Comments (72)

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Oct 11, 2022ClaudA rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Beautifully written
Sep 12, 2022jillybee72 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
An excellent book - poetic storytelling of the strain of war and displacement on likeable people in horrible circumstances.
Dec 17, 2021sess430 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This novel is prescient to the time we’re living in. Well-written and enjoyable. This book is also recommended in “What to Read and Why”, by Francine Prose.
Sep 02, 2021rlbeekman rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
The magic doors that attract so much reader and reviewer comment actually seem to me a gimmick (not in a bad sense) to allow the author to avoid dwelling on the harrowing details of any actual flights across border lands and seas by…
May 04, 2021bibliosara rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Saeed and Nadia fall in love in the shadow of civil war in an unnamed time and unknown Middle Eastern country. This young couple finds hope and a new life through the doors of mysterious portals to other parts of the globe. But there is…
Mar 25, 2021kashif5985 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
I will caveat this review with the fact that this is the first fiction novel i have read in almost 10 years. The first half of the book was very captivating, a love story between two very different people in the midst of a civil war. …
Oct 27, 2020alexqise rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Saeed and Nadia live in a deteriorating city where danger flourishes and their lives could be gone any second. Despite this, they still both go to school and form a relationship together even with their contrasting personalities. However,…
Sep 22, 2020cdarin11 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
From the description I thought this would be a good chance to escape the present and be entertained. This book is completely immersed in the present and painful and hopeful at the same time.
Sep 18, 2020TeaFloyd rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I find the writing style a bit hard to get used to but when I did the story flowed like water. Even though we don't get all the personal details of Nadia's and Saeed's relationship told in an emotional way, I still understand why they felt…
Sep 14, 2020wcbind421 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
I expected something with more meat on its bones from a Booker Prize finalist and a N.Y. Times "10 best books". Yes, it's gorgeously written with fine cadences and long run-on sentences; it explores the plight of refugees and the…
Aug 13, 2020
Just an excellent book.
Aug 10, 2020alecbussott rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
A neat concept that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
Jun 25, 2020ryner rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
In a quasi-parallel reality, Nadia and Saeed are a young couple whose middle-eastern country is experiencing a civil war as militants take over their city. In this world, citizens who are lucky or well-connected can arrange for transport…
Mar 11, 2020peacebenow rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Nadia and Saeed leave their country due to a breakdown of the Government and take over by militants. They make passage through doorways made a valuable to them and started their lives over bit by bit through trial and error. They faced…
Mar 09, 2020looper46 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Loved the idea of "doors" that are suddenly "there" that allow transport to other parts of the world...aside from that, this is a very well written book by an author that I was not familiar with. I plan on reading his other books. A…
Feb 13, 2020CMLibrary_sally rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
The author did an amazing job of creating characters that almost any reader can relate to upon some level. You are cheering for the young adults and then holding your breath with each day in the conflict. Excellent for book clubs.
Feb 11, 2020mic2bliss rated this title 1 out of 5 stars
I feel like this book was overrated. The premise sounded great but the execution was severely lacking.
Jan 02, 2020kawidman rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I read this book in two sittings because I was so swept away by the gorgeous sentences, compelling characters, and a premise illustrated with the perfect amount of detail. Nadia and Saeed meet and begin to fall in love as unrest and…
Sep 16, 2019ulana2001 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This was a wonderful read and I highly recommend it. I enjoyed this book and felt like I was there experiencing it with them.
Aug 29, 2019Dub rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Timely topic, interesting narrative, visual imagery...well worth your time if contemporary/futuristic life interests you. Recommended.
Aug 26, 2019
Tea & Talk Book Club / April 2019
Aug 26, 2019TiffanyLoewen rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I asked staff for some book recommendations and this is one of the books pulled from the shelf. I can't believe how quickly I got absorbed into this story and finished the book in only a few days because I simply could not put it down. The…
Aug 21, 2019clairehwinters rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Here's the thing: it's got beautiful imagery, a great plot, and all in all it is a good book. However, the book is written entirely in run-on sentences (and a good chunk of things drags on as a result). If you can stand run-on sentence…
Jul 08, 2019EljayJohnson rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
A one-sitting read - subtle, bittersweet, moving. Don't let the blurb on the cover fool you; the magical realism is a very minor part of this book, which is more grounded and real than a lot of realistic fiction. Saeed and Nadia are…
May 13, 2019elfiereads rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Loved this book...a quick easy read. Makes you think