I've read many previous reviews claiming this book has a poor plot and an ending that is too dark, leaving the reader w/out hope. Unfortunately the movie adaptation that will be released late 2003 will probably "adjust" the ending for an American audience, because it's an American audience that can't accept a tragic ending to a book or movie.

I am a half-Iranian male, and was very impressed at how well Dubus captured Iranian culture w/intense detail (i.e., drinking tea w/a sugar cube between the teeth, fruit readily available in the house, etc.). The story of Behrani coming to America w/a wealthy Iranian past, and being humbled by a min. wage existence in America, where his work experience is non-transferable here, is the story of most Iranians I know who immigrated here (my dad was an aeronautics engineer in Teheran, and is now a taxi cab driver here).

The plot is realistic, and I very much believed the ending (I get sick of the "hollywood" ending of taking a tragic story and putting a b.s. positive spin at the end just to keep an American audience happy). The characters are all excellent, and as most writers will tell you, the best stories have great characters.

And.. yes, BUY THIS BOOK! :)

This is a book that kept me up very late at night, one of those books you simply hate to put down. Not only is the story interesting and written well, but there are twists and turns that are very unpredictable. The ending is surprising and leaves the reader hanging.

I won't write much about the content of the book, as it will ruin the story. I did not find this depressing, although many of Oprah's book club books I do find depressing and sometimes so disturbing that I have not been able to finish some of them. Some of the characters are sad and pathetic and make what I think are bad choices, but the author writes in such a way that we "get inside their head" and I was able to understand in almost every case, why each character made the choices and took the actions that they took. It is the type of book where I found myself wanting to tell the character what to do or not to do, and to give them my own two cents worth of advice! The characters are so well described it was if I knew them personally.

I was riveted to this book and did not want to put it down. I found myself laughing at some parts and crying in many parts (but not depressing).

I can't recommend this book highly enough. A perfect escape-from-your-life book, a great summer read. I only wished some of my friends had read it so that I could call them and talk about what was happening! This would make a great book club selection because there is so much to talk about and when you are done you will want to talk to someone about it!

This was a fabulous book. It starts out a little unengaging, but slowly turns and turns as the characters develop more deeply and becomes one of the most dramatic page turners ever!