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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
An impressive debut. It takes major guts to attempt a reimagining of history where a design by an American Muslim is chosen for the 9/11 memorial, but Waldman pulls it off with aplomb and the result is thoughtful, powerful and compelling. I enjoyed reading the manner in which the conflict over the memorial and its designer gradually escalates and affects so many people in various ways. I appreciated how the book cuts to the chase and introduces the decision for the memorial right away in the very first chapter, shaping the characters later during the aftermath. The story and events feel all too realistic, and I liked how the characters are deftly painted in shades of grey. Reread in 2018.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This, my friends, is a breathtaking book. As a matter of fact, I am still so much under its spell that I doubt my ability to do it justice in articulating why it has such impact. As such, I may well edit my comments when I have achieved a bit more thought and distance.
Addressing 9/11 and its aftermath is always a tricky proposition, and many readers (myself among them) actively avoid the works that try. I won't go into the usual reasons here, but I will say that I am incredibly grateful that I was asked to read this book. Otherwise, I would have missed a masterpiece.
In lesser hands, the premise might seem contrived: an open, anonymous competition to design the 9/11 memorial is held, and the winning artist is revealed to be a Muslim American. The reactions and debates that follow are authentic and conflicted, and different views are represented in a way that avoids - for the most part - being reductive. What impressed me most is that there isn't an obvious right answer to questions posed, and I found myself purposely slowing my reading so as not to miss any nuance. This is one of those rare books that I couldn't help but think about even when I set it down. It made me uncomfortable, but in the best possible way.
The last note I'll mention for now is the grace with which the author threads the characters, story, and theme. The last pages in particular underscored what an important (but not self-important) work this could be, and I drew a surprised breath when I realized the artistry with which Waldman plays on her title.
re-read (audio): December 2012
audiobook note: I admire Bernadette Dunne's voice talent, but previously I had so associated her with Shirley Jackson's literary horror that I was wary. My fears were completely unfounded, as Dunne does every word justice. Another perfect pairing.
Addressing 9/11 and its aftermath is always a tricky proposition, and many readers (myself among them) actively avoid the works that try. I won't go into the usual reasons here, but I will say that I am incredibly grateful that I was asked to read this book. Otherwise, I would have missed a masterpiece.
In lesser hands, the premise might seem contrived: an open, anonymous competition to design the 9/11 memorial is held, and the winning artist is revealed to be a Muslim American. The reactions and debates that follow are authentic and conflicted, and different views are represented in a way that avoids - for the most part - being reductive. What impressed me most is that there isn't an obvious right answer to questions posed, and I found myself purposely slowing my reading so as not to miss any nuance. This is one of those rare books that I couldn't help but think about even when I set it down. It made me uncomfortable, but in the best possible way.
The last note I'll mention for now is the grace with which the author threads the characters, story, and theme. The last pages in particular underscored what an important (but not self-important) work this could be, and I drew a surprised breath when I realized the artistry with which Waldman plays on her title.
re-read (audio): December 2012
audiobook note: I admire Bernadette Dunne's voice talent, but previously I had so associated her with Shirley Jackson's literary horror that I was wary. My fears were completely unfounded, as Dunne does every word justice. Another perfect pairing.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gosh, I feel so conflicted about this. Probably a 2.5 star read. There were things I thought were really good, the prose style was clean, there were moments when I felt very deeply immersed in some of the various perspectives over this situation.
But you know what... I couldn't see past the fact that this is real life. I got distracted whenever there were political figures or aspects that didn't actually happen but were meant to mirror/reflect actual recent US history. Mostly, it felt strange to invent this fictional focal point for the vile racism suffered by American Muslims and Arab people all over the world, when we know they suffered and continue to suffer in reality from Islamophobia. This whole memorial business acts as the fictional justification for all the fears and doubts and bigotry, but like... it was there. It was all really there. You don't have to invent it in fiction in this way.
I was so distracted by that, any time I was asked to step into the minds of the white characters whose racist reactions to the situation were so... grating and often monstrous. See, I think this is probably a realistic look at some of the different mindsets going on at the time, I thought it was well reasoned and well written, but I had a hard time being asked to sympathize with the white characters in this book, as if their perspective is the one we needed to be listening to. I think you could have written this whole with every POV character being Muslim, and have the various perspectives: the winner of the contest, the widows of some of the Muslims who died on that day, various other political forces... like, why not a Muslim American journalist hunting for a story and finding herself making some unsavory choices, instead of a white one? Why not have a Muslim person on the jury to begin with, originally thought to be there as a token gesture, but then thrust unfairly into the center of the story when the winner turns out to be Muslim as well?
