“A story of heroic longing… its humor, its humanity, its aching sadness… makes for a fine memorial.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“Bold… Imaginative… A daring story from a brave new voice in literature.”
—The Wall Street Journal

“A spirited and promising debut.”
—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

“As lyrical as it is daring.”
—The New Yorker

“A winning first novel.”
—Time

“Imaginative… A beautifully told novel.”
—Newsday

“Haunting and thoroughly entertaining.”
—Los Angeles Times

“Provocative… A most impressive debut.”
—Dallas Morning News

“A dazzling piece of fiction…full of grace and sorrow.”
—Winston-Salem Journal

“Strauss brilliantly humanizes this odd pair.”
—Albuquerque Journal

“Remarkable."
—Newark Star-Ledger

“Exquisitely told.”
—Mademoiselle

“Vivid, absolutely fascinating characters.”
—Denver Rocky Mountain News

“Dazzling.”
—Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Sublime… Strauss’s elegant prose soars…”
—The Boston Globe

“Haunting. Powerful. A great story… read it and weep!”
—People

“A wonderful example of the use of fiction to paint a keenly felt emotional reality.”
—Denver Post

“Astonishing… a dazzling consistency of voice and sensibility…"
—The Raleigh News & Observer

“A real achievement!”
—Seattle Times

“Ambitious and accomplished."
—Esquire

“Hugely entertaining.”
—Portland Oregonian

“A provocative page-turner.”
—Houston Chronicle

“Precise, powerful prose… vivid imagination… a provocative story .”
—Publishers Weekly (starred)

“Imposingly original… very moving indeed.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“Truly remarkable… brilliant… wonderful… A novel not to be missed.”
—Booklist

“Darin Strauss has created a true gift with this book.”
—Elizabeth Gilbert

“A daring and bold debut… the perfect mixture of historical research and imagination.”
—Galaxy Craze

“This is a brilliant book—an imaginative feat of the first order, and much, much more. A stunning, heartbreaking, and utterly great debut.”
—Lev Grossman

“What a remarkable first novel! One of the most riskily imagined and successfully realized novels I’ve read in years.”
—Joyce Carol Oates

“Chang and Eng rocks with twisted passion… and a sly and powerful wit. A righteously deft and intelligent first novel.”
—James Ellroy

“Powerful and affecting… A marvel of psychological insight and historical imagination.”
—Tom Perotta

“A startling and haunting novel. Fascinating, heartrending, entirely convincing. A deep look at the humanity we all share.”
—Jean Hegland

“A doozy of a read, as full of charm and wit and love as the sky is full of stars.”
—Lee K. Abbott

“Superb… Gut-wrenching…This is a wise and wonderful book, the writing is dazzling.”
—Douglas Glover