My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is reader's fiction at it best.
The story centers on two Cameroonian immigrants - Jende and Neni, who are married. Their immigration status is always hovering over their heads - Jende having overstayed his work visa, and Neni needing to maintain enrollment in school to keep her student visa, which obviously involves needing money to pay tuition.
They live in Harlem, and their big break comes when Jende gets a job as a chauffeur for Clark Edwards, an well-to-do investment advisory at Lehman Brothers. The book begins at the beginning of 2008; thus, the reader knows that the collapse of Lehman Brothers is coming. With that backdrop, the author weaves a great story with so many layers and dynamics to chew on and digest - the immigrant experience; wealth and economic inequality; class inequality and classism; the husband-wife dynamic, both as between Jende and Neni and Clark and his wife, Cindy, but also the contrast between the two; the parent-child dynamic. There is so much in this book, so many different angles and relationships that are interwoven into the narrative.
And its also incredibly readable, well-paced. Truly, a fascinating and enjoyable read.
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