Vida by Patricia Engel

I enjoyed this collection of short stories about a Colombian-American woman.  NPR included this in their list of top books from 2010 about 'outsiders' and I think that is a great category for this book.  The stories follow Sabina from childhood through young adulthood, oddly not chronologically, with varied points of view.  While many of the stories held my attention, the change in perspective was especially unusual and refreshing - particularly the story told in second person.

In some ways this was a predictable read, in that the themes were familiar - first generation American with parents caught between the old country and the new.  Sabina had struggles fitting in at school as a child, difficulties choosing a partner, and complex friendships with others who were similarly in-between.  But something about the book was also unique - perhaps it was the storylines or the character development - and I didn't feel bored or unsurprised.   And the writing was very good - sometimes I would pause while reading a passage or section and reflect on how well Engel captured a particular feeling or idea.

The best part of reading this was remembering how much I enjoy short stories.  I know I reflect on this every time I read a new collection of shorts but I will need to add a couple more to my list for 2011.