This book was tragically beautiful. The range of The characters lives and situations, as well as the interweaving if their lives, seemed to be done almost effortlessly. I loved the random paragraphs where a neighbor or otherwise random character's life was broken down into a few sentences. Harsh and to the point. Amazing that she could tell so many little stories perfectly among the larger tales. They were all so simple, sad, poignant. This book painted a wonderful picture of an almost unbelievable life where you almost have to disappear in order to live with experiencing one of so many possible sorrows...but there is no happiness in such loneliness either. To be the betrayer or the betrayed...there are no happy endings here. But she described everyone in such a way that you felt sorry for them all, no matter what you believe yourself, very tenderly. It was a very very moving book.