Fantastic book. Truly a page-turner. It sucked me in from chapter one and still hasn't let go. After I finished it, I found myself wondering where the characters are now - sure sign of an engrossing read. ( )

This offering from Dubus is not as compelling as [The House of Sand and Fog] though it is constructed on the same premise - inhabiting characters difficult to understand attempting to explain their motivations from deep within. Ultimately, the characters were just not worthy of the effort. It starts well enough, with a haphazard and equivocal abduction of a little girl from the strip club where her mother dances. Shifting among perspectives, we follow the girl, her mother, a Middle Eastern man for whom she dances, the abductor, and a bouncer from the club. Eventually, the Middle Eastern man is revealed to be one of the 9/11 hijackers. In the end, there was just too little redeemable about any one of the characters to maintain interest and buy-in.

I'll try another from Dubus, as he's a good writer, but I'm hoping to find the next more like [The House of Sand and Fog].

3 stars!!! ( )

A really compelling look into the lives and minds of a handful of people in Florida, in the days leading up to 9/11. Excellent writing and insight, and not quite as tragic as House of Sand and Fog. ( )

This is the type of book I like. The story is told through the various characters in the story. It takes place just before 9/11, which matters because one of the characters is a terrorist preparing for the attack. I found his viewpoint interesting but I must admit I got tired of him by the end of the story. The author states he researched 9/11 and the terrorists to write this book. Bassam, the character from Saudi Arabia, is a compilation of the real terrorists, according to the author's research. There were spots throughout the story that were plodding and somewhat tiresome to get through. Overall though, I found it to be entertaining. I would recommend it. ( )

Very interesting perspectives in this book. I felt connected to the characters. I would definitely read another book by this author & recommend the book to friends. ( )