Ev dumpster-dives for treasures to sell at the Vancouver Chinatown Night Market. She has a special talent that is both a gift and a curse. She can feel the emotions or stains left on objects. Good emotions are pleasant to feel, but there are dark memories also. Her family was destroyed by this gift and she fears it will happen again.
Harriet is a hoarder. Her apartment is filled with treasures both bought and found. She feels happy surrounded by her treasures, but her neighbors have a different reaction. They are being made ill by the escaping emotions and they want Harriet to do something about it.
When Harriet and Ev meet, they recognize the potential to help each other. Harriet wants to do something good with her treasures and Ev can help, but there’s always the shadow of a darker problem.
This is an imaginative plot. The story is told from the point-of -view of the two characters. We’re able to hear the thoughts of both women and understand their relationship to things and their fears and hopes. This gives the plot an intimate feeling. We think we can understand both women.
The book starts slowly. We learn about what drives each woman, but it goes on too long. The action doesn’t pick up until the end. I enjoyed the mix of fantasy and reality, but but found the slow pace rather difficult to maintain my interest.
I received this book from Atria Books for this review.
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