A very tenderly told and totally engaging story, sometimes funny but mostly touching and sad. The five different stories were woven together perfectly to create an exquisitely beautiful, if painful, whole. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is that the ending is obvious from the beginning and letting us know it felt like a device designed to manipulate the heart strings. A tiny criticism I know. I think it's a great book for a reading group - so much to talk about from the form of the novel to the characters and the issues raised, especially grief, loss, families and mental health.
