I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Ms. Demery has written a very good book not only about Madame Nhu but also about the Vietnam War and the history of Viet Nam. Anyone who likes reading history will like this book. The author has writing style that is not dense nor overly scholarly which many times puts off readers. Ms. Demery's research is very inclusive of families and historical facts of that period. It reads almost like a novel. When I finished this book I walked away with an excellent perspective of her topic and that time period in relationship to the United States.

The mystery plot for about a third of the book was somewhat confusing but did evolve to be somewhat clever, the setting chilling but the characters were boring. The main character's love affair with a younger man was always teasing the reader. Actually I didn't really care about the characters though the twist at the end gave the book a boost.

Can old friends every return to their level of friendship that was developed so intimately in those college years? Can hidden feelings that were developed still say hidden when old friends meet again? Marisa De Los Santos in her new novel, Falling Together, explores these questions in the characters of Pen, Will and Cat. Somewhat developing a mystery of Pen and Will trying to find Cat deep emotions of all characters feelings are revealed. Ms. De Los Santos always does an engaging prose of relationships. I have always found that to be her great strength as an author. As her other books have shown, the reader really cares about these characters, not only their past lives but what has happened to them in the present. The book wont disappoint.

If you are big fan of Tom Perrotta or science fiction be prepared to be disappointed. This novel was somewhat boring and at times somewhat silly. The basic premise is that a million people have just disappeared from earth and how one town reacts to this startling occurrence. The main characters are not very interesting as they search for answers. A weird cult emerges also in this town as it watches its fellow townspeople react to these strange disappearances. Relationships develop between families that have lost loved ones as well as among the characters that joined the cult. This is basically the plot of this novel. The novel lags as the characters evolve and the plot left me confused. As for the science fiction aspect, not Mr. Perotta's best style as a writer.