STAND A LITTLE OUT OF MY SUN

In this debut novel centered on a Greek American family in 1950s Chicago, a girl tries to protect her brother from danger.

The story opens in 1981, when Sophie is a kindergarten teacher. A student reminds her of a boy she once knew, which causes her to recall distant memories in 1956, when she was 12 and her brother, Niko, was almost 9. Their household is a tense place; their parents are constantly at each other’s throats, and their father drinks too much. When Sophie calls them “damn idiots” for their behavior, her dad slams her against the wall. In this abusive environment, she’s the only one looking out for young Niko. She yearns for the love and comfort that her grandparents offer her, but her dad despises his Greek in-laws; Niko, however, reveres his father and desperately wants to help him work on cars in the garage. The boy proves to have a sharp mind and physical dexterity, so he takes part in his father’s illegal dealings with Taki, a conniving uncle, and Vitto Biducci, “the most feared thug on the East Side.” One night, they assign Niko to steal valuables from locked cars. As his involvement in criminal activities escalates, so does the reader’s sense of dread. The 1956 storyline simmers with tension, but Voss sometimes jumps to other eras to chronicle other characters’ stories, such as that of Elena, Sophie’s great-grandmother, as she travels to America by steamship with five children in tow. Sophie’s parents’ backstories receive attention, as well, but these sections aren’t as engaging as the main plot. Still, the prose is always excellent, as when Voss offers vivid glimpses of the urban landscape: “In the darkening sky, Sophie saw the flaming smokestacks of the steel mills light up the night.” Characters are equally well drawn: “She looks like a cartoon in the funny papers,” Sophie’s cousin George says about his aunt who’s dressed up for a family outing. Overall, the text is entertaining and vibrant, rich with details of Greek American culture, ’50s and ’60s Chicago, and distinctive members of Sophie’s clan and community.

An elegant and often compelling multigenerational drama.