I am not sure why I finished this book. Maybe it's just because I love stationery and enjoyed the invitation card subplot. Because I wasn't really engaged with the characters, most of whom I found flat, and much of what happened I found either overdone (like the documentary film thing and the points about immigration, which were excellent points but were handled in too heavy-handed a fashion to feel very poignant to me).

And the ending was a particular disappointment. Characters acted in ways that I found inconsistent, and the portrayal of seven-year-old Linno didn't seem realistic to me. Based both on my experience of seven-year-olds and on the way James wrote her parents, I find it highly unlikely that Linno would have been aware of the America debate, much less reflecting on it to the depth that she did.

Two things I found interesting:

1. Near the end, James writes, "a person is more important in her absence than in her presence." (315) This is a theme that features prominently in Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping, which I read (and loved) earlier this year. It was interesting seeing it here because it's an idea that I particularly enjoy turning over in my mind, and its brief mention in Atlas of Unknowns has given me a chance to reflect on why it worked well for me in Robinson's novel but not in James's. I think the difference is that Robinson allowed the theme to weave itself throughout the story---Ruthie and Lucille's mother's absence is present all the time, even when it's not mentioned directly (which it rarely is)---while James just mentions it briefly in that one direct statement. It seems almost like an afterthought rather than an integral part of James's novel.

2. Linno's confession reminded me of a scene in Lauren Groff's Fates and Furies in which a main character reflects on the long-term effects of something that happens as a child. I didn't particularly enjoy Groff's novel, but after reading James's novel, I have a greater appreciation for that scene and her handling of it and the surrounding theme. I had thought that Groff's scene was overly shocking, but now I appreciate both that she just went for it and that she circled around it a few times before she did so. If something really, really affects someone as a core part of her life, it's not just going to suddenly resurface as a whole all at once. It's going to come back in bits and pieces triggered by daily occurrences---smells, sounds, actions, the slant of the light. We really have no inkling of this memory of Linno's before she confesses it; I find that not only unrealistic but lacking in punch.

I wouldn't say that I regret finishing this book, but I probably could have stopped about a third of the way through and not suffered any ill effects. Tania James has some very good ideas and has the capacity to write a scene that's both sensorially and emotionally vibrant, especially in the beginning of the novel, like in the telling of Linno's accident. But I got the sense that she tried to do too much in Atlas of Unknowns. She seemed not to really have a strong sense of what the novel was about at its core. Is it about immigration? Is it about sister relationships? Is it about arranged marriage? Culture's effect on our actions? Religion? Friendship? Parental loss? Cultural or dispositional disorientation? In the novel, James touched on a lot of these things but never delved in deeply enough for my taste. ( )

For starters, this book is more like a 4.5 star rating. It was much better than I expected and I'm glad I picked it up, however long ago that was.

Atlas of Unknowns follows the story of two sisters, Anju and Linno, who live very different lives. Anju, the youngest, is the star pupil and outshines her older sister in school. Linno is a victim of a firework incident and lost her right hand, but despite this disability, she is an incredible artist. Anju and Linno lost their mother when they were young and were raised by their father and grandmother. Anju is offered an opportunity to study in New York and is desperately grabs at this opportunity that may not only help her but her entire family. Anju is awarded the scholarship but at a devastating cost to her relationship with her sister. The novel follows Anju's experience in New York city as well as Linno's continued existence back in India.

For James' debut novel, her style of writing is exquisite and a delight to read. Her way with words crafted characters that were utterly realistic and gave you an open invitation to this family saga. I loved the subtle slides into flashbacks that contrasted with the main plot excellently. I was so glad that we got to know their mother, as well as her relationship with Bird. I did wish there was a more satisying conclusion that included Bird but I understand that the ending that occurred was more realistic and it doesn't often occur in reality that goodbyes are as perfect as they should be.

Both Anju and Linno were undeniably realistic and relatable characters and I loved Linno with her stubbornness as well as modest talent. Anju seemed, at some times, selfish, but as she is sixteen during the novel, it is realistic for a sixteen year old to not think things through. I thought Anju reacted to each situation understandably and I just loved her. The ongoing comparisons between both Anju and Linno, and their mother were artistic and well placed. This book felt like a piece of art to digest.

Now onto the plot. This isn't a particularly fast paced novel but it wasn't predictable, which is what I liked about it. For the most part of the book, I was thinking that it would end a specific way, but in retrospect that would've been like glossing over the little hardships. Like tying a ribbon around an impossible situation so that the audience would sigh and go 'isnt that just wonderful'. It is not common that storytellers opt for the more realistic endings over a pretty ending and I'm so glad that this was the situation in Atlas of Unknowns. Life doesn't always work out the way we plan but that doesn't mean it won't work out. This realistic theme made the book relatable and wonderful.

This book is a pleasure to read and I would recommend it to anyone. ( )

For starters, this book is more like a 4.5 star rating. It was much better than I expected and I'm glad I picked it up, however long ago that was.

Atlas of Unknowns follows the story of two sisters, Anju and Linno, who live very different lives. Anju, the youngest, is the star pupil and outshines her older sister in school. Linno is a victim of a firework incident and lost her right hand, but despite this disability, she is an incredible artist. Anju and Linno lost their mother when they were young and were raised by their father and grandmother. Anju is offered an opportunity to study in New York and is desperately grabs at this opportunity that may not only help her but her entire family. Anju is awarded the scholarship but at a devastating cost to her relationship with her sister. The novel follows Anju's experience in New York city as well as Linno's continued existence back in India.

For James' debut novel, her style of writing is exquisite and a delight to read. Her way with words crafted characters that were utterly realistic and gave you an open invitation to this family saga. I loved the subtle slides into flashbacks that contrasted with the main plot excellently. I was so glad that we got to know their mother, as well as her relationship with Bird. I did wish there was a more satisying conclusion that included Bird but I understand that the ending that occurred was more realistic and it doesn't often occur in reality that goodbyes are as perfect as they should be.

Both Anju and Linno were undeniably realistic and relatable characters and I loved Linno with her stubbornness as well as modest talent. Anju seemed, at some times, selfish, but as she is sixteen during the novel, it is realistic for a sixteen year old to not think things through. I thought Anju reacted to each situation understandably and I just loved her. The ongoing comparisons between both Anju and Linno, and their mother were artistic and well placed. This book felt like a piece of art to digest.

Now onto the plot. This isn't a particularly fast paced novel but it wasn't predictable, which is what I liked about it. For the most part of the book, I was thinking that it would end a specific way, but in retrospect that would've been like glossing over the little hardships. Like tying a ribbon around an impossible situation so that the audience would sigh and go 'isnt that just wonderful'. It is not common that storytellers opt for the more realistic endings over a pretty ending and I'm so glad that this was the situation in Atlas of Unknowns. Life doesn't always work out the way we plan but that doesn't mean it won't work out. This realistic theme made the book relatable and wonderful.

This book is a pleasure to read and I would recommend it to anyone. ( )

Had read a great review of this book, and gave it over 100 pages before putting away. Found myself not too attached to any of the characters, and that to me is the most compelling part of fiction. Moving on to my many other books waiting, and will share this with others. ( )