Dagmara Dominczyk

My first reaction was disappointment to see the book was so short because I assumed that there wouldn't be enough time to develop the characters sufficiently. I usually prefer much longer novels.

The image on the cover of 3 young girls at an "Alice in Wonderland" tea party was amusing and thought provoking. I wondered how that image tied into the story. I read the one page pronunciation guide to Polish - you'll need to keep that handy or skip all the Polish vocabulary.

Then I launched into the first chapter which is set in 2002. Each sub-section is devoted to one of the three girls - hmm, I wondered if one of them would become the primary protaganist. Chapter 2 - what? It's set in 1989.

Dagmara Dominczyk anchors her book in 2002, drops back to 1989 when the girls first met and then swings back to "present" again. Each time shift is shorter. It's a structure that could have been problematic, but it's executed very well. I was wrong assuming that good character development doesn't happen in such a short book - a good writer can do that and cover more than a decade of time as well.

Dagmara's three girls are likeable - but not all the time. Just like real people. The structure of the book shows how their lives connect, disconnect and reconnect. Just like some real-life friendships. Their life choices wouldn't have been mine, but I enjoyed seeing where those choices took them and how it affected future choices.

The book includes a study guide for book groups and this is a very good choice for book clubs. It will provide rich material for discussions. Please note that it contains much vulgar language and frank descriptions of sexual behavior (though not gratuitous in my opinion).

Full disclosure: I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.… (more)

Thank you Goodreads First Reads for the uncorrected proofs of this book!

If you do not like narratives that go back and forth in time, you will find this book hard to read.

This is not to say that Dominczyk doesn't do a good job. In fact, I would argue that, among all books that have a similar structure that I have read, she does a very good job of keeping the plot steadily chugging along. I had absolutely no trouble following characters through time. Although the book is relatively short, and there are three different characters with very different lives, and the book takes place in several different times and places, Dominczyk creates three young women who have depth, complicated identities, and real lives: Anna, the sensible idealist, Kamila the ugly duckling desperate for her childhood love's attentions, and Justyna, the loud-mouth know-it-all tough girl.

Perhaps what is most impressing about the novel is how well it captures the immigrant American identity with its many hues and versions. The homesickness, the childhood summers in the homeland that seem magical, the immigrant communities in New York, being an "American" in your homeland, yet a something else in America... And the distance time, life, and privilege can put between friends.

Recommended for those who grew up in the 80s and 90s, those who carried several identities, the generation 1.5 and 2 children, and those who like Polish food and Greenpoint!… (more)

This is the story of three Polish women who have been friends since their teenage years. Anna, Kamilla, and Justyna come from a small city in Poland. They spent their teenage years trying to attract boys. By early adulthood each has found herself in a state of crisis. Anna and Kamilla have come to the United States, and both have relationship problems. Justyna has remained in Poland. When Justyna's husband is murdered the crime will effect the lives of all three women.

This book touches on the discomfort and in-between nature of culture clash, generational conflicts, and the gender-specific limitations faced by young women. Ultimately there was nothing deep of life-changing about this book. It wasn't a bad read, and it retained my interest, but it had no lasting effect.… (more)