jmpeck16's review against another edition
2.0
The things that made it really difficult for me to connect to the book were:
-Lack of characterization/specificity. We get very few specifics to hold onto about either of the main characters, the location where the story begins, etc. I think this is excusable if the story is attempting to operate as a fable, applicable to many situations, but it did lessen my enjoyment of reading it.
-The events of the story. I felt the story itself was very bland. Very little happens to Nadia or Saeed in any of the places where they take refuge. They attempt to build a life. Sometimes they leave to try a new one. But I never felt pulled forward by the action of the story, curious about how a plot point will resolve itself. The story beats are also related in a distant, unemotional voice. The narrator will often inform the reader of something important that has happened to a character as an afterthought, in the final clause of a sentence. And explain it no further. So then even the things that happen that do have import don't feel like they do.
-The lack of emotion. The story's narrator narrates everything in a very detached and monotonous tone. At the beginning, when Nadia and Saeed decide to leave their home, it almost came as a shock to me, because I didn't realize that they were that concerned, let alone scared, of the violence happening around them. Throughout the story I think we are supposed to feel bad for them as they face the trials of living in migrant camps, confront angry "natives" of the places they visit, etc. But they themselves are never described as upset by these things. So it didn't really raise many emotions in me either.
-The love story. Similar to the above point, I don't think I felt wildly invested in their love because, even in the beginning, it's never described as overly intense. It is sweet. They clearly care about each other. But it didn't seem to me like a wild love affair. Though perhaps that's just because we didn't spend enough time in either of their heads. I actually appreciated the way that they drifted apart in the end. It was realistic, given the strains their relationship had been under. And I also love that Nadia ended up with a woman. But overall, I just wanted more from this very central aspect of the story.
I think I could have still really enjoyed this book with only one or two of the above critiques present. But in the end, with all of them, I just felt I had nothing to hold onto. I didn't have an interesting character to root for, I didn't feel there were important stakes or that anything happening mattered to the characters, I didn't feel there was enough action to hold my interest, and with the detachment of the narrator and seemingly the characters themselves, I didn't even feel there was an important moral to the fable. Perhaps the point was that Nadia and Saeed are just one of thousands, one of millions, of similar stories. But why take a whole book to say that? That's already how most people feel. Shouldn't the author be trying to convince us that each of these stories is unique and meaningful?
I did enjoy the writing style and it was an easy read. But in the end, I just felt... meh.
-Lack of characterization/specificity. We get very few specifics to hold onto about either of the main characters, the location where the story begins, etc. I think this is excusable if the story is attempting to operate as a fable, applicable to many situations, but it did lessen my enjoyment of reading it.
-The events of the story. I felt the story itself was very bland. Very little happens to Nadia or Saeed in any of the places where they take refuge. They attempt to build a life. Sometimes they leave to try a new one. But I never felt pulled forward by the action of the story, curious about how a plot point will resolve itself. The story beats are also related in a distant, unemotional voice. The narrator will often inform the reader of something important that has happened to a character as an afterthought, in the final clause of a sentence. And explain it no further. So then even the things that happen that do have import don't feel like they do.
-The lack of emotion. The story's narrator narrates everything in a very detached and monotonous tone. At the beginning, when Nadia and Saeed decide to leave their home, it almost came as a shock to me, because I didn't realize that they were that concerned, let alone scared, of the violence happening around them. Throughout the story I think we are supposed to feel bad for them as they face the trials of living in migrant camps, confront angry "natives" of the places they visit, etc. But they themselves are never described as upset by these things. So it didn't really raise many emotions in me either.
-The love story. Similar to the above point, I don't think I felt wildly invested in their love because, even in the beginning, it's never described as overly intense. It is sweet. They clearly care about each other. But it didn't seem to me like a wild love affair. Though perhaps that's just because we didn't spend enough time in either of their heads. I actually appreciated the way that they drifted apart in the end. It was realistic, given the strains their relationship had been under. And I also love that Nadia ended up with a woman. But overall, I just wanted more from this very central aspect of the story.
I think I could have still really enjoyed this book with only one or two of the above critiques present. But in the end, with all of them, I just felt I had nothing to hold onto. I didn't have an interesting character to root for, I didn't feel there were important stakes or that anything happening mattered to the characters, I didn't feel there was enough action to hold my interest, and with the detachment of the narrator and seemingly the characters themselves, I didn't even feel there was an important moral to the fable. Perhaps the point was that Nadia and Saeed are just one of thousands, one of millions, of similar stories. But why take a whole book to say that? That's already how most people feel. Shouldn't the author be trying to convince us that each of these stories is unique and meaningful?
I did enjoy the writing style and it was an easy read. But in the end, I just felt... meh.
knallkorkar's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
clalaure's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bigail9's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ibreadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
afox98's review against another edition
4.0
Saeed and Nadia meet as young people in a Middle Eastern city roiled by unrest. They fall in love and decide to leave the city together when things get really bad. Doors have begun to emerge across the globe that people are using to migrate to more desirable places, and Saeed and Nadia take one to Mykonos initially and other places later. The story traces the evolution of their relationship as they are affected by the difficulties and joys of life. The doors were an interesting supernatural element that were a subtle backdrop to the star of the story - human relationships and their growth or decline.
laviskrg's review against another edition
4.0
This is a really well written book, a perfect metaphor for the reffugee drama, a beautiful example of magical realism, gorgeous in form and large in scope. The only reason why I did not give this 5 stars is the fact that, while the relationship of Saeed and Nadia is very important and well designed and described, in my opinion, the ending was a tad lackluster and it just...seeped away into nothingness, or into something that was utterly different. The transformation of romantic love into, first, familiarity and then enstrangement and yet, thoughts of each other persisted through the ages. I guess I do have to respect the author for choosing not to end this in cliché but still...
A book that is at its strongest when describing the pain, fear, despair and hope that pull on the strings of migrants everywhere. To be honest, the small stories interspersed between the portions of the main one are absolutely the best and most touching.
Definitely recommend.
A book that is at its strongest when describing the pain, fear, despair and hope that pull on the strings of migrants everywhere. To be honest, the small stories interspersed between the portions of the main one are absolutely the best and most touching.
Definitely recommend.
karimorton33's review against another edition
2.0
This book didn’t draw me in how I hoped it would. I found the run on sentences with many commas annoying as the book went on. Interesting to see a migrant story that doesn’t concentrate on the journey though. (Read for Central Book Club)
ktxx22's review against another edition
2.0
For me, this book misses the mark completely. I really liked it when I thought the doors were a metaphor for immigration and that lot, but then when they ended up being actual doors I was beyond frustrated. I will also add I think the author had an opportunity to give us more emotional insight into the main characters and he, unfortunately, decided to make them pretty emotionless. I just didn’t connect with anyone.
tayloreve07's review against another edition
Sometimes technology can be good but people are usually terrible