Member Reviews

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  • Rated 4 stars

  “I'd love to give this one five stars as I think it is truly unique and well written. But it just doesn't give quite enough sense of resolution for me to be totally satisfied. A great book detailing the plight of several Moroccans and following their attempt to migrate to escape the lack of jobs and hopelessness of Morocco. Each chapter is the perspective of one of the characters - - either before or after they've tried to emigrate. The prose is spare and easy to read. A little treasure of a book. ”

  againstthetide wrote this review Monday, March 10 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 2 stars

  “While this is currently the Writers and Books "Rochester Reads" selection of the year, I was underwhelmed by it. Lalami introduces her characters - interesting and flawed people to whom I wanted to relate - but the book was so short, it was difficult to get much more. While there are brief moments where the reader can feel introducted into a new culture, we are never fully immersed. I believe Lalami's publisher must have liked the basic idea of the content - Muslims from Morocco trying to escape to a better life. It is a very "American" struggle, but the themes were not fleshed out very well. There are definitely things to talk about with regard to the book, but I doubt I will remember it in 2 months.”

  Renee J wrote this review Thursday, February 28 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 2 stars

  “Well written but too short to grab me emotionally.”

  Kathleen U wrote this review Sunday, February 17 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 0 stars

  “I haven't read this yet... but here's what Vanity Fair July 2007 said about it:
  Moroccan-born author Lalami's debut tale of illegal African immigrants who wash up on Spanish shores. Lalami, who follows her characters' individual backstories with a steady, sympathetic gaze, is a reviewer and critic as well, with her own popular literary blog.
  
  NYTimes (10 December 2006 in its Paperback Row column) said: This poetic first novel begins with the illegal journey of four Moroccans across the Strait of Gibraltar in an inflatable boat headed for Spain. Lalami then explores the circumstances leading to their harrowing passage and what awaits them.”

  Artemis_98 wrote this review Thursday, July 12 2007. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 0 stars

  “This was my daughter's summer reading as a college freshman. I did not know the title, picked it up in the bookstore to read with her, and could not put it down. ”

  liz314 wrote this review Thursday, July 5 2007. ( reply | permalink )