An exploration of how a teen comes to grips with the reality of who her mother is...

In some places, this was a completely heart-touching, endearing story. It explores what it takes to achieve happiness - the ability to make a choice you know that others would not, and to embrace that choice.... to deal with the pain that choice will likely bring you, even though it also brings great joy. I admit. I cried.

In other places, though, this is a completely shallow, cookie-cutter prone story of the gaps of generations. A grandmother is bitter and feels no good has come of her children. A mother wants her happiness, but is willing for forgo it for the happiness of the generation above and the generation below. A daughter wants happiness, has it neatly handed to her on a plate, but refuses to accept it, and instead has all of the unjustified angst and anger of a spoiled teen. The use of what felt like nothing more than stereotypical characters and plot movements made the book flippant. See the above definitions of three primary characters. Throw in a poor encounter with a member of the opposite sex. Add the teen's escape to her uncle's house, via a bus ride where she meets a sage old woman. Introduce a character for no more than 10 pages, who touches her heart, gives her a sappy gift, and then promptly dies.

I wanted to love this book, this girl, this family. I didn't necessarily hate them, but neither did I feel connected in the way I wanted. Perhaps it has more to do with not being an Italian-Australian teen. Perhaps. I'll let myself believe that is why. ( )