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Liked It “Very surprising book. Author paints word pictures brilliiantly, and often uncomfortably. Thoroughly enjoyed it, although enjoy is not really an appropriate word - very pwoerful.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It“The premise was intersting - a mother writing to Osama Bin Laden after a terrorist attack killed her husband and son. The execution was poor, to truly feel the pain of the mother it was necessary to relate to her but she was such an unusual character that it was difficult to relate to her. The...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“The premise was intersting - a mother writing to Osama Bin Laden after a terrorist attack killed her husband and son. The execution was poor, to truly feel the pain of the mother it was necessary to relate to her but she was such an unusual character that it was difficult to relate to her. The crazy characters that came into her life after the death took the story too far away from the original idea. Didn't enjoy reading it.”
Sherri L wrote this review Sunday, November 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Very surprising book. Author paints word pictures brilliiantly, and often uncomfortably. Thoroughly enjoyed it, although enjoy is not really an appropriate word - very pwoerful.”
Sally D wrote this review Friday, October 30 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“ A very sad and disturbing book. Hard to put down, but also not an easy read. Painful memories haunt a woman who has lost her young son and husband in a Islamic bomb attack at a London soccer game. Unfortunately, when the attack happened, the woman was doing something she shouldn't have been doing in front of the live game on the sofa, and was a witness to the actual bombing. Guilt and disturbing images pop into her mind at all sorts of odd moments form then on.
Kiki68 wrote this review Wednesday, October 28 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The novel takes a turn when London is gripped with an almost irrational fear of further attacks. Special balloons to help stop plane attacks are floated above the city, and morbidly, photos of victims of the "May Day" attack are on the side of the balloons. So the mother must look at her son and husband at all hours. She is racked with guilt and pain at all hours, and becomes obviously addicted to pills and booze.
Written in a stream of consciousness style, the city of London and the main character both rapidly disintegrate. I don't want to give a thing away. I read this novel because I want to read Cleave's new novel, Little Bee, but I can't help but think Cleave is a very pessimistic fellow!”
“This book gives a not-so-good portrayal of a woman driven to madness by the fact that her whole family was erased in an instant by a group of terrorists. In her despair she writes a letter to Osama bin Laden, and the book is what she came up with. There were parts of this book that really moved me, but it all seemed too contrived in the end. I didn't like it, but I can see why someone else might.”
Yuri G wrote this review Monday, October 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Was a very entertaining book. I liked the premise. Although if it were me, the story would be much more depressing. I like that the main character always acted as if she had nothing to lose. Kept my complete attention!”
djgroupi wrote this review Monday, October 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“I am really enjoying reading this book at the moment. It had a very dramatic start which intrigued me straight away. I will read on and see how the plot unfolds...”
Lauren D wrote this review Saturday, October 3 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Our nameless female narrator is writing an open letter to Osama bi Laden after her 4 year 3 month old son and her husband were killed in a suicide bombing of a football stadium in London. But the bombing is only the beginning. . .
Lillian D wrote this review Sunday, September 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
It is a painful but compelling read. Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, they do.
This is an amazing debut novel from Chris Cleave who has the ability to draw you in with his first sentence and keep you captive until the very last line, Highly recommended!”
“Ilike this guys style”
Merri A wrote this review Wednesday, September 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Naive at times, insane at others, simultaneously sad and funny, this is one book you want to read.”
dee wrote this review Monday, August 10 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“some laugh out loud funny bits in this ultimately desperately sad book. Chris Cleave gets inside a woman's head so well. After her husband and son die in a terrorist attack which she witnesses from her sofa where she's having sex with someone she met in a pub, she tries to get on with her life and this novel is the letter she writes to Osama Bin Laden.”
sue c wrote this review Friday, July 24 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
