Reviews

It is easy to generalize the suffering of people forced, compelled or driven to leave their home. But every person faces individual challenges, and their pain is uniquely their own. El Akkad does a masterful job of telling this story from two points of view, alternating between time periods and perspectives in such a way that the narrative is revealed in pieces.

chloe_eags's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.75

Content Warnings

tommooney's review against another edition

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2.0

Immensely frustrating. Merely writing about a worthy topic is not enough. The characters in this are so vapid and thin and their motivations are quick to crumble. Much like his first novel, American War, the premise is good but the execution severely lacking.

fiberreader's review against another edition

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4.0

This is a real gut-punch of a read but one that is so worth it. Like the tourists on the unnamed island at the center of this book, many of us haven't wanted to see the cruel reality of the refugee crises in the Middle East. There's an element of racism and othering, to be sure, but there's also a reluctance to acknowledge that those of us who are among the haves of the world aren't doing enough for the have-nots, for those who are fleeing war and persecution, especially when those who are fleeing are Black or Brown.

I read one review (it's entirely hidden due to spoilers, and you shouldn't read it until after you've read the book) that suggested an interesting interpretation of the meaning of the title and the narrative. I'm not sure if it's what the author intended, but it's an interesting possibility. There's also the possibility that the "strange paradise" of the title is the dual identity of the island setting as both a luxury vacation spot for the wealthy and a site of death and detention for the refugees.

mooncrab's review against another edition

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2.0

The story was flat and emotionless, but set in a deeply emotional setting. This created a disjointed feeling along with frustration at the unrealistic, underdeveloped story. The main characters were children which felt too juvenile for me to connect with, but the language was harsh enough that it wouldn’t be appropriate for school-aged kids. The ending left me unsatisfied and really annoyed; if the story is allegorical after all, it does even less for the actual plight of refugees than the bulk of the book did. I’ve given the book 2 stars because the author writes well and has the skills to tell a vivid story if he desires; the writing saved this book from being a 1-star rating.

binasbooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

kimregs's review against another edition

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3.0

This book was difficult to read. It’s a very modern day subject and one that is challenging to grapple with. I had to read it slowly at times because it’s pretty heartbreaking.

I was torn on what to rate it but my thoughts are
A) the lacing was not for me. The “before” chapters” went really slowly. I understand the author wanted the alternating timelines but sometimes these chapters seemed to exist for the sake of existing.
B) the “after” chapters were exciting and I was very invested.
C) Kethros was a chilling villain and well written.

And finally, WTF was that ending. I’ve read some theories and maybe I understand what the author was trying to do but then I must ask… what was the point of half of the book? Someone make it make sense. The ending made my rating go down for sure.

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