Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste NgMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
As I began Little Fires Everywhere, I thought the title of the book was explained in those first few pages. But two-thirds of the way through, as each character flared to life and the distinct humanity of each man, woman, and child ignited and blossomed just so, I felt a deeper appreciation for this cleverly couched title.
Ng does a fine job of slowly peeling back the layers of civility in this Shaker Heights, Ohio community as she carefully reveals the flawed core in each of her characters. The story had great pace; it was a swift and satisfying read with just the right number of people to track and scrutinize. You are sure to find someone to root for or someone to scorn. The central drama - the adoption of an Asian baby - was an excellent tool to guide the reader into a deep exploration of the nature of parentage and how society defines it. The situational incongruities abound; there is a veritable panorama of connect-the-dots moments and mirrored losses for the reader to capture and toy with. This author is singularly inventive in this way.
I think more action was needed - there were a few times I felt like the story was an idling engine, a vehicle in neutral gear. It would be a superb beach read, if only there were a beach....
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