Reviews

Salt Houses by Hala Alyan

blove0312's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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? No

4.0

<i>What is a life? A series of yeses and noes, photographs you shove in a drawer somewhere, loves you think will save you but that cannot. Continuing to move, enduring, not stopping even when there is pain. That's all life is, he wants to tell her. It's continuing.</i>

At first I didn’t think I liked the jumps in time, believing I was losing a lot of detail, but I’ve found that it adds a depth to the story that otherwise each “chapter” doesn’t have on its own. 

Atef is without a doubt my most favorite. But they all had a story to tell, a war they lived through, a home(s) they lost; family they scorned, grew apart from and then back together. I’m not sure at what point it hit me, just how emotional the entire book is, but it packs a punch and leaves an ache behind, even with, or especially because of, the ending. 

Beautiful. Haunting. 

rpkamakura's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

mymellowmania's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

meag116's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative 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

4.0

a_shelf_of_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

kamelia_karam's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

erkane's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

Because I read this via audiobook it was sometimes harder to follow, which member of the family was the current POV.  But overall I’ve never read a book from a Palestinian author before, so it was good because it helped me understand their culture and family dynamics.  I would recommend reading to anyone. 

gudliv's review against another edition

5.0

what an incredible book. the parallels between the events of the book and the current genocide in Palestine was heartbreaking to read.

at times i felt lost in the book, with the jumping timelines and historical events i was unfamiliar with. however, the evocative imagery of the settings and the characters overrided my confusion. i will cherish this book for a long time.

matissaflono's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional 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

5.0

c_frank33's review against another edition

challenging emotional

3.0