If You Lived Here: A Novel by Dana Sachs
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
If You Lived Here by Dana Sachs starts out as a story about a woman whose desire to have a child ultimately leads her to Vietnam to adopt a baby boy. Her journey tests her marriage but in the process she gains a new friend. The story is two dimensional. The main plot is about Shelley, and what she endures to have a child of her own. The sub-plot deals with a Vietnamese woman named Xuan Mai, whom Shelley befriends when she learns of the little boy who is available for adoption in Hanoi, Vietnam, which just happens to be Mai’s hometown.
The story is set in Wilmington, Delaware, and then moves to Vietnam. Shelley and her husband are Morticians and own a local funeral home. The story opens with the accidental death of a little boy whose funeral service the couple will handle. We then learn they are about to adopt a Slovakian infant. Shelley does everything she can to learn the culture so that her adoptive daughter will grow-up with a sense of her Slovakian heritage. The mother has second thoughts and the adoption is withdrawn. Soon a Vietnamese baby becomes available and Shelley switches gears. She seeks the wisdom of the local Vietnamese grocer, somewhat forcing herself on the woman who simply wants to be left alone. After all of her efforts, she learns her husband may not be as committed to adding a baby to the family as he has led her to believe. Or, it could be that once Shelley decides she wants something, she doesn’t stop until she gets it, and it doesn’t matter who she hurts in the long run.
This book dragged at a snails pace for the longest time. Sachs did too much reflection, and the moments lasted too long and often seemed irrelevant. The story would be trotting along and then abruptly stop so Shelley could share memories about how she met her husband, their courtship, meeting his sons, etc. These were not quick flashbacks but detailed stories. For example, towards the end of the book Shelley receives a letter from Martin, her husband, and it is 19 pages long.
I must admit, by the time the story picked up I found myself more intrigued with Mai’s storyline than Shelley’s. When Mai agrees to travel to her native land, a place she fled some twenty-three years ago, she is given a second chance with her remaining family, and atones for a past deed that changed their lives. I really loved how Sachs delved into the Vietnamese culture. The way Shelley forced her way into Mai’s life, breaking through the cultural differences, was inspiring. So many times we have preconceived notions about people who migrate to America, and we allow stereotypes to seep in. But when you get down to it, we are really no different. What I loved most about the book was the descriptions of Vietnam and telling of their culture and history.
As I neared the end of the book I was wondering how Sachs was going to bring the story to a close, and then the magical moment happened. Suddenly my frown was replaced with a smile and I felt a jolt of optimism that energized me to the end. All things considered, If You Lived Here is a good book that garners a 3.5 rating.
Much Love,
Tracy
Tracy L. Darity is the author of He Loves Me He Loves Me Not! and Love…Like Snow in Florida on a Hot Summer Day. Her third release, The Red Bear Society is slated for a Fall 2011 release. For more information visit www.TracyLDarity.com.
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