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captaincocanutty's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This books tries to do too much, and yet doesn't do enough. There was a trend in historical fiction a few years ago to follow at least 2 or maybe 3 different main characters, and I think this is a product of that trend.
There are very immersive moments that make it worth reading, and it's clear the author spent time in Iraq during the end of the reign of Saddam. The beginning and ending of the novel had me invested in what happened to the characters, but I felt like in the middle the author was trying to make a 300 page count, because it dragged and I was definitely skimming in some parts. There were also a few paragraphs that reappeared word for word in a couple different chapters.
The book is interesting enough, but I think some changes to the editing could have made it a lot more engaging.
There are very immersive moments that make it worth reading, and it's clear the author spent time in Iraq during the end of the reign of Saddam. The beginning and ending of the novel had me invested in what happened to the characters, but I felt like in the middle the author was trying to make a 300 page count, because it dragged and I was definitely skimming in some parts. There were also a few paragraphs that reappeared word for word in a couple different chapters.
The book is interesting enough, but I think some changes to the editing could have made it a lot more engaging.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape, Torture, and War
whatskatiereading's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
WHEN THE APRICOTS BLOOM is listed as historical fiction, but honestly this felt kind of like a thriller to me. The book follows Huda, Raina, and Ally and takes place in Iraq in 2002. The three women’s lives intersect, but they all have secrets that can tear their worlds apart.
This book has a lot of secrets, a lot of “sitting on the edge of your seat” moments where you’re hoping the women find a way to make it out of the situation safely. Each of the women’s stories captured my attention, but I found myself really rooting for Huda especially. The story talks a lot about the secret police under Saddam Hussein’s regime, so there’s some mention of violence that some readers might not feel comfortable reading. Overall I found the book to be really interesting and thought the writing was phenomenal.
One thing I was a little unsure of going into the book was a white woman writing about the experiences of two Iraqi women. The author’s note was really helpful in explaining that the book is drawn on her experiences of living in Iraq in a similar situation that the American/Australian character Ally was in. The author also acknowledges the need for “diverse books, written by diverse authors, in settings and situations that reflect the deep richness of our world”. Reading that put my mind at ease a little bit, but that does not mean this is the only book set in a Middle Eastern country that I will be reading this year. I’m looking forward to reading more books set in the Middle East by authors who are from the region. Thank you Bookish First and Kensington for my copy of WHEN THE APRICOTS BLOOM
This book has a lot of secrets, a lot of “sitting on the edge of your seat” moments where you’re hoping the women find a way to make it out of the situation safely. Each of the women’s stories captured my attention, but I found myself really rooting for Huda especially. The story talks a lot about the secret police under Saddam Hussein’s regime, so there’s some mention of violence that some readers might not feel comfortable reading. Overall I found the book to be really interesting and thought the writing was phenomenal.
One thing I was a little unsure of going into the book was a white woman writing about the experiences of two Iraqi women. The author’s note was really helpful in explaining that the book is drawn on her experiences of living in Iraq in a similar situation that the American/Australian character Ally was in. The author also acknowledges the need for “diverse books, written by diverse authors, in settings and situations that reflect the deep richness of our world”. Reading that put my mind at ease a little bit, but that does not mean this is the only book set in a Middle Eastern country that I will be reading this year. I’m looking forward to reading more books set in the Middle East by authors who are from the region. Thank you Bookish First and Kensington for my copy of WHEN THE APRICOTS BLOOM
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Rape and Sexual violence