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A review by mrscoady
House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III
5.0
I've had this book for a long time and picked it up a few times to start. However, I recently went through all my books, checked their reviews on here, and decided to get after the ones I own that are popular. Since I started another one that was really good, I waited until I finished it before getting into this one. I also rented the audiobook from the library to help with getting into it. Boy, I was not disappointed and finished it within a day. I then found out there is a movie version on Amazon Prime and watched it that day too, which was also good and followed the story closely, except for the ending where they changed a few things to make both main characters appear a bit better than the book.
What I loved about this book was the dual narrative, switching from both "owners" of the house, and how it made you sympathize with both of them and wonder which one was really the protagonist and one you should be rooting for. It reminded me a bit of Gone Girl where I didn't like either of the main characters by the end but still wanted a good outcome.
I did not expect some of the twists near the end, which is why it gets labeled as a thriller, but it also gives readers a glimpse of the immigrant experience in our country and how cultural differences can also cause people to be misinterpreted and/or have different expectations for themselves and their children. Neither of the main characters took the time to understand the other and their motivations for wanting the house (although at one point I thought they might).
I would recommend this book to any fans of dual narratives, mystery, and maybe even a little romance. This book will stay with me for a long time, and I am so glad I did not give up on it or put it in the "get rid of" pile. It now makes me more eager than ever to delve into the myriad of books I have in my own home before buying or starting others that are currently popular.
What I loved about this book was the dual narrative, switching from both "owners" of the house, and how it made you sympathize with both of them and wonder which one was really the protagonist and one you should be rooting for. It reminded me a bit of Gone Girl where I didn't like either of the main characters by the end but still wanted a good outcome.
I did not expect some of the twists near the end, which is why it gets labeled as a thriller, but it also gives readers a glimpse of the immigrant experience in our country and how cultural differences can also cause people to be misinterpreted and/or have different expectations for themselves and their children. Neither of the main characters took the time to understand the other and their motivations for wanting the house (although at one point I thought they might).
I would recommend this book to any fans of dual narratives, mystery, and maybe even a little romance. This book will stay with me for a long time, and I am so glad I did not give up on it or put it in the "get rid of" pile. It now makes me more eager than ever to delve into the myriad of books I have in my own home before buying or starting others that are currently popular.