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Ordinary Obsessions
Ordinary Obsessions: This sequel to the authors well received Palpable Passions is a compelling, multi-layered narrative that weaves together various threads of history, culture, politics, and personal relationships in a moving story of conflict and hope. Relational twists within and between two families, one American and one Afghani, along with societal challenges are played out against a background of a struggle against a religious regime in Afghanistan and against the rise of a conservative insurgency in America. This is a story that taps into the most fundamental questions we all must face…who are we, what kind of world do we want, and what are we meant to do in life?
532 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2019
1 person is currently reading
647 people want to read
About the author
Tom Corbett
51 books28 followersTom Corbett is emeritus Senior Scientist and an affiliate of the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he served as Associate and Acting Director for a decade before his retirement. He received a Doctorate in Social Welfare from the University of Wisconsin and taught various social policy and program evaluation courses there for many years. During his long academic and policy career, he worked with governments at all levels including a stint in Washington D.C. where he helped develop President Clinton’s welfare reform legislation. He has written dozens of articles and reports on poverty, social policy, and human services issues and given hundreds of talks across the nation on these topics. In addition, Dr. Corbett has consulted with numerous local, state, and federal officials on various poverty, welfare, and human services issues both in the United States and Canada. Among many other things, he has testified before Congress, worked with the Wisconsin Legislature on important legislation, and served on an expert panel for the National Academy of Sciences. His most recent works include The Boat Captain’s Conundrum, Browsing through My Candy Store, Ouch, Now I remember, and The Other Side of the World. Now retired, the author lives with his wife of 45 years, Mary Rider, and their lovable Shih Tzu dog, Rascal, in Madison Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 28, 2020
A political drama is what readers will find within the pages of Tom Corbett’s Ordinary Obsessions. Taking place during our own reality makes this novel hit a little closer to home than some readers might expect. While this is a sequel, it’s not necessary to read the first novel to get a good understanding of what the tale is about. This book explores the relationship between two families from vastly different cultures. The extensive character building and engaging storytelling make this a book you can’t put down.
Despite being a politically focused drama the language in the book is easily accessible and doesn’t feel contrived or forced. The dialogue between characters flows naturally which allows you to fall deeper and deeper into the story itself. Realistic examples of daily living from both an American and an Afghani family allows readers to get a glimpse at what is truly going on in the rest of the world. We need stories like this to show us what the reality is for other parts of the globe. However, we still must keep in mind that this is very much a novel, and not a textbook. Even so, the impact of experiencing the life of a family in another country is not lost.
Corbett carefully examines the impacts of religious regimes, conservative uprising and how that impacts the people and the countries they affect. The political backdrop entwined with these every day tales goes to show us how much our realities are impacted by those who govern us and stand in power. This book challenges our preconceived notions on how life across the globe is and forces us to look within ourselves and ask some pretty hard questions. A book that makes you think, as well as enjoy the tale it is trying to tell you, is a welcome gem in any library.
If you are looking for a political drama that goes beyond the standard pressures and subterfuge and delves deeper into the every day lives of those impacted by political choices, then Ordinary Obsessions by Tom Corbett is a must-get. Easy to ready, but also incredibly engaging, this story that showcases the lives of a regular American family and a regular Afghani family is not easily put down. Although a sequel, this book stands firm on its own. You won’t regret picking up this novel and adding it to your collection.
Despite being a politically focused drama the language in the book is easily accessible and doesn’t feel contrived or forced. The dialogue between characters flows naturally which allows you to fall deeper and deeper into the story itself. Realistic examples of daily living from both an American and an Afghani family allows readers to get a glimpse at what is truly going on in the rest of the world. We need stories like this to show us what the reality is for other parts of the globe. However, we still must keep in mind that this is very much a novel, and not a textbook. Even so, the impact of experiencing the life of a family in another country is not lost.
Corbett carefully examines the impacts of religious regimes, conservative uprising and how that impacts the people and the countries they affect. The political backdrop entwined with these every day tales goes to show us how much our realities are impacted by those who govern us and stand in power. This book challenges our preconceived notions on how life across the globe is and forces us to look within ourselves and ask some pretty hard questions. A book that makes you think, as well as enjoy the tale it is trying to tell you, is a welcome gem in any library.
If you are looking for a political drama that goes beyond the standard pressures and subterfuge and delves deeper into the every day lives of those impacted by political choices, then Ordinary Obsessions by Tom Corbett is a must-get. Easy to ready, but also incredibly engaging, this story that showcases the lives of a regular American family and a regular Afghani family is not easily put down. Although a sequel, this book stands firm on its own. You won’t regret picking up this novel and adding it to your collection.
