I think we all agreed that this wasn't a great book and the writing left something to be desired. But we did all learn a lot about this time and place and the book gave us a new perspective on the immigrant experience as well as what it means to be from another culture but born in the U.S., especially in a time of war.
We didn't really buy the friendship between the three main characters but their relationship gave us a lot to talk about. Ann had the "who-dun-it" mystery of the book figured out well in advance (and, no, it's not a mystery book but there is a lingering question of who stabbed who in the back) which probably had her questioning even more than the rest of us why these women stayed together for so many years.
A little research showed us that clubs, such as the one the main characters worked in, including the one they worked in, really existed. At the end of the book, one of the character's granddaughter asks another of the main characters if she didn't feel like she was perpetuating stereotypes by having been part of that scene. I'm sure it was a question that See wanted to explore that had her wanting to write the book.
Would we recommend the book? Hmm, that's a toss up. There is a lot to discuss and a lot to learn so for book clubs, it works for that. But there are so many other books that address the immigrant experience better, we'd probably agree that book clubs should look elsewhere.
