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a2lulu's review against another edition
4.0
“We are all migrants through time.”
I didn’t expect to start this book and inhale 3/4 of it in one night. I love his writing, even or especially the paragraph-long sentences. I was left feeling confused as to why ghost characters don’t work for me (Sing, Unburied, Sing) yet random door portals are perfectly fine. He worked them in seamlessly. And it reminded me of The Underground Railroad in terms of a device that is integral in moving the story forward quickly.
I didn’t expect to start this book and inhale 3/4 of it in one night. I love his writing, even or especially the paragraph-long sentences. I was left feeling confused as to why ghost characters don’t work for me (Sing, Unburied, Sing) yet random door portals are perfectly fine. He worked them in seamlessly. And it reminded me of The Underground Railroad in terms of a device that is integral in moving the story forward quickly.
melodys_library's review against another edition
4.0
This book is far more complex than the synopsis implies. Yes, the novel follows two protagonists that become infatuated with one another before war tears their unnamed country apart and forces them to flee…but it’s so much more than that. This is a compelling exploration of immigration and the refugee crisis. It follows the two protagonists through their migrations and has a creative take on migrating instantaneously from country to country through literal open doors. I’ll be reading more from Hamid.
mr_c2023's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
aadvani's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
_bookmoth's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This novel has a strong start of two lovers who, though different in character, find each other in a city threatened by an upcoming conflict. Hamid is poetic at times and his pace not slow yet also not rushed.
But then the doors come in. The doors are magical gateways to teleport people from one place to another. First I thought it was meant metaphorically, connecting to the poetic language of the novel, but I soon realised this is magical realism in the style of Salman Rusdhie's Midnight's Children. However, where Rushdie blends the magic through the fabric of his plot, Hamid uses it more like a deus ex machina to conveniently move his characters from one continent to another.
After entering the first door , the book transforms into a different kind of story, haphazard and without real purpose. It also felt more political and less focussed on story. As Nadia and Saeed move through the doors their interest in each other dwindles and eventually get separated. I couldn't care less. This novel felt like a dud.
kayay's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
drridareads's review against another edition
OMG I cannot bring myself to finish this book.
I really wanted to love this book since...instead I couldn't even finish it
I don't know but there was a couple on the show Lost with the names Nadia and Saeed (Sayid).
It started so beautifully. I liked the love story between all the chaos that was going on. And Hamid's writing is so magical. I loved it till it was about the characters' trying to survive in the midst of war.
But then came all the door drama. Why did these magical doors just start popping around. Idk. Then after they're through the door. The story just felt dragged on to me. I thought it would move to the problems of immigrants but it just fell flat.
I know a lot of people loved this book. I guess it just wasn't for me.
I really wanted to love this book since...instead I couldn't even finish it
I don't know but there was a couple on the show Lost with the names Nadia and Saeed (Sayid).
It started so beautifully. I liked the love story between all the chaos that was going on. And Hamid's writing is so magical. I loved it till it was about the characters' trying to survive in the midst of war.
But then came all the door drama. Why did these magical doors just start popping around. Idk. Then after they're through the door. The story just felt dragged on to me. I thought it would move to the problems of immigrants but it just fell flat.
I know a lot of people loved this book. I guess it just wasn't for me.
eagerquestion's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
tatyanavogt's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to this on Audio and I'm not sure if it hurt my experience. There were some parts that I found deeply moving, emotional and thought provoking. The book is basically a romance that takes place in the war torn country. It contains a little bit of magical realism and although it focuses on one main story it jumps between a few to give context.
I liked the characters and I felt like it made me think of "unreliable" (as a privileged young woman in a economically evolved country not suffering the harsh realities of war) in a very relatable way. It wasn't just about what is happening in different places around the world but about the people who are in them. It's so easy for us to detach ourselves from the monstrosities that are happening around the world because we don't think of the people in them. We can't relate. Again I don't think that is what it was all about but it did get me thinking.
Part of me wanted to give it a higher rating because I think parts of it was so powerfully written but despite that I did find myself lost and struggling to find interest in continuing. Perhaps I spaced out at moments while listening to the audio and missed key information but I was confused by the reasoning for some of the story points. Why they were important and what the point was.
I think it was good but I don't know if I'll read it again. I do recommend it despite my disinterest in some parts of the story. What it had to offer outweighs what it was lacking. In my opinion at least.
I liked the characters and I felt like it made me think of "unreliable" (as a privileged young woman in a economically evolved country not suffering the harsh realities of war) in a very relatable way. It wasn't just about what is happening in different places around the world but about the people who are in them. It's so easy for us to detach ourselves from the monstrosities that are happening around the world because we don't think of the people in them. We can't relate. Again I don't think that is what it was all about but it did get me thinking.
Part of me wanted to give it a higher rating because I think parts of it was so powerfully written but despite that I did find myself lost and struggling to find interest in continuing. Perhaps I spaced out at moments while listening to the audio and missed key information but I was confused by the reasoning for some of the story points. Why they were important and what the point was.
I think it was good but I don't know if I'll read it again. I do recommend it despite my disinterest in some parts of the story. What it had to offer outweighs what it was lacking. In my opinion at least.