This is the moving story of a search for her own identity, as Vivien Kovaks, the daughter of Hungarian immigrant parents, attempts to decide what to do with her life after graduating from university in the late 1970s. She still lives with her parents in Marylebone, but is frustrated by their docility and refusal to tell her anything about her ancestors. She recalls that almost 20 years earlier, she briefly met her father’s brother, Sandor, whom her father disliked and she decides to discover more about him and his nefarious past. The book turns on this quest and the discoveries that Vivien makes, shakes her out of her own lethargy and gives her a greater appreciation for the experiences of other people who can then be understood better for what they have gone through. In so doing, it charts a path for her future.
Linda Grant’s writing is absorbing and captivating in an excellent read. She creates a greater understanding of the complex Sandor, that leads to a more mature and forgiving life for Vivien.

It started out strongly but about halfway through it started to meander a bit and loose focus. I wasn't really sure what story she wanted to tell and, although the characters were interesting, I wasn't very connected with their story. I thought the clothes theme was a bit forced, esp in the last few pages. It was well-written but not the most interesting read.

I liked this very much - the daughter of Hungarian refugees in 1970s London who have been silent about their past seeks out her estranged uncle who is a wealthy criminal. It's full of the little details of life, has one disruptive BIG EVENT and is the perfect way to spend a rainy fall weekend. ( )

Fantastic story. This book follows a woman's life from her youth when she used clothes to define an identity she couldn't otherwise develop through her efforts to locate the past that was hidden from her by her parents. A great introspective work on what people find acceptable, why they might reject their relatives, and who they turn out to be themselves in the end.
The writing is lovely, spare yet with a style that touches on the emotions and turmoil of this woman at different life stages. And she does find herself in the end through some very interesting moves that force her parents to confront what they hid for so long. ( )

A very unusual book. It is about Jewish immigrants. Two brothers: one called Ervin is timid in his new home, London. He almost forgets to live. And second brother Sandor who is brash is treated as a small-time slum lord. He is greeted by media frenzy as a criminal. Both brothers are estranged. Ervin tries to make life away from shadow of his brother Sandor.

However, Ervin's daughter finds Sandor to seek out her family history. Book is about an immigrant's life and explains Jewish Hungarian life well.

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