This was a heartbreakingly beautiful book. Alvarez's first book in over a decade did not disappoint and I am sincerely surprised I have not heard more about this one.

Antonia Vega is mourning the loss of her husband Sam, her rock, the Good Cop to her Bad Cop. As she learns to cope with being a widow, her life is suddenly turned upside down as she helps an undocumented worker bring his girlfriend to Vermont and her older, unstable sister disappears. Antonia is torn between helping this undocumented immigrant girl, her sister, and retreating within herself to cope with her loss.

I enjoyed the ways in which this book touched on mental illness, undocumented immigrants, and grief, sometimes all within the same chapter. It is a lot to take on in a short book, but Alvarez did it skillfully and with moments of humor. This humor was especially important, bringing the reader (and Antonia herself) out of the depths of despair. Throughout, Alvarez through the character of Antonia questions how much of yourself to give to others and how much to keep to yourself for protection. Antonia's reliance on literary references as support was particularly poignant.

4.5 stars, rounded up

Thanks to Algonquin Books and Libro.Fm for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.