June 13, 2020
The relationship between and within two families from different cultures and ethnicities is shown in this book, presenting the social and religious challenges they must face. One family is American and the other one is Afghani; two completely different cultures that pave the way for us to question ourselves about who we really are, what we want, which world we want to live in, and what our expectations for the future are.
Ordinary Obsessions is a novel written by Tom Cobertt, emeritus senior scientist. This is the sequel to “Palpable Passions” and far from having less impact than the previous one, this novel captivated me from the very beginning. I liked this book very much; characters are very well developed and believable and their dialogues are genuine and natural. All this make the reading flow perfectly and I could emphasize with the characters.
The plot of the story was very carefully thought about and there are sub stories that make the reading much more enthralling. The author’s writing style flows naturally and although the book has almost got seven hundred pages the story develops smoothly with a perfect pace. There is not a thing I would change about it; the vocabulary used is very appropriate and the narrative is not wordy. I would like to keep on reading books by this author as I always end up pleased with his works.
The novel is divided into eighteen chapters. Once I started reading I was immersed in this story and it was difficult to put the book down. As soon as I finished reading a chapter I flicked through the pages wanting to know what was going to happen in the next one. The book is filled with drama and emotions but there are touches of humour that make the reading very enjoyable.
All in all, the good plot of the book, together with well rounded and developed characters who share natural dialogues make this reading a must read. I am giving this book five out of five stars because I enjoyed it very much and once I finished it I felt eager to keep on reading more.
Ordinary Obsessions is a novel written by Tom Cobertt, emeritus senior scientist. This is the sequel to “Palpable Passions” and far from having less impact than the previous one, this novel captivated me from the very beginning. I liked this book very much; characters are very well developed and believable and their dialogues are genuine and natural. All this make the reading flow perfectly and I could emphasize with the characters.
The plot of the story was very carefully thought about and there are sub stories that make the reading much more enthralling. The author’s writing style flows naturally and although the book has almost got seven hundred pages the story develops smoothly with a perfect pace. There is not a thing I would change about it; the vocabulary used is very appropriate and the narrative is not wordy. I would like to keep on reading books by this author as I always end up pleased with his works.
The novel is divided into eighteen chapters. Once I started reading I was immersed in this story and it was difficult to put the book down. As soon as I finished reading a chapter I flicked through the pages wanting to know what was going to happen in the next one. The book is filled with drama and emotions but there are touches of humour that make the reading very enjoyable.
All in all, the good plot of the book, together with well rounded and developed characters who share natural dialogues make this reading a must read. I am giving this book five out of five stars because I enjoyed it very much and once I finished it I felt eager to keep on reading more.
June 6, 2020
Ordinary Obsessions is the sequel to Tom Corbett’s ‘Palpable Passions’. For a sequel, the book is so engaging and captivating that one can only wish to read more from the author. The storyline is intriguing. The characters are wild, bold, clever, charming, and overall versatile. Every character has a special trait that makes them the characters they are. The author gave each of them suiting roles, making the story fascinating from the beginning. ‘Ordinary Obsessions’ will have you engrossed on each chapter as the plot is perfectly executed and the story flows well.
The mini-stories that form the main stories are enthralling too. Reading Tom Corbett’s work will have you impressed and awed by his superb literary skills. We follow the story of two families; The Masoud family and the Crawford family. These are families that live in different parts of the world, living life differently, and trying to make the best for themselves. None of the two families knew the existence of the other. Each had their struggles but as fate would have it, some of the family members got to meet, connect, and embark on a journey that impacted the lives of members of both families.
One character that stood out for me was Azita Masoud. Having to experience different lives at home in Afghanistan and abroad strengthened this character. The challenges she went through and the small wins she achieved were encouraging. Chris Crawford is another character I found to be interesting. Through this book, the reader can draw comparisons between life in different countries. We see how different the normal life is to the average Afghan kid and the average American kid. The beauty of these differences is that humanity trumps everything. Some of the major themes in the book include religion, education, family, politics, grief, and freedom. Through the characters, we see how religion and governance affect the growth of a society.
