Saira Shah's debut novel gives you a lot to think about-- how do we define unconditional love and does becoming a mother automatically make you feel unconditional love for your child, especially a challenging child. I found this book warm, touching and, at some points, difficult to read without crying. Ms. Shah paints beautiful, detailed descriptions of the couples remote home in France and the locals who grow to become such vital characters in the story. I found this book hard to put down.

I’m a sucker for books that explore why we do the things we do and A Partial History of Lost Causes is a beautiful first novel that has two very different characters searching for love and meaning and the answer to their own “lost causes”. How Irina Ellison, an English lecturer from Cambridge, MA who believes she will develop Huntington’s disease and Aleksandr Bezetov, a Soviet chess champion turned political activist meet and interact is brought to life by Ms. DuBois with laughter and tears.

I learned quite a bit about Russia’s post-Communist era, not particularly something I thought I would enjoy, but I did. This isn't the type of book you idly pick up and skim through. You become engrossed and enchanted not only by the story, but also by the author's lyrical descriptions of Russia--harsh and beautiful.

I was fascinated by the microscopic details Jepson was able to provide concerning the life of a young Chinese woman in 1930's Shanghai. I wished I felt more sympathy for the lead character Feng. Her deep sense of duty forces her into a loveless marriage and that leads to even more tragic circumstances. I was hoping against hope Feng would defy her family and seek her own destiny, but I realize Jepson's storyline bore the truth for many women during that time period.