This was a fascinating and poignant book about the infancy of the movie industry, the plight of immigrants before and during WWII, and what women have had to do in order to succeed in a man’s world. Marra, who wrote one of my all time favorite books, The Constellation of Vital Phenomenon, writes with such gentle lyricism, that the characters seem to dance off the page into your imagination. He is masterful in telling the back story and sometimes even what happens to a character years in the future, giving a sense of permanence and reality to these characters and to the story itself. This book was truly a pleasure to read!

Maria Lagana immigrated to the US with her mother after her father was arrested and sent to a prison work camp. Maria has always felt culpable in her father’s arrest, but actively hid her guilt from her mother, a fact that may or may not have impacted their relationship as she was growing up in Los Angeles.

Fifteen years later, after leaving the shelter of the Italian immigrant community she grew up in, Maria now works in Hollywood for Mercury Pictures. But the movie industry is in its infancy, her boss, a toupe’ wearing narcissist, is barely holding the business together and there are clear signs that the war will engulf the US, despite its best efforts to keep it at bay. In California anti immigrant. rhetoric, especially against Asians, is on the rise. Maria’s lover, a trained Shakespearean actor, who happens to be Chinese American, has learned first hand both from narrow ethnic typecasting and by being accosted and beaten in the street, how dangerous it is to be an Asian in the US.

In the midst of all this uncertainty and change, an unexpected visitor brings news of her father, and Maria must now deconstruct the careful facade she has built up to hide her guilt, confront her past and her father’s fate. As the world descends into the horror of war, Maria must negotiate conflicting loyalties, clashing ambitions and broken dreams while trying to forge something new out of the ashes that remain of her family, her relationship and her career.

Brenda’s Rating: ***** (5 Out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Keith, Ken, Sharon, Marian, and Lauren

Book Study Worthy? YES!

Read in ebook format.