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kim_j_dare's review against another edition
4.0
From December 2005 School Library Journal:
When is fourteen kilometers the deciding factor between hope and resignation? When it is the distance between two lives, one the actual, poverty-ridden world of modern-day Morocco, and the other the successful life of imagination. The tale opens with thirty people huddled on an inflatable lifeboat meant to hold eight, attempting to illegally cross the Strait of Gibralter from Tangier to Spain. Lalami explores the lives of four of these travelers, from the circumstances that lead up to their being on that lifeboat, to the lives they make for themselves after their attempted crossing is thwarted by the Spanish border’s Guardia Civil.
Murad lives with his mother and younger siblings. Although he has a degree in English and speaks fluent Spanish, his life consists of hustling American and British tourists to various points of interest in Morocco. Halima, married with two young sons, works as a janitor to make ends meet while her husband drinks her earnings away and beats her in frustration. She sees the trip as her one chance at escape. Faten, an outspoken university student, crosses paths with an education administrator and finds herself expelled from school. Aziz, tired of seeing his wife go off to work while he cannot find employment, dreams of making a life for himself in Spain and bringing his wife over once he is established. Two of these four characters avoid the Guardia Civil; two of them do not. Each learns that ultimately, success has little to do with location, and everything to do with the smaller, day-to-day decisions. With a softness and lyricism that belie the fact that this is a first novel, we are introduced to beautifully written characters that make for a gem of a tale.
When is fourteen kilometers the deciding factor between hope and resignation? When it is the distance between two lives, one the actual, poverty-ridden world of modern-day Morocco, and the other the successful life of imagination. The tale opens with thirty people huddled on an inflatable lifeboat meant to hold eight, attempting to illegally cross the Strait of Gibralter from Tangier to Spain. Lalami explores the lives of four of these travelers, from the circumstances that lead up to their being on that lifeboat, to the lives they make for themselves after their attempted crossing is thwarted by the Spanish border’s Guardia Civil.
Murad lives with his mother and younger siblings. Although he has a degree in English and speaks fluent Spanish, his life consists of hustling American and British tourists to various points of interest in Morocco. Halima, married with two young sons, works as a janitor to make ends meet while her husband drinks her earnings away and beats her in frustration. She sees the trip as her one chance at escape. Faten, an outspoken university student, crosses paths with an education administrator and finds herself expelled from school. Aziz, tired of seeing his wife go off to work while he cannot find employment, dreams of making a life for himself in Spain and bringing his wife over once he is established. Two of these four characters avoid the Guardia Civil; two of them do not. Each learns that ultimately, success has little to do with location, and everything to do with the smaller, day-to-day decisions. With a softness and lyricism that belie the fact that this is a first novel, we are introduced to beautifully written characters that make for a gem of a tale.
kj_mccormick's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
gealghaireach's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-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
5.0
hannia222's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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
3.5
aliceboule's review against another edition
4.0
Lovely book that is both haunting and hopeful. I will be reading more of Lalami.
citorialina's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
remigves's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5