The mini-stories that form the main stories are enthralling too. Reading Tom Corbett’s work will have you impressed and awed by his superb literary skills. We follow the story of two families; The Masoud family and the Crawford family. These are families that live in different parts of the world, living life differently, and trying to make the best for themselves. None of the two families knew the existence of the other. Each had their struggles but as fate would have it, some of the family members got to meet, connect, and embark on a journey that impacted the lives of members of both families.
One character that stood out for me was Azita Masoud. Having to experience different lives at home in Afghanistan and abroad strengthened this character. The challenges she went through and the small wins she achieved were encouraging. Chris Crawford is another character I found to be interesting. Through this book, the reader can draw comparisons between life in different countries. We see how different the normal life is to the average Afghan kid and the average American kid. The beauty of these differences is that humanity trumps everything. Some of the major themes in the book include religion, education, family, politics, grief, and freedom. Through the characters, we see how religion and governance affect the growth of a society.
July 1, 2020
Ordinary Obsessions by Tom Corbett follows the Crawford siblings as they seek to navigate the international political turmoil of the last five years. Chris Crawford and his wife try to help guide their adopted daughter Azita through the conflict as well, while she contemplates her place in the world, as well as her long-term marriage engagement, which does not seem to leading to an actual wedding anytime soon. The Crawfords also learn how much their father is willing to sacrifice to come out on top.
The conversation is where the story struggles significantly. Corbett does his best to insert humor into the dialogue, but it is repetitive and always degrading to the characters. There are also several paragraph-long near-monologues in conversations, which does not seem to be as realistic as the story Corbett has constructed around it.
Yes, the strength of the story is the detailed, intricate plot situated in today’s society, including the impending election of Donald Trump. For the political aspect, it is important to note for readers that the characters are left-leaning, at least, the ones considered protagonists are. This may be a turn-off to some readers, but the characters seem to deal with most of these interactions as logically as possible.
While a certain death seemed a bit of an over-reaction, the rest of the plot is airtight. As Chris and his sister duel with their father for the family wealth, the motivations of American politicians and their supporters are brought into stark relief, even if the characters are a bit more clairvoyant thanks to the author’s hindsight on the situation.
The story is well-written and 99% copy-edited, so it makes the text very easy to read. The text flows nicely, even if the dialogue struggles a bit. Still, the story more than makes up for it, and this is a 4/5 stars for me every time. I would continue to read about these characters as often as Mr. Corbett would grace us with their stories.
The conversation is where the story struggles significantly. Corbett does his best to insert humor into the dialogue, but it is repetitive and always degrading to the characters. There are also several paragraph-long near-monologues in conversations, which does not seem to be as realistic as the story Corbett has constructed around it.
Yes, the strength of the story is the detailed, intricate plot situated in today’s society, including the impending election of Donald Trump. For the political aspect, it is important to note for readers that the characters are left-leaning, at least, the ones considered protagonists are. This may be a turn-off to some readers, but the characters seem to deal with most of these interactions as logically as possible.
While a certain death seemed a bit of an over-reaction, the rest of the plot is airtight. As Chris and his sister duel with their father for the family wealth, the motivations of American politicians and their supporters are brought into stark relief, even if the characters are a bit more clairvoyant thanks to the author’s hindsight on the situation.
The story is well-written and 99% copy-edited, so it makes the text very easy to read. The text flows nicely, even if the dialogue struggles a bit. Still, the story more than makes up for it, and this is a 4/5 stars for me every time. I would continue to read about these characters as often as Mr. Corbett would grace us with their stories.
June 24, 2020
Most of us have this tendency of complaining about the position we are in, often being jealous of others’, since THEY have it much easier than we do. And seldom do we ever think about the people, whose life experiences cannot even compare to ours, for it is simply too different.
Tom Corbett created an incredibly vivid and realistic narrative of two families – American and Afghani living their day-to-day lives on the different parts of the globe. The book is written in a very interesting manner, where the reader is first being exposed to one family, than all of a sudden the plot starts turning around the other family. -
By doing so the author sharpens the differences among the two families. This, in its turn makes the reader to revaluate their lives, traditions, believes but most importantly – mindset.
The author puts great effort into explaining the political and historical situation in Afghanistan and that is something I am personally really grateful for, since I to my shame, was not familiar with the real history of Afghanistan. I found this book being much more educating than I thought, meanwhile not turning itself into the history book.
Despite the serious topic, the book somehow managed to stay pretty easy-to-read, with all it’s characters having their very own identities, and so they are interesting to observe.
