I read more non-fiction than fiction, but this book reminded me what I love about great novels– could be considered historical fiction as well. It takes place in Newport RI, but it’s five distinct stories spanning multiple generations. Thematically the book questions what we have in common as human beings even though we are separated by time, gender, race, and sexual orientation. The way Smith captured the essence of each time period and fleshed out these different characters was fantastic. Ron Charles of The Washington Post called it a “staggeringly brilliant novel.” If you subscribe to The Post, you can access his review here.