This book has an interesting theme with strong characters. I liked that it was about the Spanish flu and its lasting impact. The author did great research for this book. The research comes across in the book as facts versus intregrating into the story and its characters. I liked the book over all but would have enjoyed it more if the theme of the book was more consistent. I am not sure if it was about death of a child, death in general, the flu, the events in life that change the course of a families life. The characters are mainly three girls growing up. However the girls are young when this story starts and it would have been had they been written as older teens or young adults as they actions aren't true to history and age. The number of severe events distracted from what should have been the theme of the book.