The First Rule of Swimming by Courtney Angela Brkic is a novel about two sisters from a small island in Croatia. One never leaves the island, the other immigrates to America, then disappears in NYC. The story traces three generations of the family, through war and hardship as they each search for peace and a place to call home.

This is a beautiful, well written novel full of memorable characters. At times it seems to veer off track a bit, and I would have loved more background about Croatia, but the central relationship between the two sisters and what they will do for each other is where the beauty in this story lies.