The night counter

I loved this book. But what made it different from most books, for me at least, is the way in which I read it. It was not a book that consumed me, that I felt I needed to devour. I did that with my other favorites, like Harry Potter (die-hard fan here) and East of Eden. Instead I digested it over the course of a few nights, kind of like the nights you read about in the book.

The subtle, wry humor in this book made it an enjoyable, entertaining, but also thought-provoking novel. I think Yunis did a fantastic job at portraying family unity despite the diverse people comprising the family. From this compilation of vignettes, I felt that I got to know each member of the family, and had some insight as to who they were and what their lives were like.

Yunis crafted a compelling story that is important because of its treatment of families and history. It also addresses Arab-American lives in modern times without overemphasizing issues pertaining to terrorism or the post-9/11 world. I feel that this novel could be extrapolated to other hyphenated American communities, making it an even better tale.