I really enjoyed the fact Corbett has clearly put a lot of time into emphasising the differences between the cultures. Individualism v.s collectivism, rebellious nature vs. full obedience - these worlds seem to have nothing in common and yet, at the end of the day, they are extremely similar
The dialogues are written in a very convincing and vivid way with Corbett often showing his signature cheekiness on multiple occasions.
Overall, I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did , and I am really happy I’ve exidently stumbled upon it.
Tom Corbett created an incredibly vivid and realistic narrative of two families – American and Afghani living their day-to-day lives on the different parts of the globe. The book is written in a very interesting manner, where the reader is first being exposed to one family, than all of a sudden the plot starts turning around the other family. -
By doing so the author sharpens the differences among the two families. This, in its turn makes the reader to revaluate their lives, traditions, believes but most importantly – mindset.
The author puts great effort into explaining the political and historical situation in Afghanistan and that is something I am personally really grateful for, since I to my shame, was not familiar with the real history of Afghanistan. I found this book being much more educating than I thought, meanwhile not turning itself into the history book.
Despite the serious topic, the book somehow managed to stay pretty easy-to-read, with all it’s characters having their very own identities, and so they are interesting to observe.
I really enjoyed the fact Corbett has clearly put a lot of time into emphasising the differences between the cultures. Individualism v.s collectivism, rebellious nature vs. full obedience - these worlds seem to have nothing in common and yet, at the end of the day, they are extremely similar
The dialogues are written in a very convincing and vivid way with Corbett often showing his signature cheekiness on multiple occasions.
Overall, I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did , and I am really happy I’ve exidently stumbled upon it.
June 14, 2020
ORDINARY OBSESSIONS, written by Tom Corbett and published by Papertown in May 2019, is a fascinating tale connecting the lives and cultural ties of several rich and engaging characters. Ordinary Obsessions deals with issues that affect the characters on both a micro and macro level, ranging from relationships to coming of age to social identity to politics and much more. The reader is taken on a journey through the lives of the characters of this book and it is a journey that is guaranteed to raise your understanding and awareness of how the types of issues discussed impact the lives of virtually all members of society.
The Author’s expertise and years of experience working on social issues is clearly represented within the pages of Ordinary Obsessions. The difficulties and questions that the characters are faced with are believable and genuine. So real, in fact, that the reader is pulled in from beginning to end. The characters deal with many of these through complex dialogue that is as engaging and fun as it is witty and deep.
As far as the characters go, each is unique and well crafted. The various characters come to the story through a deep interwoven network of life experience and their road to present day is palpable. Characters faced with the need to identify with multiple cultures is prevalent throughout because as they have their own cultural identity to hold onto, they are also obliged to find new roads on which to walk. There is a bravery and a sense of control that emerges in the characters that is inspiring.
I think Ordinary Obsessions, by Tom Corbett, is a 5/5 star book and anyone looking for a deep, thought-provoking story involving a witty cast of characters that is easy to connect with and relate to would be right at home.
The Author’s expertise and years of experience working on social issues is clearly represented within the pages of Ordinary Obsessions. The difficulties and questions that the characters are faced with are believable and genuine. So real, in fact, that the reader is pulled in from beginning to end. The characters deal with many of these through complex dialogue that is as engaging and fun as it is witty and deep.
As far as the characters go, each is unique and well crafted. The various characters come to the story through a deep interwoven network of life experience and their road to present day is palpable. Characters faced with the need to identify with multiple cultures is prevalent throughout because as they have their own cultural identity to hold onto, they are also obliged to find new roads on which to walk. There is a bravery and a sense of control that emerges in the characters that is inspiring.
I think Ordinary Obsessions, by Tom Corbett, is a 5/5 star book and anyone looking for a deep, thought-provoking story involving a witty cast of characters that is easy to connect with and relate to would be right at home.
June 25, 2020
Tom Corbett’s ORDINARY OBSESSIONS are anything but. His multi-layered story involves an American and Afghani family in parallel. Each deal with mirrored conflicts, as there is a new religious regime on the rise in Afghanistan, while a conservative movement is on the rise in the USA. The twists of the various members of the family only add more obstacles than comfort as they try to stay together amidst a world in turmoil. The follow-up to PALPABLE PASSIONS, Corbett offers a thrilling political, but personal narrative.
What is of course centerstage of this novel are the Crawford and Masoud families. Each has their worries and cultures at play, but as a Western reader, I did find Azita’s perspective much more compelling purely by being different from my own. The resonances from the conflict in America, bear a little too much reality for me at the moment to enjoy fully.
