The Woman Upstairs/Claire Messud/253 pgs.

What an amazing novel--thank you Kathy K. for the recommendation! The story centers around, and is told in the first person by, Nora Eldridge. At the beginning of the novel, Nora is in her late thirties, single, and an elementary school teacher in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her initial dream was to be an artist, but instead settled for teaching, which later turned her into a "woman upstairs"--the reliable friend, the "good" daughter, the helpful neighbor, etc. Then, the Shahid family enters her life: first, Reza, who becomes her student; second, Sirena, who is on her way to becoming an acclaimed artist; and finally, Skandar, a Lebanese professor, who has come to Boston because of a fellowship at Harvard. Nora becomes more and more sucked into the Shahids' lives, resulting in a fascinating, compelling read. The book grabs you right from the start, and continues that way until the end. This would make a great book discussion book!