First half of the book

[Melanie]

Initial thoughts

[Keriann]

Struggling to get into this at the moment, it's not drawing me in, however I am enjoying finding out about the Oman culture

[Justyna M]

Similar to Keriann, I'm enjoying finding out about the Oman culture that I knew nothing about, I suspected I would like this aspect of the book, but I can't say I'm immersed in the story or the characters development actually, I'm not dying to read the next page but it is beautifully written and has a lot value as far as finding out about Oman culture/ history etc. is concerned

[Melanie]

Welcome. I like finding out about the Omani culture, shocked to hear that slavery has been such a recent thing there. I had no idea. Also interesting about the whole customers around marriage, birth and upbringing. It is difficult to distinguish between the voices and virtually no plot really. Still enjoyable.

[Jo]

I’ve been reading it a bit sporadically which means that I sometimes have trouble keeping all the names straight but I’m enjoying it. This small village where everyone knows one another, the cultural aspects of Oman, the Bedouin people and the heartbreak of lost sons and damaged children. It has a very melancholy feeling to it all, it jumps around a lot and has virtually no plot but I’m ok with all those things so far.

[Ann]

Its like a web that gets more and more tangled as new characters get introduced and then gets more filled out as we learn more of the story. I find it fascinating. Its like an alternate world from the Omani point of view. I'm looking forward to the second half but dreading it too, as the problems come more into focus.

[Natalie]

I have read the first three chapters and struggled with the style, which felt very disjointed to me. Have now dnf'd it and am looking forward to next month's pick. Happy reading everyone!

[Marie]

I’m finding this a fair slog , honestly. There’s just no narrative drive to it at all. I’ve no desire to pick it up again once I have put it down.

Ann - a web is right. I quite like the way names are just dropped in without introduction, and you’re left to slowly join the dots afterwards and work out how everyone relates to one another.

The cultural context is very interesting isn’t it. The treatment of those with mental illness and disability in this book is heartbreaking. Poor Masouda, locked out of sight. Little Muhammad presumably with an autistic spectrum disorder going unrecognised or unacknowledged by his Mum. Najiya, fighting to support her brother with Down syndrome. Mayya, too, I am thinking sounds depressed and misunderstood by those around her. So many marginalised characters giving a rounded view of the community.

I hope we get to hear more from the younger generation in the second half. I want to hear more from London.