House of Sand and Fog
Ratings5
Average rating3.2
A former colonel in the Iranian Air Force yearns to restore his family's dignity. A recovering alcoholic and addict down on her luck struggles to hold on to the one thing she has left. And her lover, a married cop, is driven to extremes to win her love.
In this masterpiece of American realism and Shakespearean consequence, Andre Dubus III's unforgettable characters—people with ordinary flaws, looking for a small piece of ground to stand on—careen toward inevitable conflict, their tragedy painting a shockingly true picture of the country we live in today. (From W. W. Norton)
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I get that this was a well-written book. However, I HATED it. To be more precise, I hated the lady who had to give up her house and felt bad for the people who bought it. This was also one of the first books where I realized I hated the trend in modern literature where it wasn't compelling unless there was some big tragedy or someone died. So, really, my low score is about my reaction to the book and not the merits of the book itself.
Depressing book filled with characters that are unlikable. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the author and his wife, and they are superb.
I have mixed feelings about this book. Parts (the Iranian Colonel's point of view) are excellent; parts (Kathy Nicolo's point of view) sometimes are nothing more than cheap melodrama. On the whole, it's a compelling read, but I consider it flawed.
Here's my full review: Review of House of Sand and Fog
