The excerpt in the New Yorker hooked me. Great characters. ( )

There's certainly a lot of pain and injustice in this book, but I'm glad to have read it. Moore has a unique writing voice and a kind of "old soul" wisdom ensconced in her story about the world of young women in the modern age. If you're looking for some sort of feel good story or thriller then keep moving. But if you can stomach the gut punches, this is a novel well worth the discomfort. ( )

Mientras Estados Unidos se prepara para la Guerra de Iraq, Tassie, una chica de campo que estudia en una ciudad del Medio Oeste, empieza a trabajar como canguro para un matrimonio de blancos que ha adoptado a una niña de origen afroamericano. Poco a poco, Tassie se va sintiendo más unida a ella, y la protege y quiere como si fuera su propia hija. Pero la vida revela sus inevitables secretos: los padres adoptivos ocultan algo, y su descubrimiento romperá para siempre los lazos entre Tassie y la pequeña.

Would like to read more by this writer. Lovely writing and very funny, although the story took some dark turns halfway through. Tassie the protagonist is a wonderful and likable college student. ( )

I like the ending. I kept thinking she isn't going to do the right thing, but she does. Just like that.

A Gate at the Stairs played with language in ways that were refreshing. The characters were interesting. ( )