Fascinating first person character study - the thoughtful yet often self-deprecating (and angry) reflections of the narrator mix with her detailed recollections of a brief but intense relationship with a family. Nora, a thirtysomething third grade teacher, is often heartbreakingly honest about her life so far; she has always aspired to be an artist but never quite found a way into that world. Meeting Sirena, the mother of one of her students, brings her closer while also awakening other longings. 
Messud’s writing allows us to empathize and sometimes identify with Nora, though we’re also a little wary of her intentions. There is a continuous underlying tension as we know Nora is retelling her story from a future beyond her interactions with the Shahid family.