Review of Half the World

For years, I've been in writing groups and gone to writers' retreats such as the Sewanee Writers' Conference and the Kenyon Writers' Workshop. In general, the feedback you are given includes a couple of watered-down compliments followed by robust suggestions for improvement. That's pretty much the way it works for all who attend, particularly in juried workshops like the ones I just mentioned--which means that one must have thick skin, consider each comment carefully before making changes, and remember that many comments are subjective, just as reading is often a matter of personal taste.

So I have to tell you that when one does get a complimentary review, one is stunned and hopes that it is sincere. Here is one I received recently from one reader with an advance copy::

“In Half the World, Leissa Shahrak has crafted a novel that, for the first time, portrays the Iranian revolution on a personal level. Her fast-paced story features well-drawn characters torn with indecision--should they stay, or should they go--at a time when trust and friendship are challenged in the struggle to survive.”

– Lawrence G. Potter, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University.