When you’re a single cell in the body of a giant, it’s hard to understand what the giant’s doing, or why it is the way it is, because you can’t really zoom out and look at the whole thing all at once. But we do our best.

Although the accident includes Emma and her two friends Amy and Caroline and all is not well for them, I felt that I was able to really connect with the characters and got to know them well. The story was definitely an emotional one; one in which really makes you question decisions in your life and wonder what if… Reading the side story about Emma’s mum was one that got to me personally, I have experienced this first hand with another member of the family and know how distraught it can make you feel. (I don’t want to say too much as to spoil the book for you.) Helaas is het niet allemaal rozengeur en manenschijn, want het plot van het boek is helaas voorspelbaar, alhoewel Atkins toch goed haar best heeft de gedaan hier verandering in te brengen. Ze sluimert af en toe een vaagheid door het verhaal heen om de lezer op het verkeerde been te zetten. Niet iedereen zal hiervan houden, maar ik geef toe dat ik het heerlijk vond :-). I often select the lede for a review based on an associated idea or reference and this time the quirky narrator of The Story of Us made me think of Peter Frampton's song Baby, I Love Your Way from the classic Frampton Comes Alive! (1976) album.

The last time I read a Catherine Hernandez book, I thought it was absolutely incredible. I cried and laughed with SCARBOROUGH. When I read the synopsis for THE STORY OF US, I wasn't sure how I felt about the story. I didn't know if it would be one of those books that would have me questioning why I'm reading a story about seemingly...nothing? The Story of Us is really, just that. It's the story of how, no matter how alone in this world we may feel, the ones who came before us are with us still. It's a love letter to our ancestors. It's a monument to all of the incredible individuals and communities that stood up against hate and fear and injustice with an undying hope that those after them, wouldn't have to. It's the story of our togetherness, and how powerful that really is. Those places people go to be a hero, to be an Overseas Filipino Worker, are all places constructed only through imagination." Book blurb: "Catherine Hernandez has written a book that will make you feel as though your heart has grown twice the size once you put it down. A Filipina woman's life story is narrated from the perspective of her future unborn fetus in achingly beautiful, lyrical and astonishing prose... An extraordinary portrayal of the powers of chosen families, told with profound pathos, wonderful humour. It is a story of a modern Canadian family and its marvelous incarnations and offers an explosive commentary on the power of acceptance and inclusion as a path towards happiness." by Heather O'Neill. The Story of Us is an emotional rollercoaster filled with struggles and triumphs. Most importantly it's a story of mothers, of sacrifice, of found family, of community, and unlikely friendship. I could definitely see this book turned into a stage production, and I cannot wait to see what Catherine Hernandez delivers next.

Another amazing book from one of my favorite Canadian authors!!! This story features Mary Grace Concepcion, a young Filipino woman who travels overseas to help support her husband. Eventually she finds herself in Toronto working as a nanny for a series of not-nice women who take advantage of her terribly. Eine wunderschöne Geschichte vor einem tragischen Hintergrund, mit viel Gefühl erzählt und spannend zu lesen. The Story of Us tells a story that Filipinos know all too well, but that not everyone may know the intricacies of. It’s an eye-opening experience that will resonate with any reader, highlighting the sacrifices we make for our family. In the case of MG and others, it's moving to an unfamiliar place, away from their family (while many times, having to care for someone else's). The experience is trying, but through the child-like lens the story uses (which is mostly successful), there is light in an otherwise difficult experience.All of these stories are told by the unlikeliest of narrators, which I think added a special level to the story. Especially in certain moments when the recounting of the past is interrupted by the present-day necessities.

Ich habe "Fractured", den Debütroman von Dani Atkins, absolut geliebt und es war eines meiner Jahreshighlights im Jahr 2014, dementsprechend hoch waren meine Erwartungen an ihren zweiten Roman. The Story of Us is a stunning and emotional story told from the unique viewpoint of a newborn baby. The Story of Us is a love letter to those who love us, to those who create a space for us, who see us for who we truly are. As she did with Scarborough, Hernandez treats her diverse and complex characters with love and empathy; each is beautifully rich and beautifully imperfect but still lovable. Mary Grace “MG” Concepcion left her husband in the Philippines to become an Overseas Filipino Worker. First, she goes to Hong Kong and then to Canada. On both continents, MG works as a nanny for several wealthy families who take advantage of her. But she does it all with the intention of one day sponsoring her husband to join her in Canada.Mary Grace (MG) is the baby’s mother. MG is a married woman who wants to have a better life than what she currently has with her husband and extended family. She takes a job as a nanny in Hong Kong initially but learns that if she can get similar work in Canada and is employed there for two years that she can sponsor her husband to join her. After a short visit home before flying to Canada, she determines her husband will not be joining her.

Her most recent protagonist goes by many names: Mary Grace, Ma, MG, Emmie, Emma, Jane, Polly. And it takes some time for her to be grounded in who she is. Is she a wife? A nanny? A caregiver? A friend? A mother? She is what she does. She finds her identity in her actions. This story is her finding herself in others, in community.

Can I underscore again how much I love Catherine Hernandez's writing? Emotionally affecting, nuanced, presenting a world where things aren't perfect, but people are willing to try to improve it for one another, for their community. Her books fill me with hope and warmth. A story that both encourages me to learn about others unlike me and also comforts me deeply with what I know to be true. Wow. I was hoping for something good given how I had fallen in love with Dani���s first novel and The Story Of Us did not disappoint one bit.