Personal Fulfillment and Family Obligation

Through Miranda, Lucia, and Manny's narrative points of view, Everything Here is Beautiful explores the difficulties in balancing one's longing for personal fulfillment with her profound familial obligations. After the Bok girls' mother falls ill when they are still young, Miranda assumes the role of her sister Lucia's caretaker. These maternal responsibilities become lifelong as Lucia's mental illness resurfaces more frequently. Though Miranda is a successful independent woman, she can severe her bond with Lucia; whenever her sister needs her, whether she is on the verge of an episode or just requires moral support, Miranda disrupts her life to assist her. Once Miranda begins a serious and committed relationship with Stefan, however, this tension between self interest and loyalty to Lucia threatens Miranda's personal life.

Through the sisters' relationship, the author proves the often fraught ties between family members. While Miranda has...