A twist on the coming-of-age story, the family saga, a story of America and Americans

I was immediately taken by the striking cover, and the story Benjamin crafts is just as compelling. Her narrative style is rich with detail and pulsing with emotion; it's impossible to stop reading after a few sentences. She captures the awkward innocence and experience of pre-teens and swirls that with the pulse of 1969 New York City. Add in a mystical experience, and I was hooked. This is immediately going onto my TBR -- it's family saga meets coming-of-age meets literary musing on who we are and what we control. I love novels like this.