Finished Ursula, Under by Ingrid Hill today. Really enjoyed it, although I didn't exactly expect to when I read the first line. The book's written in third-person omniscient, which isn't done much nowadays. Even so, the narrative reads very smoothly, and doesn't feel like it features much of an intrusive narrator.
Ursula, Under is about a little girl, Ursula Wong, part Chinese and part Finnish, who falls into an old mine shaft. The story then branches out into a huge family tree, featuring stories of Ursula's ancestors. These stories show just how easily Ursula might cease to exist, and each of these stories is close to a miracle, showing how Ursula's ancestors on either side have nearly crossed paths.
The narration is set in the present tense, which contributes to a very strong sense that the stories are all happening, all at the same time. This somewhat reminds me of The Time Traveler's Wife, another book I love, which also has an urgent feel to it. I really enjoyed Ursula, Under, and I guess I might start promoting it to all my friends, like I did The Time Traveler's Wife.
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