The thoughts of the main character, Oskar, a young boy, are brought to life through a first-person stream of thoughts. You can't help but love the boy and all his eccentricities, as he struggles to come to grips with the loss of his father. The other characters have compelling stories as well. Among many other things, the book helps remind us that there are many people who are still deeply affected by the losses of 9/11 every moment of every day. Well worth the read.

This book provides insight into life for African American domestic help and the struggles and prejudice they encountered.