Interesting tale with deep human insight.
357106
This was a well written"page turner".  The characters were well developed and the pace was just right. One waited with impatience to here the next letter from Mags.  The twists and tuns were surprising yet they left the reader the opportunity to hypothesize and, thus, be surprised.
3980054
Very intricately woven story. Really gives the reader insight into an industry and a culture that is unknown to most. As thought provoking as this book was, I am looking forward to reading the rest of this author's offerings.
2579648
This is a delightful, yet introspective and unsettling tale that provides insight into the lives of two ends of the human spectrum. The author learns first hand about people with whom he had nothing in common as those people learned about the author who was raised and educated in an environment that they could have only read about.
3732001
This story intricately weaves the events surrounding the disappearance of a 3-year old boy (Daniel Ray) in 1933 with a journalist's (Claire Aldridge) search for answers in present day. There's a somewhat mystical element in how seemingly unrelated situations converge to help unravel the mystery. The transitions were done skillfully, using Claire's journey as a means for her to confront and face her own paralyzing grief.

I really enjoyed how the story was presented as much as the actual tale. The realities of the divide between the wealthy and poor during the Depression era was realistic and enlightening. It's an interesting story with other very strong themes that give it weight.
4074063
I loved the way the writer approached his subject and tried to help the reader understand what may have occurred in Eugenia's life to explain "how" the person came to be.  It is a good rendering of attitudes towards people who struggled with gender identity issues in a time when such things were basically unheard of.  Eugenia was not a particularly likeable person in many ways, but this is tempered by the struggle she daily wrestled with.  I found this to be a fascinating tale of the human condition.
3294554
I enjoyed the history and storyline of this book.  I believe the writer did an excellent job of telling a story without making political statements and rather allowing each reader to draw his or her own conclusion over the war in Afghanistan.

His story puts a human face on tragedy and some of the images in the book are haunting.  It is a literary piece that will challenge your preconceived notions of a Muslim nation.

The book is fast paced and the writing is crisp and descriptive.  The book is thought provoking, compassionate and introspective of the deepest corners of our hearts and minds as human beings.
840784
Mental illness in its many and debilitating forms, needs patience and understanding from family and friends.  Considering the category this story is under, I was surprised to see a story of substance along with the romance and the insight into the minds of people struggling with mental illness.
3412762
Becoming weaves a tale of different relationships in a world that seems related to the one we know but with some obvious exceptions.  It is a strange world in many ways.  The story comes together in a multi directional way with fascinating results.  Good and evil, choices between nobleness and darkness, survival and death.  The characters are well described and most have interesting twists and surprises.  Not all the characters are human.  There are key relationships that develop and eventually they all touch each other.  As mentioned in a previous review, there is prose intertwined with the story which gives it a haunting counterpunctual feel to the story.  There were times I thought it was distracting me from advancing through the tale but then I appreciated it's added color to the message.  Overall, it was an engaging story that left me wanting more.  My only nag would be that I got an early copy of the book that had some typos but they are easy to read through and I did notify the author of what I found.  It's easy to look past that though and enjoy the ride!
3746619
Thought provoking toward our actions today within a riveting story.
4352213
Very good story that shows the humanity in people and exposes some of our own fears. Could definitely relate to the characters and enjoyed reading the book.
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.
3302512
A tale of a young woman finding her connections family and friends in the world is well told in this story. With in depth caring honest thoughts and feelings told and kept by ALL characters it is a refreshing read.
2673915
The book started out slowly but as the story unfolded the underlying human struggle and quest for the meaning of life gave the book depth and interest.
1015888
Well-written, interesting reflection on the way people's lives intertwine in surprising ways.
4686762
As far as literary journalism goes, this has been one of the best pieces I've read so far. For political stories, I find it sometimes hard to get into or follow; a lot of journalistic reporting of recent issues in other countries' governments can get confusing and dry with all of its detail. However, this story takes a different and more interesting route. We are introduced to one main character and follow him throughout the entire piece, discovering things as he discovers them and feeling what he feels in frightening or sad situations. The tale kept me interested on an emotional level; it makes you care for the characters and the people oppressed by their government. It's a different view from what we've seen on TV or read in articles covering the issues in Egypt. We understand how and why the protests were formed, rather than just tuning into the middle of it and trying to make sense of what's going on. It reads exactly like a piece of fiction, presenting dialogue and insight into the people involved, not just simple reporting of "who, what, where, and when". I highly suggest reading it; it truly digs deep into human rights and those who fight to get it.
3246910
This is an engrossing, sometimes excruciating story, but well told and worth the read.
1302761
This story tells of a time many would rather forget in our history, but it opens up the truth that there are good people in our midst regardless of hoe bad things get.  Several aspects of human nature are revealed in these characters and we can find bits of ourselves in each of them if we are honest.