I was looking forward to reading this book and I wanted to like it, but it just didn't happen. I didn't like any of the characters except for Peanut. The others were annoying and not real to me. I know this was a take off on the Harry Potter series but I don't think it was a good idea. Need something more original, and this book was way too long.

This book was not what I expected. It is an unusual format. There are no chapters at all and is simply a running account of the night shift cleaning lady at a large office building. She has the idea that she controls what happens with the company and it's employees. She seems very needy and lonely, but very self absorbed. I found it extremely boring and repetitive. Would not recommend.

I found this book a little slow and confusing in the beginning but after about 75 pages I was hooked on the story. It's an unusual story with lots of twists and turns. I got a little lost a couple times with the conspiracies but I'm glad I stuck with it. I recommend it to anyone who likes to read about books and authors and enjoys plot twists!

The format of this book is interesting. It takes place on the same day in three consecutive years the middle of which was the pandemic year of lockdown. I initially thought that the pandemic lockdown would take a more prominent place in the story. Wrong! It was the shortest part of the book. The characters were all so neurotic and self absorbed that I couldn't sympathize with any of them. They all seemed disconnected from each other, even the children characters were strange. I'm not sure what the author was trying to say but I totally missed it.

This story touches on so many issues. It tells of Victor, a young immigrant Chinese teen who is diagnosed with Hansen's Disease (leprosy) and is sent to a government hospital in Louisiana for treatment. During the 2 years he is there, he matures and learns much about life and relationships.
The characters are very well defined and the story draws you in immediately. The stigma of leprosy at that time was severe and you can't imagine how a young boy all alone copes with his fears and the typical uncertainties of being a teen.
This is a book I loved reading and it was hard to put it down. I highly recommend it and will do so to my book club!