A funny, edgy book. The narrator, Alice Ziplinsky, is so perfectly off-kilter - she's both sympathetic and disconcerting, often at the same time - that she lends a slightly funhouse feeling to the story's telling. This dynastic epic of a candy-making family encompasses immigration, assimilation, success, failure, racism, inclusion, and everything you ever wanted to know about the candy business, all skillfully interwoven. And Alice's weird, funny, almost-perfectly-reasonable voice is the perfect medium. You pay attention, because Alice is the kind of narrator you want to keep an eye on, and in the process the story unwinds vividly. This is smart, out of the ordinary and fun - recommended whether you have a sweet tooth or not.