I found myself quickly invested in the main characters in the book, and cared what happened to them. This empathy for the characters compelled me to keep reading at a faster pace.

The use of sensory adjectives and descriptions was well done and I often felt as though I was …more right there, in the depression with the characters.

The author did a fine job of describing the bleak circumstances that many faced during the depression, from poverty, hunger and disease.

This book has enough moral conundrums to make it a good candidate for book club discussions. What kept me from giving the book a higher rating was the predictability of the endings. (less)

The Necklace toggles between the 1920s, when it was fashionable to do the "grand tour," and the rich lived lives of indulgence, and today when everyone is trying to make their way in society. Each era has its own set of characters and problems. However, the past does bleed …more into the present and old family wounds and jealousies continue to fester. There are three fully formed and intertwining plots: one girl caught between two brothers; one insecure "outcast" trying to fit into the family that ostracizes her; and a mysterious family heirloom, The Necklace. The tale has something for everyone: love, betrayal, greed, backstabbing, and growth. The story has enough despicable characters whom the reader hopes to see "get their due", and a young woman whom we root for as she navigates her world into adulthood. (less)