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davidup_15's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book straddles the line between educational and hilarious in a very engaging way. The narrative voice is so distinct it ended up seeping into my brain (becoming one of those books where you narrate your life in the narrative voice for a day or two afterwards), and the characters were so, so compelling - I particularly found Jeremy's drive to find real, true love and meaning in the face of a society which can feel so phony really enjoyable to read. I will say that the ending was a little vague and not all the plotlines seemed fully resolved, but I did still love this book.
djrmelvin's review against another edition
4.0
This novel manages to funny, enlightening and thought provoking in just the right balance. The plot is simple - a mother hoping to salvage her relationship with her just barely adult son books them and her dieing husband on a vacation to that place so well known for peace and tolerance - Jerusalem. They tour the sights, discover what faith and religion are really about, and in the end, discover that families are a lot like the Middle East conflict: getting along comes down to the people, not ideas. This is also a great book about vacations often being more work than what they're supposed to get you away from. I'd recommend this as light reading with a eye opening message.
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