The layers of prose that interweave with one another is the impeccable story building from Corbett, but I found much of the story itself to rely too much on recent history or tropes of the cultures to feel entirely authentic. Yet, this isn’t to say that these family situations aren’t real and they are certainly not stilted. They feel as real as any argument I have with my wife or extended family and they carry an intimate look at humanity.
With all of that in mind, I would say that readers of political narratives or personal stories, in the vein of KITE RUNNER and similar stories will find something to like here. And of course, if you enjoyed the previous novel, then this will not be a surprise, that this is another enjoyable installment from Corbett.
What is of course centerstage of this novel are the Crawford and Masoud families. Each has their worries and cultures at play, but as a Western reader, I did find Azita’s perspective much more compelling purely by being different from my own. The resonances from the conflict in America, bear a little too much reality for me at the moment to enjoy fully.
The layers of prose that interweave with one another is the impeccable story building from Corbett, but I found much of the story itself to rely too much on recent history or tropes of the cultures to feel entirely authentic. Yet, this isn’t to say that these family situations aren’t real and they are certainly not stilted. They feel as real as any argument I have with my wife or extended family and they carry an intimate look at humanity.
With all of that in mind, I would say that readers of political narratives or personal stories, in the vein of KITE RUNNER and similar stories will find something to like here. And of course, if you enjoyed the previous novel, then this will not be a surprise, that this is another enjoyable installment from Corbett.
June 14, 2020
Ordinary Obsessions by Tom Corbett is a story which follows the members of two families, one Afghan family and the other American. It starts by introducing members of the two families, like Chris for the American family and their ties with politics. Then we zoom into the Afghan families and their trials and tribulations.
It follows the life of these two dynasties and their side by side interactions with real life events, such as elections in America and a rising regime in Afghanistan. The book is rife with different historical references. It also reflects modern day issues which can serve as a conversation piece.
The author certainly did his research and took his time to develop each character. You can see his devotion to his research with the little details, like with how the characters interact with their cultures. Corbett fleshed out the views and attitudes of each character very well, making them 3 dimensional.
One of my favorite characters of the book was Chris, who was fairly outspoken and relatable to me. His interactions with his sister Kat were fun to read out as well. It is also a good book for those who just got into the series, as the author helpfully brings the reader up to speed on current events in the story. The book had quite a bit of action, which added quite a bit of fun to the story.
Overall, Ordinary Obsessions was pretty interesting. Combining history and modern-day events isn’t commonly seen in literature, and it’s refreshing to see books like these combine them into an enticing story. I give this book 5 stars.
It follows the life of these two dynasties and their side by side interactions with real life events, such as elections in America and a rising regime in Afghanistan. The book is rife with different historical references. It also reflects modern day issues which can serve as a conversation piece.
The author certainly did his research and took his time to develop each character. You can see his devotion to his research with the little details, like with how the characters interact with their cultures. Corbett fleshed out the views and attitudes of each character very well, making them 3 dimensional.
One of my favorite characters of the book was Chris, who was fairly outspoken and relatable to me. His interactions with his sister Kat were fun to read out as well. It is also a good book for those who just got into the series, as the author helpfully brings the reader up to speed on current events in the story. The book had quite a bit of action, which added quite a bit of fun to the story.
Overall, Ordinary Obsessions was pretty interesting. Combining history and modern-day events isn’t commonly seen in literature, and it’s refreshing to see books like these combine them into an enticing story. I give this book 5 stars.
June 19, 2020
Ordinary Obsessions by Tom Corbett is a wonderful sequel to Palpable Passions! The book continues after the events in Palpable Passions; the Masoud family and Crawford family continue to work together to try and stop the world from collapsing around them. With the political drama rising further into the book, and Azita trying to discover herself and what she wants the book keeps you drawn in right from the start and keeps hold of you until the very end and makes you want even more! The Author uses events in recent history to pull you into the book and feel the emotions and impacts that the characters go through. With a struggle between Eastern and Western culture for Azita her journey of self-discovery and keeping her roots while trying to find her future draws the audience in with her struggle. The author honestly does a wonderful job of making the reader relate to each character and fall absolutely head over heels for each one and their journey through the book! With Politics, power, religion, family drama, romance and culture struggle; this book honestly exceeds expectations. The simple language of the book makes this very enjoyable for the causal and serious reader. I look forward to more by this author and cannot wait for the next gem he writes!
