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jamice's review against another edition
5.0
Oh this story is so beautifully written, I know the author said it was based loosely on true stories but I can totally see that. The story is very emotional and very realistic, it was as if I were there with them. Loved every minute of it, even the heartbreaking moments.
sumrae14's review against another edition
4.0
Normally, I rarely stop to highlight passages in my reading, but I did so with this novel several times. Sardar has a way with words that turned seemingly normal thoughts into beautifully crafted turns of phrase, which, overall, I appreciated. There is a lot of food for thought in this novel. Much to consider, much to discuss. I wouldn't say I loved every aspect, a time or two I found I was rather annoyed with the protagonist, but there is a lot of aspects of the story that could spur really good discussion. This is a good story. A heartbreaking story, but a good story.
joywilcox's review against another edition
5.0
Wow
At first this book started out a little slow. Maybe because I wasn't quite sure what to expect and it was the type of book that I have not read before. But what this novel ends up giving you is love, feeling, dreams, Ambitions, sadness, empathy, worry, and most of all feeling. It is Through The Eyes of the photographer Olivia that we see love and understanding and attempts to understand things that we do not know or are not familiar with. She finds her dreams in her aspirations and then when tragedy happens she finds her voice. This story was so powerful and the words I have do not do it justice. It was not something I would normally read but it is a book I wish I could read again for the first time ever.
At first this book started out a little slow. Maybe because I wasn't quite sure what to expect and it was the type of book that I have not read before. But what this novel ends up giving you is love, feeling, dreams, Ambitions, sadness, empathy, worry, and most of all feeling. It is Through The Eyes of the photographer Olivia that we see love and understanding and attempts to understand things that we do not know or are not familiar with. She finds her dreams in her aspirations and then when tragedy happens she finds her voice. This story was so powerful and the words I have do not do it justice. It was not something I would normally read but it is a book I wish I could read again for the first time ever.
zouinthewild's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5
I have to preface this by saying I lived and worked in Kurdistan for many years. I felt like I could connect to this story more easily because of my own personal experiences.
The Good
The second half of this book was really excellent. Once the couple got to Kurdistan, the story became much more enjoyable (as did the MC).
The events in Kurdistan and the use of Kurdish language made this book a good reflection on past politics in Kurdistan, and (possibly unwittingly) some present politics as well. Many, many things are different in Kurdistan now than in the late 70s/early 80s, but still strikingly similar in many ways to the current situation.
The capture of Kurdish culture and traditions was well done and well written for an audience probably mostly ignorant of the Kurds and their plight.
The Not So Good
The writing in the first half of the book wasn’t great. It was slow and overwrought. The descriptions were endless, and the internal monologues made me feel second-hand embarrassment for the MC. Ugh. Also, lots of the dialogue on various “deep” subjects was preachy and boring. I skipped most.
The MC was every cliche of a western woman who is in a relationship with a Middle Easterner. It was sad to see it written that way here. The MC was also selfish and simple, which made it difficult (even by the end) for me to connect with her.
The story was not at all what I had anticipated. I did not realize this was a romance (not a very good one), but rather I thought it was going to be more of an action/mystery novel or… I don’t know. Something else (which would have been better). The portion of the book that took place in Kurdistan was the best.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the editing was poorly done and there were gaps in the story that forced me to reread.
Overall
This book was alright. My own memories of people, stories, and my time in Kurdistan made me connect to this story in ways I probably wouldn’t have if I hadn’t had those experiences. This is not a bad way to pass the time and I think it’s an excellent way to get a basic idea of the Kurdish struggle.
I have to preface this by saying I lived and worked in Kurdistan for many years. I felt like I could connect to this story more easily because of my own personal experiences.
The Good
The second half of this book was really excellent. Once the couple got to Kurdistan, the story became much more enjoyable (as did the MC).
The events in Kurdistan and the use of Kurdish language made this book a good reflection on past politics in Kurdistan, and (possibly unwittingly) some present politics as well. Many, many things are different in Kurdistan now than in the late 70s/early 80s, but still strikingly similar in many ways to the current situation.
The capture of Kurdish culture and traditions was well done and well written for an audience probably mostly ignorant of the Kurds and their plight.
The Not So Good
The writing in the first half of the book wasn’t great. It was slow and overwrought. The descriptions were endless, and the internal monologues made me feel second-hand embarrassment for the MC. Ugh. Also, lots of the dialogue on various “deep” subjects was preachy and boring. I skipped most.
The MC was every cliche of a western woman who is in a relationship with a Middle Easterner. It was sad to see it written that way here. The MC was also selfish and simple, which made it difficult (even by the end) for me to connect with her.
The story was not at all what I had anticipated. I did not realize this was a romance (not a very good one), but rather I thought it was going to be more of an action/mystery novel or… I don’t know. Something else (which would have been better). The portion of the book that took place in Kurdistan was the best.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the editing was poorly done and there were gaps in the story that forced me to reread.
Overall
This book was alright. My own memories of people, stories, and my time in Kurdistan made me connect to this story in ways I probably wouldn’t have if I hadn’t had those experiences. This is not a bad way to pass the time and I think it’s an excellent way to get a basic idea of the Kurdish struggle.
mdwilson1's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
readandsip's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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? No
4.25
This one took me a little bit to get through because the content is heavy and important. I felt like I didn’t want to miss any details as I read so oftentimes would go back to re-read and get deeper.
Sardar had me smiling, laughing and crying throughout the book as she took me on a journey of what an American woman, Olivia experienced when she went home with her boyfriend Delan to Kurdistan. The experiences which are inspired by true events are tragic and eye-opening, just a glimpse of what living under constant threat feels like.
Despite - or maybe because of - all the dark moments there are so many beautiful messages in this book about love and life. One of my favorite being that you don’t “move on” from tragedy, you “move with…that’s the point. You cannot stop.”
Sardar had me smiling, laughing and crying throughout the book as she took me on a journey of what an American woman, Olivia experienced when she went home with her boyfriend Delan to Kurdistan. The experiences which are inspired by true events are tragic and eye-opening, just a glimpse of what living under constant threat feels like.
Despite - or maybe because of - all the dark moments there are so many beautiful messages in this book about love and life. One of my favorite being that you don’t “move on” from tragedy, you “move with…that’s the point. You cannot stop.”
boba_n_books's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed learning about Kurdish culture and seeing it through the eyes of the Kurdish people as well as an American. It was interesting to see how relationships worked or didn’t and how their family dynamics come together. The characters were lovable but didn’t make a huge impact on me, which is mostly why I rated this 3.5 stars. Otherwise, I’d say it’s an entertaining and informative read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and War
Moderate: Murder
npolanchik's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
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
4.25
taypoor's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.0
manntan's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5