What readers think of Porcupines, plus links to write your own review.

What a book of poignancy, tenderness, humor and sheer delight. I was captivated from the beginning and when Mila, the daughter in the book, responds to the question of who her father is, she say “he was a lot of fun”, I laughed so hard and knew I just had to finish this book immediately!

This is the story of Sonia Imre, an illegal Hungarian immigrant, and her relationship with her daughter, Mila. It’s also a coming-of-age story for both of them. Their story is told between alternating years - 1989 and 2001 - and countries, divided into five parts which moves the story chronologically and is told by a third person narrator “perfectly tuned” to Sonia

Sonia comes to America after the fall of the Soviet Union seeking a glamorous Hollywood life which she believes her sister, Rina, must be living in Los Angeles. She’s sorely disabused to learn Rina lives an Orthodox Jewish wife’s life - which is not very glamorous. Eventually Sonia leaves her sister’s home, learns independence and becomes pregnant. Sonia isolates herself and Mila in an act of protection but this soon comes to at head on a school trip to San Francisco where she has to face the “music” (but not due to Mila’s orchestra concert).

I loved Sonia. She’s funny, resilient, and vulnerable. Her years of hiding have given her a perceptive nature which usually helps her out of a crisis. I loved too how she grew and realized she needed to direct Mila in the right directions. She belongs among those characters you remember like Elenor Oliphant or Sally Diamond. She captures your heart.

This book is well written, engaging and a beautiful debut novel. I highly recommend.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read this ARC.