quality literature: american chica

i ran by the library last week to grab g and me some books for the trip.  since there were 52 holds for miss peregrine's home for peculiar children and just two for american chica i went with american chica and luckily it was in before we left town.  i had seen this one on jill sprott's february 12 on the 12th layout and thought i'd probably like it.  misjudged that.  i LOVED it and these are the reasons why:

• i'm a speed reader and do a lot of skimming with novels.  the truly great books for me are the ones that hold my attention, getting me to read every single word.  the great books fall into two categories, those with driving plot lines and those that are beautifully written so that every word is infused with many levels of meaning.  this book falls into that second group.  wow.  brilliantly written.  stunning.
• this is an autobiography written by a woman who grew up straddling the line between the worlds of her american mother and her peruvian father.  it's the most insightful peek into cultures that i've ever read.
• there is history infused throughout as the story unfolds.  and the history is blended into the storyline so that it becomes alive on the page as opposed to stale facts in a history book.
• the book is packed.  packed.  every page is a little vignette and then another and another, but they're all woven together seamlessly to create a charming, poignant, thoughtful tale.
• it left me thinking.  and aware.  eyes wide open to the idiosyncrasies of my own culture. excellent read.  excellent.