Reviews

The Other Americans by Laila Lalami

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ashliesydel's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a thriller/mystery about a man who was killed in a hit and run and the reader gets to see the POV of everyone involved as well as past moments/words of the dead man.

His wife, daughter, the eyewitness who is too scared to come forward, the detective, a cop who isn't investigating the hit and run but keeps getting drawn in.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the multiple POVS of the many people this death impacted. The FMC Nora is the daughter of the victim, and she was literally the only person I didn't care for. With that said my dislike for her didn't take away from this story or my enjoyment.

I just side eyed her thoughts and actions more than once.

Very good read would make an excellent drama series or movie adaptation.

eicart_reads's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

tmiantsoko's review

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emotional mysterious tense 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

3.25

timna_wyckoff's review against another edition

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4.0

Listened to the audiobook; enjoyed all of the narrators. I appreciated the character development and thought the story-telling through various POV worked really well. But, the story itself just didn't quite feel as fresh or surprising as I'd hoped.

nerdherd503's review

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emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

jcgrenn_reads's review

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5.0

Okay, yeah, that’s a good book. Lalami is a photographer with this one: she captures desert landscape as well as she does current politics and the difficulties in human relationships. There’s a lot of empathy and love here. Very glad I read it, very deserving of being on the NBA longlist at the time of this review.

I... I also am ashamed to say but on page 167... Jabba the Hutt should have two T’s instead of one. And I’m just... there I said it I’m sorry I loved the book it’s really good and that’s all and I’m sorry I am who I am.