With a trip to Peru planned for the coming summer I was excited about the prospect of learning more about Lima and it's night life, however, I expected more from this book than it delivered. While the author paints a story rich in imagery and easy to envision, the characters are neglected and the reader is carried along on the age-old premise that Latin men continue to have families on the homefront while entertaining their sexual needs in the city. The idea becomes tiresome as four friends meet occasionally to lament their situation, without any real details for the reader.

A two part story, part one of the book is where we get to learn the most about what brings Carlos and Maria together. This part reads quickly and with a hint of promise. Yet part two quickly jumps 20 years into the future and we only get brief glimpses of what has become of Carlos and Maria during the 20 year span. In fact, it's hard to believe that their relationship even lasts that long, as dull as the story paints their situation to be. The promise of nightlife in Lima and an exotic love affair never came through and in the end the characters are superficial, never truly developed

This book was an easy read and a gave the reader a clear view of human relationships. It showed an insight into the wounds that we carry as children and why at times every decision we make reflects those wounds.

The book was not too clear about the reasons why the dad that died was so removed from his family and why he then became so involved with his grandson.

It also was troublesome that the female character was so dependent on so many people and her actions did not reflect the welfare of her child.

I t was a good read and at times it kept you coming back for more.

From the start of this book I was drawn in by Mackinnon's vivid language and her ability to make it easy to feel a part of Clara's world.... and then the disturbing undertow of the story, the crimes committed.... were not really what I expected of this novel. There were scenes in which I was easily brought to tears, and then moments when I felt hope with the direction the story was going. Mackinnon addresses real-life issues and hurts. This is not a happy, uplifting story, if that's the direction your book club is leaning towards. But an intriguing read, nonetheless, it has more softened curves and reminded me of Mystic River, by Dennis Lehane.