Rating: 
Summary: Book that stayed with me long after I finished!
Review: I am truly surprised at the wide variance of opinion on this book but think that only speaks to how well written it was. I started this book with very strong feelings about the characters just from reading the flyleaf but changed my feelings several times through the book. The author is very good at speaking differently for each character. Some of these reviews have talked about how unbelievable the ending was. I disagree. It is so believable now adays with everyone out for themselves, that I think people want to disbelieve it. If you want fluff, do not read this book. Other reviews have talked about what a lousy film or TV show this would make, well maybe but I bought the book to READ and enjoyed it. I was not happy with the ending and hoped that it would end differently but the ending did follow the pitiful life these people led. Why didn't Les stop before things escalated out of control? He was a cop and a trainer and should (?) have known better. I was surprised when he fessed up to the kidnapping, etc because I expected him to be totally spineless and let others take the blame. Anyway, I would recommend reading but share it with someone else so you can share your discomfort.
Rating:
Summary: Unpredictable Brillance!
Review: This book was a mirror of real life in its portrayal of how one can get so caught up in a disagreement that has spiraled out of control and soon forget what the disagreement was about because it has turned into so many other things. These characters were orignial and the events of this book were unpredictable. I want to thank the author for introducing me to this family whom I otherwise would not have ever gotten to know. I loved this book and recommend that everyone reads it!!
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: As a native of the state of California and a resident not far from the Bay Area, I was constantly frustrated with the inaccurate names and placements of cities, rivers, and towns. While the story may have had some redeeming qualities, my attention was drawn to these inaccuracies. The story is depressing and at this point, cannot bring myself to read to the end. I wanted the characters to stand up and fight for their positions. Instead, they whimped out to spur of the moment and stupid emotions.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad Bad Bad
Review: This was THEE worst book ever about a bunch of selfish, unlikeable characters. I watched Oprah and went out that night and bought the book. I wish I never watched Oprah. She and the people on her show made this book out to be a great book, which it is so far from being. And as far as the last 100 or so pages supposedly being so great, well I ended up skimming them. I could have cared less to read about all this tidbit information the author was suddenly supplying. Very badly written. This author owes Oprah, otherwise no one would be reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: Not what i was expecting, it was much better!
Review: I read this book and loved it. I came on amazon to find other books in the oprah book club, when i came to this i thought i would find out what other people thought of it. I was mortified to see all the bad remarks. This book was fabulous. In reading this book you become emotionally attached to the characters. You really want things to work out for Les and Kathy, and at the same time you want things to work out for the Behrani family. You can feel what each character is feeling and you want to help them. The authour (Andre Dubus III) adds the perfect amount of characteriszation to make you understand them, he never over does it like many other famous novelist. I am not going to give away the plot in this review, cause i know it would have really pissed me off is someone did that too me. All i can say is to get this book, you wont regret it! Then again everyones taste is different!
Rating: 
Summary: House of Sand and Fog
Review: As a writer, I was fascinated with the dual first-person point of view. It took me about 2 or 3 chapters to get into the rhythm, but then it flowed musically. The characterizations of Kathy and Behrani were so different, that I wonder how difficult it must have been to get inside each of their heads to write so convincingly? The story was not uplifting. Was it engaging? Absolutely. Did it make me want to know more? Definitely. Did I feel "good" when I finished the book? No, but satisfied, my appetite sated for good writing, and a story well-told. If you're looking for light entertainment, this is not the book for you. It is deep, thought provoking, and causes internal conflict. I could feel sympathy for any of the main characters at any time. I think culturally, it was well depicted. I would recommend this book to anyone who admires talent, hard work, and is also willing to be an active, rather than a passive, participant in the adventure of reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Foggy brains cause tragedy
Review: The characters in this book rely on immature and selfish behaviour which ultimately causes more grief than I as a reader care to deal with. Lester and Kathy are pathetic. Lester's wife is the only lucky one in the book as she rids herself of a looser husband. THe characters all chose to see themselves as poor little victims instead of dealing with the situation as rational adults. It's amazing that people would sink so low, especially a member of the law enforcement community
Rating:
Summary: OPRAH is SELLOUT spelled backwards
Review: What an average/below average novel. I caught a glimpse of Oprah's show about the book and after hearing the hype - I read it. It turns out that only hype from someone as powerful as Oprah could get this book into the hands of millions. It is clear that Oprah is in the book business for one reason and she should really evaluate how she wields her power and influence. The guy got his book published because of his name and he has now gained notoriety because of his Oprah connection. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THIS BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: Gripping, Powerful, a little TOO realistic
Review: House of Sand and Fog was gripping on many fronts, with characters pulling me in every which way. Every chapter had me switching which side I rooted for. The descriptive way this was written had me really feeling for each of the characters. This book could never be made into a movie because each characters depth could not BEGIN to be portrayed in a 2 hour time slot. Granted, this is not a happy book. The end is depressing, but is the harsh reality of life. There is not a happy ending to life. The realism makes House of Sand and Fog all the more powerful, but sometimes you just wish for everything to be simple like a children's book. But when you come across such rare talent like Andre Dubus, simple is a mind away. Walk into Mr. Dubus' world, and experience what life really is like. There are curves, obstacles and no happy endings. I don't understand how so many people think this book deserves only 1 star... there are as many 1 stars as 4/5 stars, you'll just have to read to find out.
Rating:
Summary: Promising start, disappointing ending.
Review: I was very impressed with the first half of this book. It is the story of a former colonel in the Iranian air force who hopes that buying a house at a tax sale will allow him to recapture the lifestyle he and his family enjoyed in Iran. The only problem is that the house was wrongfully foreclosed upon, and the former owner, Kathy, desperately wants it back. Kathy is a recovering addict who was already at a perilous point in her life. I thought that the author did a particularly good job of portraying the despair, diminished dreams and routine humiliations faced by immigrants in modern day America. I also thought Kathy initially showed some promise. Would she or wouldn't she be able to avoid all the wrong choices that she knows are waiting for her? The second half of the book left me cold. Frankly, I skipped part of the middle. Kathy wants the house back, Colonel wants to keep - how much more is there to say? As with many of the other reviewers, the ending just didn't work for me. By then Kathy and her beau Les had become such unsympathetic characters that I really couldn't care less whether or not they got the house back, and I didn't much care if the colonel got to keep it. While I believe people can be as stupidly self-destructive as Kathy, this was too much. I think that the mixed reviews for this book are telling. There is some very impressive writing mixed in with a very poor plot. You'll find parts of the book worthwhile, but be prepared for a letdown at the end.
| 
