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barrynorton's review against another edition
5.0
I wanted to read something more on the Albanian immigrant experience after Statovci (an Albanian Finn). This didn't disappoint: an American tale both about and written by an Albanian/Lithuanian American.
Glad to have a signed copy, which I'd been neglecting, from the wonderful Parnassus Books, whom one should always trust.
My only niggle was the alternating second-person narrative from the third-generation character, which really clashed with an imagined dialogue with her mother at the point of her birth. Apart from this stylistic choice though, the writing was rich and engaging.
Glad to have a signed copy, which I'd been neglecting, from the wonderful Parnassus Books, whom one should always trust.
My only niggle was the alternating second-person narrative from the third-generation character, which really clashed with an imagined dialogue with her mother at the point of her birth. Apart from this stylistic choice though, the writing was rich and engaging.
christie's review against another edition
4.0
I felt like this book was written in my type of language. I really felt drawn into the lives of both protagonists, mother and daughter. There were some laugh-out-loud moments interspersed with some achingly sad moments. The insights the author draws into lives at different stages feel obvious but original at the same time. I caught myself wondering at various times why I hadn't ever thought of something in a certain way portrayed in the book (and I love that in a novel, showing me things I know, or think I do, in a new light).
anndouglas's review against another edition
3.0
An intriguing and well-written novel, but I found the second-person point of view used for the "Luljeta" sections of the book to be a bit grating.
rachel_from_avid_bookshop's review against another edition
5.0
The American Dream exists but is on its last breath in Aliu’s debut novel BRASS. There’s not much left in Waterbury, Connecticut after the brass factories left. There certainly aren’t fathers-for Elise whose dead-end waitress job rewards her with single-parent status or for her daughter Luljeta, haunted by the father who left seventeen years before. Aliu is a talented storyteller whose prose is beautiful and brusque, evoking the raw ache of want that lingers in each character.
katiemale's review against another edition
4.0
A fresh take on a well-used storyline. For those that enjoy reading about the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, this is for you. Steeped in the experience of first and second generation immigrants (Lithuanian and Albanian), this adds another layer to the whole narrative. The ending was a little underwhelming and feels somewhat unsettled, but I thoroughly enjoyed Aliu’s writing style and look forward to her next book.
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