This is a special book for many reasons:

1. It was written by a Native American woman about Native American women. (Unfortunately, too many "historical fiction" novelists try to create stories about other groups of people with no understanding of their lives.)

2. The structure of the plot — narrated in four parts by three generations of women — starting with the youngest and moving back in time — was intriguing and kept my interest high. I especially appreciated that after reading about Sissy in the 1960s, then her mother Lillian in the 1930s, then her mother Cora in the 1900s, the plot moved full circle back to Sissy in the 2010s (now called Jesse). Jesse's part skillfully weaves most of the dangling threads from the first three parts together, but left me with food for thought.

3. Daily life and historical events are described truthfully, with the POV of the main characters in their childhoods. This approach illuminated my understanding of and feelings about both the brutal devastation and the powerful spirit of our Indigenous People better than any textbook. For book groups unfamiliar with the history, I highly recommend reading this book as a fascinating introduction — it's a perfect blend of story-telling and truth-telling.

4. Last, but certainly not least, the childhood dolls of each of the women informed and enhanced their stories in a most surprising and marvelous way. Although all of the other characters were important to adding dimension to this book, The Council of Dolls — Ethel, Mae and Winona were essential to making this a this unique novel that I will never forget!

"The Chinese American Dream" is not necessarily the same as another immigrant's "Dream" or an American's "American Dream." (Olivia Murphy)

Essentially, The Family Chao depicts a Chinese-American family's pursuit of their "Dreams" in a small Wisconsin town. Lam Samantha Chang (Director of the Iowa Writers' Workshop) uses a literary mystery centered on the family's restaurant to convey the themes of race, culture, parent vs offspring values, family bonds, and small town constraints. Through detailed characterization, a thoroughly engaging plot and just the right amount of darkish humor, Chang deftly reveals how immigrant assimilation both propels and hinders individual "Dreams".

As the facilitator of a rural community's online book group, I will promote this book as a must read and look forward to a lively discussion! The pursuit of (and actually living) the "Dream" are universally thought-provoking topics no matter the composition of one's family of origin.

Murphy, Olivia A. "Conceptions of the American Dream." Inquiries Journal/Student Pulse 2.03 (2010). http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/a?id=188