Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: A book I could not put down. Not a false sentence in it. I've recommended it to countless people. Amazing story and authorship.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Know Why I Liked It, But I Did!
Review: I just could not put this book down! But all through reading it, I got more and more depressed, and wondered why I continued to read it, since I hated almost all of the characters! I found I was in a bad mood all through this book. But I continued to read and hated to get to work in the morning (for more than just this reason!) and canceled lunch dates so I could keep reading it! Go figure! Was I reading it to see if even one of those people I hated "got" what was coming to him/her??? Was I happy with the ending??? NO! I'm just sorry none of my friends read this book so I could discuss the psychological ramifications! It's a great read, but I don't know if you'll be happy with the end result.
Rating: 
Summary: Depressing, Depressing, Depressing
Review: I try to read all of Oprah's books, but it's getting harder and harder to start another one. Why do they all end so horribly? This was one of the most tragic books I have read. Dubus makes you care so much for the characters, and then just writes the worst possible outcomes for each of them. There is enough pain and suffering in the world today-give me something a little more upbeat!
Rating: 
Summary: Gifted storyteller, Terrible Story...
Review: I started this book in a crowded Bookstore on a Friday night while waiting for my husband to finish perusing the cd's. By the time we left I could hardly put it down. I read at first with fascination as the author drew me in, wanting to read more as my cuirosity became nearly obsessive. The further I ventured into this story the more frustrated I became as things went from unpleasant to ugly, hopeful to pointless. There is not a character in the book to whom you can attach yourself with complete sympathy as they are all mostly unlikeable, and so you read, still secretly hoping for John Wayne on the white horse to appear at any moment, in the end only to be left feeling, sullied and uncomfortable like a bad night on the eleven 'O clock news. I won't pass this one on and will hesitate before picking up another of this author's books although my curiosity may once again get the best of me...
Rating:
Summary: Slow, slow, slow
Review: It took me a long, long time to finish this book. I can usually stay up all night in persuit of closure in a novel, but I could not dredge through this book.The novel starts out very interesting, the premise of two parties arguing over a home the simultaneously belongs to both and neither of them. And that, I believe, is where the book stalls. I was impressed by the author's strong character development, fluid prose, and origionality, which is why this rating gives 3 stars. I didn't, however, care for the plot development, and while I never regret reading a book, I certainly won't be reading this one again.
Rating: 
Summary: Violently Disturbing
Review: I was not informed HOW disturbing this novel would be, but upon completion I was left terribly upset and quite disturbed given the outcome of the events. The story is twisted with sexual frustrations, substance abuse and the further deterioration of a family's dreams upon the death of the jewel of their hearts. I found the author's writing to be poor and weak, certainly not creative; more upset than fulfilled, did the book leave me. I appreciate a novel or a writor who helps me tap deeper into my creative abilities, this piece was too disturbing to be appreciated.
Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your time
Review: I was extremely disapppointed in this book. The characters were uninteresting and totally unsympathetic. Don't waste your time.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling . . . and slightly disappointing
Review: I read this book while battling a touch of the flu, so the next-day discomforts of Kathy, the substance-addled character, rang a bit too true. But, turning to the book itself . . . I've read many of the reviews and, while I can relate to some of the criticism in the negative ones, I have to side with those that are generally to whole-heartedly positive. In a sense, these wildly diverging reviews reflect gulfs in perception or expectation similar to those so finely wrought in the book. Just as the author cautions us, we see here that many people will rush to seemingly irrevocable negative judgment based upon a single flaw or attibute. I think it is the back-and-forth, non-resolved thinking of the protagonists in this book, quite redolent of the inner voices and conflicts of classic character development, that, lacking simple resolution, may be offputting to some. Just when you began to reach a conclusion about a character, the author will not allow you to so easily keep him or her in whatever "box" one might construct. The "walk a mile in someone's shoes" adage came to mind more than once. I won't reprise the plot--as scores of other reviewers have done so quite well--but I will say this: To me, it was the moments of compassion or understanding between the characters--fleeting instances of reaching across the gaps of culture, simple happenstance, and perception that, for the most part, tragically separated the protagonists--that were most moving to me. I thirsted for more of these moments of reaching. I was looking for the possibility of true gentleness, of a "way out"--or at least acceptable resolution--for these characters. It seemed always just within grasp. The "fog," to me, was when the characters acted in confusion and without compassion. And for each of the long, event-filled days there was part of the day or night (or even a side of the street) that was fog-shrouded and another part that burned with bright sun. I will agree, however, that the actions of Burdon least fit with what we learned of his own thinking and of his character. Also, the final portions of the book were a bit numbing after so much finely wrought detail to bring us to that point.
Rating:
Summary: A Hidden Treasure
Review: When I first received "House of Sand and Fog" as a Christmas gift, I was not too excited about reading it. A book about two people fighting over a house just didn't seem to interest me -- I thought I had better things to do with my time. In fact, I only picked up the book recently after a close friend recommended it to me; now I am glad that I did. From the first page on, "House of Sand and Fog" immediately captured my interest. Dubus pays meticulous attention to detail, but it does not detract from the plot. After finishing the book, I realized that the writing within it is the most realistic fiction I've ever read in terms of details . . . the words will come alive in your head as you read. The character development is also remarkable. Each character has several flaws that merit the reader's sympathy and keep emotions running high throughout the book. And despite these flaws, each character still demands a great degree of admiration leaving the reader permanently torn between pity and respect. The plot begins when a young woman (Kathy Nicolo) is wrongfully evicted from her Californian house after a tax billing error committed by the county. But before Kathy's shoddy lawyer Connie Walsh can correct the error, the house is auctioned off to a Colonel Behrani, a former high-ranking government official who was forced to flee Iran after a coup d'etat. Behrani is facing imminent debt and wishes to resell the house for a profit, which is why he stubbornly refuses to vacate the premises. As Kathy temporarily lives in a motel, she begins a relationship with Lester Burdon, one of the police officers that evicted her from her home. The officer immediately falls in love with her and eagerly tries to kick Behrani out of Kathy's house. The plot shifts back and forth between the battle over the house, the relationship between Kathy and Lester, and Behrani's starry visions of his American Dream as an immigrant. There isn't a dull moment throughout the entire book; every plot element is crucial to the outcome of the novel. In summary, "House of Sand and Fog" was an amazing book -- it is definitely one of Oprah's better picks. I was stunned by its realism and captivated by the emotional plot and unique characterizations. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in a passionate, fascinating read.
Rating:
Summary: Astounded
Review: I had to be coerced by several people before I finally started to read this novel and I can't thank them enough!! Sat on a bus in north London in blistering heat after a trip to Argos for a bin and other bits, I opened 'House of sand and fog' and was instantly transported, so much so that I nearly missed my stop falling down stairs, bins and all, to jump through the closing door. I hot footed it home, dumped the shopping and slumped on the sofa with this book, hooked! This is one of those books that you kind of hear about and think, 'nah, won't bother', or 'sounds interesting but who's got the time?' bother and make time!!! This is a book that reminds you what reading is all about....enjoyment! enjoy.
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