Caroline Leavitt's ability to bring complex characters to life in a way that touches the reader to the core is amazing! In "Cruel Beautiful World", the reader is immediately absorbed by the main character, Lucy, and her life altering decisions. However, somewhere along the way, the secondary characters and their struggles become just as absorbing to the reader. I found myself completely immersed in each subplot as the novel progressed. This ability to engage the reader in such a complex way is the mark of a great novel! I will recommend Leavitt to all my fellow readers and can't wait to read her other novels! I highly recommend this jolting and heartfelt novel. The unexpected twists and turns within the subplots make "Cruel Beautiful World" a complete success!

I must say, "The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko" is my new favorite novel. I am convinced Stambach will be an author Literature majors around the country will study for many years to come. The fact that Ivan is a fictional character blows my mind. Stambach brings the characters and the setting of The Mazyr Hospital for Gravely Ill Children to such a realistic realm, the reader has has a very hard time accepting this world is complete fiction. I found myself checking and double checking the copyright page to verify this work is indeed completely fictitious. Stambach brings the grace of human nature to such a level, I found myself engrossed from page one. There are so many good novels just waiting to be read, I rarely read one twice. I will make an exception with this novel. Stambach is that rare author that can capture the beauty in the human spirit in the most ugly of places and people. True genius!