Home Fire

This is a very good book. The writing was beautiful, the story enthralling and the pacing very well done.

I liked that the story was broken up into different sections for different POVs, it really let you get to know that character on a deeper level and see that everything isn't one sided and perceptions can be wrong when looked at it from one person's view. What Shamsie conveys in such a short novel is an achievement.

The one thing I didn't really like or get was Isma and Eammon's relationship. It just felt like a way to get him to meet Aneeka and I just didn't like how his story progressed when he got back home. Maybe I missed the point but I just didn't like that side of him.

Don't be put off by this being a retelling of Antigone, I knew nothing about Antigone and was no worse off whilst reading this. I've since looked up the story and can see the underlying theme and how this is a retelling but it's still an excellent story without that behind it.