interesting story though it lacks the human side
359176
I love the way they tell a very interesting business story, however it has 3 opportunities:
1) in DVD format the repetitiveness is a little frustrating, we do not need every 5 minutes to be reminded of the whole story
2) I really would like to learn more about these amazing characters as people and not just as business decision makers, History channel misses a tremendous opportunity to portray them as the human beings they were.
3) too many scenes of them just "thinking in their offices"....I am pretty sure they were a lot more human than that.
319421
An interesting story, but there was very little character development, and if the characters weren't speaking, they were biting or chewing their bottom lip
2494726
It's an interesting story, although the h isn't a moral person and her bff is a slut. (I hate to read about people touching themselves, even in passing)
  The H is also not someone who I'd ever get involved with---it's embarrassing how she's willing to have lifeless sex with that type of player.
But, if you skip over the graphic stuff, it's well paced and interesting.
3548580
This story is told in first person and it took me most of the first chapter to realize that the main character was not only a young person, but a male young person. I had to go back and re-read several times as I figured out where and who each person was in the story.

I enjoyed the perspective of an inmate of one of the internment camps, but felt somehow something was lacking in the details. It felt good, but maybe better suited for YA reading, as it was from the perspective of a young man.
I also felt like the author did not connect with how young men think totally as well. But over all, it was a good book on a topic that is not written about much.
3459044
I really like this book; I enjoy human interest stories and anything that is really different.  The characters were somewhat one-dimensional but also they developed along the way.  It's a very interesting story but somewhat sad too.  I certainly do recommend this book to others.
2510949
I read this book in a few concentrated days' time. The best aspect of the story - for me - was how the main character had to wrestle with some deep moral questions about the concept of "the other" or "the stranger" and does being different make the other "less than human" and an enemy to be destroyed. One should always question the validity and rationale for taking a life and this book presents that dilemma in a way which I suspect the intended reader's age group can be challenged to consider.
3051872
I enjoyed this story however I do have a few things to say.  I felt that the characters were underdeveloped.  I found that while the characters were expressive emotionally  I did not really empathize with them at all and that left me feeling a bit unsatisfied at the end of the story.  I felt that the story has potential but lacks the depth of a truly good story that leaves me wanting more.  Would I buy the sequel? Probably just to see if the characters get any better and to see where the story goes.  Would I recommend this to a friend?  Probably but not as one of my favorites.
4830720
An interesting story.  The characters were not as developed as I would have liked.
4274993
The story was interesting.  I thought it was going to be a little bit more fact-based than it turned out to be.  I really liked how the book dealt with the idea that people interpret the actions of others through the lenses of their own preconceptions and experiences.

Because of the title, I thought the focus of the story would be Helen.  However, it seemed as if the story centered around Albert more than it did around her.  Which wasn't too bad, since I really didn't care for Helen very much.  She seemed to be far more focused on her own needs than those of the people she professed to care about.

I think the story could have been quite a bit shorter.  There were a few years in the middle that seemed to take quite a while.  Also, I didn't really care for the descriptive sex scenes.  Still, I did care enough about the story to want to know how things ended up.  The ending was fairly satisfying, if a tiny bit too convenient.  Overall, an interesting story.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by NetGalley
55985
There is a lot of potential in this story, but for some reason I just didn't fully connect with it. I like the first person narration and the way in which the story was dictated. I just felt no sympathy for the main character I couldn't connect with her.
3985458
Ok story, not as polished as some but worth reading
2570244
This well told tale contains, in the voice of one of its characters, a philosophy that explains why human history is NOT also human progress and presents one of the ways this could change if only humans could change.  If you have a strong religious philosophy, it would be a good idea to run Huxley's thinking by your own beliefs to see where you differ.  If you have no particular philosophy that is paramount in your life, this may be a good book to see if you would consider having one.  And for everyone there is an interesting novel with characters seemingly based on William Randolph Hearst and his paramour Marion Davies.  While the comparison is not precise and the actions that the characters take are not, as far as I know, any actions that ever were taken by the two real persons above, the mental examination of that sort of wealthy life is very interesting. There are dark ironies that readers in the last three decades might well think are reminiscent of John Irving.  You may find yourself laughing somewhat self-consciously at times because some of the things you are laughing at are disturbing.  Once the philosophy was presented, I was expecting more towards the end of the book, but alas was left with just the concluding incidents of the story.  You will nit your eyebrows thinking about this one long after the story ends.  And it has a haunting way of making you look at and interpret events around you in light of his character's arguments. No other recent novel has done that for me.
875774
It is an amazing story of heroism and humanity however given recent allegations towards Abdulrahman Zeitoun, it seems that a story is all it ever will be. This shows the best possible image of this man but it doesn't compensate for his actions years after the storm. I understand the PTSD most likely had a role in his recent activity but it kind of sucks to put on this happy front for everyone to read when clearly there are some darker parts of him that he didn't expose in this book
3624963
It was an interesting story.  The way Christians, Muslims and Jews coorporated in saving the hagadah was a great illustration of how we can all get along and of how much more we have in common than not.

It was a little confusing moving from time to time and place to place, especially because times ran in opposing directions.  But that added to the intrigue.

I also enjoyed the mystery of trying to learn the provinance of the book.

That said, it didn't provoke any great existential thoughts for me and that is normally what I want most from a book.
4799001
Good story, but would have enjoyed more had it delved into the individuals and built a story around it. It seemed like a lot of random thoughts that didn't really connect.
2678188
This was a great story -- very touching and moving,  however it was missing depth and the emotion associated with the experience.
1259637
The story starts with a weird death in an airplane, with a body oozing out some weird green sludge. Soon it is found out that origin of this deadly virus is extraterrestial - and has been sent to Earth on purpose. An attempt to wipe humans out? The prelude for invasion?
The story is interesting and leads to unexpected consequences. One thing I liked in particular was the strange First Contact and the relationship of the virus with the aliens. I also found it enlightening how society could evolve because of this infection and how unfortunately even in the future we could not get rid of the darker sides of mankind. Yet, overall, the story is a positive one.
The only thing I disliked was the "More than human" part of the title - it leads you to absolutely wrong conclusions of what the book is alike. I do not think that "more than human" describes it. What humanity becomes is different, not necessarily "more". But, it is true, that most of humanity seems to become better.
Overall, a good SciFi story worth reading.