In a suicide note to her daughter the mother writes "he isn't who you think he is". The rest of the story describes the daughter's attempts to figure out and come to terms with what that short sentence meant. Although I read the book in a day I can't say that it was a great read. It did keep me turning the pages, but in many ways the ending was predictable. I could envision this being made into a Lifetime TV movie of the week. If you're looking for something to read at the beach, this book would definitely qualify, but if you're looking for something more satisfying, read Burnt Shadows.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It read like a novel but I had to keep reminding myself it was a true story. The book is mainly about Lily, the matriarch of three generations of women and her life in rural China, Hong Kong and later England. Sweet Mandarin refers to a restaurant started by Lily's granddaughters. Two thumbs up!