Bashkin is an Albanian immigrant, struggling to fit in in America. He's a hard-working student full of worry. His father was imprisoned in Albania before he was married and had children and still bears the emotional scars that are all too visible to his wife and children.
Luis has been injured in the war, injured physically, and also emotionally. After successful tours in Iraq, he is now dealing with the loss of his friend and partner.
Avis' own childhood was a rough one in Sin City. She has risen above it mostly, although now in middle age, her husband has decided to leave her. The two struggled through the death of a child together, but now as their son Nate returns from war and begins his career in law enforcement, Avis knows that the knot in her stomach indicates problems with Nate, who has changed much since the war.
Roberta works for a non-profit, assisting families in Las Vegas who are in need. She, too, becomes embroiled in Bashkin, Luis, and Avis' lives when a tragic event occurs and binds them all together.
McBride has based her story on an actual event, imagining the lives of the people this happened to. I haven't stopped thinking about this story since I began reading. I was totally engrossed in the lives of the characters, and could visualize the ways in which they acted and reacted.
Although I loved We Are Called To Rise while reading it, I am even more impressed with it a few days after finishing it. I simply cannot get these stories out of my mind. I'll be recommending this to friends but I also think this will be a great book club selection, full of things to discuss.
3 comments:
That is how I felt. I listened to it and it was so dramatic! But days later I kept thinking about it.
I don't think it's gotten that much attention. It deserves more.
Just got a copy through Amazon - glad u loved it.
I just finished this last night. (Looks like we are once again reading the same books). I found it enthralling and so well told and yes deeply thought-provoking. Writing my review now.
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