This book is a unique collection of short stories, each from a different time period and written by a different author. The common thread, quite literally, is a single string of pearls. The book opens with a story from the 1920s, where the pearls are a wedding gift. From there, we follow them through time—they're lost in a 1950s jazz club, discovered in a 1980s thrift shop, and appear in a near-future sci-fi setting. Each story is self-contained, but reading them in order creates a fascinating, non-linear biography of an object and the lives it briefly touches.

Why You Should Read It

I loved the variety. Just as I'd settle into one author's style and world, the book would shift gears, keeping things fresh. It's less about the pearls themselves and more about the people who hold them—their hopes, secrets, and moments of crisis. You start looking for clues: Is that character a descendant from a previous story? What emotion does the necklace carry forward? It makes you an active participant in piecing together a larger, implied history that exists between the pages.

Final Verdict

Perfect for readers who enjoy short stories but want a unifying element to tie an anthology together. It's also a great pick for book clubs—there's so much to discuss about each individual tale and the overarching mystery. If you're looking for a single, straightforward plot, this isn't it. But if you want a clever, genre-hopping journey through time centered on a beautiful 'what if?', you'll find this collection absolutely captivating.