You Bring the Distant Near

Short thoughts: I picked this up because I heard an interview with the author on a podcast I like (Conversing with Mark Labberton). I didn't know anything going into the book. It is a young adult book, but doesn't feel immature, just pitched to a younger audience. You Bring the Distant Near is the story of an immigrant family coming to the US in the 1970s. It starts with the daughters (15 and 17) coming to the US from London, via Ghana, but born in India. As time passes, the daughters fall in love and get married and then their daughters become the main characters before moving back to the grandmother. The story alternates perspectives, but the perspectives are kept clear. (I listened to the audiobook and many audiobooks with shifting perspectives do not work in audiobook.)

I appreciated the characters being human. They each have strengths and weaknesses and the shifting perspectives gives complexity to the story and motivations.

This is Perkins' most recent book and it was nominated for a National Book award. The New York Public library named her earlier book, Rickshaw Girl) one of the 100 best children's books of the last 100 years. And other books also have awards. Perkins has another book coming out in April 2019. I will read more of her books, but this is the only one that my library had without requesting it from another branch.

my longer thoughts are on my blog at http://bookwi.se/you-bring-the-distant-near/