The Mango Bride by Marivi Soliven
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Found this one just shelf-surfing at the library. I really liked it. I've read so much fiction about the immigrant experience set in India and China, it was really interesting to read a novel where part of the story takes place in the Philippines and the rest is about Philippine immigrants in the US.
The story is about two women, seemingly unrelated although as the book continues their stories end up intertwining. One is the daughter of a high-class family in Manila, the other the niece of a housekeeper, also in Manila. Both women find themselves in Oakland, California, far away from home for different reasons.
Class played a very strong role in this book - particularly in Manila, the comparisons between the "haves" and "have-nots" was sharp. Both women were very likable and both made decisions that were mistakes as young women that had impact throughout their lives. I liked how the author switched between the two stories and through different time periods to weave the narratives together.
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