Kaleidoscope (the heartbreaking, life-affirming, beautiful new book by award-winning author)

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Morgan and Riley Brighton are joint heirs to Kaleidoscope: a glittering, ‘global bohemian’ shopping empire—created in sleepy Oregon and catapulted into haute New York—sourcing luxury goods from around the world. Morgan, statuesque beauty and Kaleidoscope’s talented designer, is adored by all, especially by the Brighton parents. Yet no one loves her more than Riley, whose shy and adventurous spirit is exalted by her sister. Alexandra is extremely sweet, and could be anybody's small sister. She is the voice of reason among them and the only one who understands Hillary's pain and Megan's love for her father. She has an awful husband but gets through everything with her pride still intact and finds the love of her sisters again.

Though his brand of realist Northern drama fell out of favour in the 1980s, John Finch’s contribution to British television drama was enormous. His autobiography, written in the final years of his life, is a testament to a life well lived, revealing a sensitive and accomplished writer who more than fulfilled his dream. The characters are a bunch of whiny, entitled children and not just the young adults either. The parents take the cake but not until the end at least. Membaca buku ini bagaikan naik roller-coaster. Naik, turun, naik, turun lagi. Naik-turunnya kehidupan yang terjadi pada sebuah keluarga. Dan semuanya terjadi dengan cepat. Wew. Telling a beautiful and heartbreaking story through fragments of the sisters’ lives, Wong shows how they’ve been shaped by the many experiences they’ve lived through, and how different perspectives can change the way we understand the truth.”When tragedy strikes, Riley is left reeling. Her parents offer no comfort, and Riley is drowning in guilt. As her relationship with her parents' sours, Riley decides on a ‘healing’ journey.

The eldest Hilary is the only one who is old enough to understand the loss that has happened and the way their lives would change. The younger ones are adopted whereas Hilary is left on her own to go through the most devastating phases of her life. This was also a character-driven story where the portrayals of the four members of the Brighton family as well as the various people in their orbit were extremely important. While none of the characters were particularly likable (which sometimes can be a dealbreaker for me in terms of positive reading experience), all of them were so realistically drawn that I found myself able to resonate with each one in ways that I didn’t expect. In this regard, I felt the author did a good job relating the struggles and inner conflicts that each of the characters went through, especially as it pertained to their relationships and how they interact with each other. The only heart-breaking character was of Arthur. You hate him, you loathe him for not having been strong enough to care for the 3 girls.I know I’ve given you little to go on, and the story may even sound a little grim, but it really isn’t. Yes, there is sadness and pain, but also hope and renewal. The last thing I want to say is, “𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭!” 𝘒𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘦 is a book I highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣ Without spoiling the story, it largely focuses on the relationships we have with ourselves, with our families, finding out we can’t possibly know everything about ourselves much less other people, and trying to make sense of it all as we move through the world.

While we don’t learn too much about Kaleidoscope, other than how it started and the kind of merchandise it sells (a lot of goods imported from india) and the kind of demographic it appeals to, many aspects of this business remain unexplored, which is a pity as I wish the narrative could have incorporated more fully discussions on consumerism and cultural appropriation. Anyhow, we learn that Riley and Morgan’s bond was a bit codependent, and once they reach their college years, their relationship becomes somewhat fraught. Add to the mix James, who is Morgan’s new bf, and Riley’s sort-of-crush and things get complicated.To soothe himself in the face of the immense pain of the world, a man steals and hoards beautiful objects, but in a fit of rage and despair he smashes them all. Then he uses the glittering shards to make incandescent scenes of catastrophe. From rags to riches, sleepy Oregon to haute New York, they are the biracial Chinese American family that built Kaleidoscope, a glittering, 'global bohemian' shopping empire sourcing luxury goods from around the world. Statuesque, design savant, and family pet--eldest daughter Morgan Brighton is most celebrated of all. Yet despite her favored status, both within the family and in the press, nobody loves her more than Riley. Smart and nervy Riley Brighton -- whose existence is forever eclipsed by her older sister's presence. When a catastrophic event dismantles the Brightons' world, it is Riley who's left with questions about her family that challenge her memory, identity, and loyalty. She sets off across the globe with an unlikely companion to seek truths about the people she thought she knew best --herself included.