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Summary: great read until the end....which made me ILL
Review: I wish I hadn't read this book. I suppose this may be construed by some as evidence of a great author....who has IMPACT on his audience. I did enjoy this book until near the end, where everything falls apart and violence takes over. I'm sorry...if I'd KNOWN about the utter chaos of the ending, I'd not have ever started. Some may enjoy books which make them feel ILL at the end....I do not.
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Summary: Read the Book BEFORE Oprah added it to her list
Review: Andre Dubus III is a masterful story teller. I have been a fan of his books since he first started to publish. This Jack of all trades (including house painter, carpenter etc.) can weave intimate detail into an incredibly beguiling story.His latest book "House of Sand and Fog" is another good example of his story telling technique. He takes the time to develop the characters from the inside out. Making you believe, care for and understand their predicament, even if you don't relate to or understand their actions. These types of books are few and far between, and even farther between now that Andre's late father (Andre Dubus II) is no longer writing. Read this book, reread this book, talk about it, pass it on. It lives an independent life from your own. Try to understand it and you will better understand yourself.
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Summary: House of Sand & Fog Review
Review: I thought it was very good, especially showing the viewpoint ofthe Iranian family and the challenges they faced in America. I feelfor them as they long for their old country and the way things used tobe. I think Les and Kathy were very typical American.... I amgrateful my family is not like that but so many people are. I thinkthe author did a great job but I could see some things cominglike.... So, it was interesting and kept me reading but it was not the"unbelieviable suspense" it is billed to be.... In anyevent, it was a good book. If one is still thinking about it 3 or 4days after finishing, then it is a good one, and I find myself stillthinking...
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Summary: What a Downer
Review: I admit that Andre Dubus is a skilled writer and that I certainly was drawn in.How could there be that many losers in one story.Of course I finished it expecting that on the next pagesome uplifting event would occur.By the end I felt like I had been sucked into a spiral mudslide.This may be what Dubus intended, but not what I look for when investing my time in a book.I feel like I should go back and re-read Jane Austen to feel clean again.
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Summary: A story with a message about emotional maturity
Review: The author presented a good story with the message about the importance of emotional maturity. All of the characters were acting on their emotions. Kathy Lazaro acted out of anger, because of the loss of her house. Lester was having an affair,instead of dealing with his feelings about his wife. Mr. Behrani acted out of fear for losing his American dream.
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Summary: This book isn't for everyone though
Review: This book is unique to the book club in that most of the other selections have had something for everyone. I would not say that about this selection. If you are intrigued by stories of people struggling through adversity in the context of a 'true' current situation (such as the immigrant situation in the United States) then this book will probably enthrall you. It is powerfully written, and the characters strength in the face of unrelenting hard knocks will likely inspire you regardless of what you think of the book's ending. If you are looking for the more typical book club selection in which a person or people may struggle against adversity yet by remembering their spirit and learning to be true to themselves they overcome it, then this book may disappoint you. For those who fall in the latter category, I still think the book is worth a read because as the saying goes we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes - and this book relates in some way to all of us and the feeling of helplessness we've all felt in our lives at one time or another. Buy this book. It's worth the price either way and like any well-written novel it makes you *think*, whether you liked it or not. And that's what I think most book club readers want to do. You won't be disappointed.
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Summary: Sand and fog as symbols
Review: Since I live in the location where this book is set, it was all the more impactful for me, probably. These characters are very real, and not lovable. Did I care what happened to them? Only mildly, but did I care about how they got to be in the situations they found themselves? Yes, emphatically yes! Dubus writes with exquisite timing, leading us gently to the inevitable conclusion. But even when we got there, I didn't want it to be as it was. I wanted his characters to find some sort of salvation, and not just slip into the fog and sand.....and disappear.
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Summary: Not quite believable female characters
Review: The concept is great. It could have been a much better read had the characters been just a bit more believable. Mrs. Lazaro, who loses her house, is the weakest character, and the male author just doesn't quite "get" the female psyche. It is not believable that she would not sue the county through her "sliding scale" attorney (who was more than willing), and, in real life, the female attorney would likely have told this client to take a hike after the unnecessarily rude treatment she received. The read left me wishing that the plot had been thought out just a bit more because I'm certain that there is a vastly better book here really wanting to happen. This would make a great movie with some rewriting that is more in touch with women.
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Summary: Glad I read this one.
Review: I always find it difficult to find good fiction books, so I do a lot of hit and miss by taking people's suggestions. I do not follow Oprah's book club, as many of the authors' stories do not appeal to me, however this book caught my eye. Within the first 100 pages I found myself wanting to read more and more. I had to find out what happened to each person. It is quite interesting to read from different perspectives within the story. And the characters could be anyone we see on an average day. I was glad I picked up this book and gave it a chance. I found myself rooting for both sides!
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Summary: It's Not Tragedy, It's Pathos
Review: Why Oprah and so many professional reviewers loved this one is a mystery to me. It's a page-turner, no question about that, but it sure is depressing. The characters -- who are more pathetic than tragic -- reflect a sad blend of greed, selfishness, and obsession. Throw in alcohol, drugs, lust, and guns, and the only question is when and how it will all explode. It'll be interesting to see if this book makes it to the big screen. No one will walk out of the theater smiling, that's for sure.
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