I don't know. I just felt really uncomfortable with a lot of this book, and it felt disheartening and bleak and ugly by the end, without really having a thematic coherence for me to justify the chore of getting through it. I feel like I'm being a little harsh, probably, but that's my genuine reaction after finishing this today.
But you know what... I couldn't see past the fact that this is real life. I got distracted whenever there were political figures or aspects that didn't actually happen but were meant to mirror/reflect actual recent US history. Mostly, it felt strange to invent this fictional focal point for the vile racism suffered by American Muslims and Arab people all over the world, when we know they suffered and continue to suffer in reality from Islamophobia. This whole memorial business acts as the fictional justification for all the fears and doubts and bigotry, but like... it was there. It was all really there. You don't have to invent it in fiction in this way.
I was so distracted by that, any time I was asked to step into the minds of the white characters whose racist reactions to the situation were so... grating and often monstrous. See, I think this is probably a realistic look at some of the different mindsets going on at the time, I thought it was well reasoned and well written, but I had a hard time being asked to sympathize with the white characters in this book, as if their perspective is the one we needed to be listening to. I think you could have written this whole with every POV character being Muslim, and have the various perspectives: the winner of the contest, the widows of some of the Muslims who died on that day, various other political forces... like, why not a Muslim American journalist hunting for a story and finding herself making some unsavory choices, instead of a white one? Why not have a Muslim person on the jury to begin with, originally thought to be there as a token gesture, but then thrust unfairly into the center of the story when the winner turns out to be Muslim as well?
I don't know. I just felt really uncomfortable with a lot of this book, and it felt disheartening and bleak and ugly by the end, without really having a thematic coherence for me to justify the chore of getting through it. I feel like I'm being a little harsh, probably, but that's my genuine reaction after finishing this today.
I thought the vocabulary in this book was very gratuitous. I love vocabulary, and I love that people are creative with using more of the english language, but after awhile this was just exhausting to read. I found it very implausible that many of these conversations were happening in realy life.
That being said the subject/topic/characters were good. The writing dragged it down for me.
That being said the subject/topic/characters were good. The writing dragged it down for me.
Really 4.5 stars. I read this during the week of the tenth anniversary of 9-11, and it was a fitting book to get me to think about what effect the event really had on our country.
This novel takes place two years after the 9-11 attacks. A jury has been set up to judge entries submitted for a 9-11 memorial. All entries are anonymous, and the jury is shocked when they discover that the entry they pick was created by an American named Mohammed Khan. The story is about the fallout.
The novel includes several story lines that follow various very different characters whose lives all eventually touch each others - the architect, Mohammed Khan, who submitted the entry; a 9-11 widow on the jury; the brother of an Irish firefighter from an outer borough who was killed in the rescue efforts; a Muslim illegal immigrant who was widowed in the attacks; the retired uppercrust banker who is chair of the jury. The author deftly weaves their narratives together to explore the intertwining of politics, religion, morality & art.
This novel takes place two years after the 9-11 attacks. A jury has been set up to judge entries submitted for a 9-11 memorial. All entries are anonymous, and the jury is shocked when they discover that the entry they pick was created by an American named Mohammed Khan. The story is about the fallout.
The novel includes several story lines that follow various very different characters whose lives all eventually touch each others - the architect, Mohammed Khan, who submitted the entry; a 9-11 widow on the jury; the brother of an Irish firefighter from an outer borough who was killed in the rescue efforts; a Muslim illegal immigrant who was widowed in the attacks; the retired uppercrust banker who is chair of the jury. The author deftly weaves their narratives together to explore the intertwining of politics, religion, morality & art.
A very interesting premise, what if a Muslim won the competition to design the 9/11 memorial. Reminded me a lot of the controversy surrounding the mosque being built a few blocks from ground zero. The arguments from all sides were very similar here.
Would make a great book to read and discuss with a book club.
Would make a great book to read and discuss with a book club.
The author took a very sensitive subject and tried to give readers the opportunity to consider it from multiple perspectives. I think she, the author, presented the story in both a neutral and emotional (tough to do) way until the very end. This is a fantastic choice for a book club discussion.
Request this from your library now, because it is going to be one of the next big books. And deservedly so.
Heartbreaking and compelling. I picked it up from the library after work and just closed it a minute ago. I want everyone to read it.
Heartbreaking and compelling. I picked it up from the library after work and just closed it a minute ago. I want everyone to read it.