sees something in her that intrigues him and he decides to marry her instead. However, Lily is not who she says she is. She isn’t the daughter of a diamond cutter and her name isn’t Lily. Hiding this part of her, she lives a quiet life with Nathan, eventually giving birth to a daughter named Ruth. The story then skips forward to when Ruth is 6 and we learn that shortly after her birth, “Lily” disappeared entirely. As Ruth grows up, she wonders why her mother left, why she receives occasional gifts from her mother, and most importantly, who her mother truly is.
I love how the story is told in multiple voices. Hearing each character’s interpretation and feelings about an event gives it so much more depth. The shifting between times is effortlessly done and keeps the story vibrant. The best part about this book is that it allows you to interpret the characters yourself; all sides are shown and you can choose which light(s) you want to see them under. As for whether there is a happy ending, well, it depends on what you think a happy ending consists of. This novel is intricate and fascinating so do give it a chance!
Happy reading ~