July 7, 2020
No one ever knows when someone closest to you can be the biggest threat to your life because it will always be a shock factor. The greatest revenge is seeking to do better and be better than the one you despise, who was supposed to be your role model. The world of politics is not for the faint of hearts, tread carefully. Reading this book is rewarding as some interesting opinions within caused various emotions. The leaders and spokespeople for our world are not doing the best, that civilians are What does it take to save the world and the inhabitants in it from imploding?
In "Ordinary Obsessions," author Tom Corbett spoke a lot of truth in the matter of our current world of politics, wars, and the multi-sides that is running the show behind the scenes. He introduces us to a group of characters whose lives all intertwine, somehow becoming the perfect people for a mission that's greater than them. Twins Chris and Kay Crawford are only two of four mentionable children to a tyrannical father named Charles, who cared more about money than being a good father to his children. Discovering that their not-so-great father could be bedfellows with the Russians, makes him even more hated. Azita and Deema are Pakistani sisters who are part of the medical sphere, willing to help people in any way they can. The merging of families starts to encourage that we should all stand together in defending the rights of everyone. The title of this book fits perfectly with the premise because everyone has normal obsessions that can spiral out of control.
This book was interesting to read because it started with a hint of action, learning about a few of the characters, and uncovering just how important their roles were in society. I understood everything that Chris and his twin sister Kay were trying to accomplish; it was commendable. It was nice to learn about what goes on in India and Pakistan because I am an open-minded individual and enjoy trying to grasp an understanding of other cultures. One thing that stood out to me was Azita's need to return home to reconnect and find herself, due to her struggling to find placement in the world since moving to the states. I highly recommend this book to others, a wonderful read that has many elements of life all wrapped into one story.
In "Ordinary Obsessions," author Tom Corbett spoke a lot of truth in the matter of our current world of politics, wars, and the multi-sides that is running the show behind the scenes. He introduces us to a group of characters whose lives all intertwine, somehow becoming the perfect people for a mission that's greater than them. Twins Chris and Kay Crawford are only two of four mentionable children to a tyrannical father named Charles, who cared more about money than being a good father to his children. Discovering that their not-so-great father could be bedfellows with the Russians, makes him even more hated. Azita and Deema are Pakistani sisters who are part of the medical sphere, willing to help people in any way they can. The merging of families starts to encourage that we should all stand together in defending the rights of everyone. The title of this book fits perfectly with the premise because everyone has normal obsessions that can spiral out of control.
This book was interesting to read because it started with a hint of action, learning about a few of the characters, and uncovering just how important their roles were in society. I understood everything that Chris and his twin sister Kay were trying to accomplish; it was commendable. It was nice to learn about what goes on in India and Pakistan because I am an open-minded individual and enjoy trying to grasp an understanding of other cultures. One thing that stood out to me was Azita's need to return home to reconnect and find herself, due to her struggling to find placement in the world since moving to the states. I highly recommend this book to others, a wonderful read that has many elements of life all wrapped into one story.
September 23, 2020
Ordinary Obsessions by Tom Corbett is a sequel to Palpable Passions. The follow up in the series so far is a political and cultural commentary between an American family and an Afghani family. Chris' family speaks massively on the election in the United States. The story closely follows US politics, and how the conservatives have an uprising, which ultimately leads to the election of Trump and president. Afghani politics are also followed in the book, including the Taliban. Additionally, Corbett intertwines cultural struggles in the story with Azita, as she feels conflicted with her heritage and the culture in which she was raised.
This book is slow starting at first, but then it picks up. There are a lot of political tirades about the situation in the US and the situation with Trump. Given that this information was factual, and it the current climate of being his reelection year, it felt real, topical, and terrifying. I feel that it added a great depth in the story, especially the politics being told through Chris' lectures. It made it interesting and felt as if discussing with a familiar friend.
The cultural clash and conflict that Azita faced was a nice touch to the story. Not only did it make it more personal, but it made the story feel more realistic and accurate. The characters overall were intriguing, engaging, and seemed as if they were people you would know outside of a novel. The interweaving of
the personal relationships between people and how politics impacts those people and those relationships adds quality. For instance, Azita's relationship with a young man is negatively impacted due to the prejudice of his family, which surrounded politics. Again, this illustrates Corbett's ability to craft a life-like story.
My only real complaint is the formatting with the emails was not uniform, some of them were written in italics, but others were not. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to those who like contemporary novels, heavily influenced by politics with a slice of life added. This book has everything, and I think that people would enjoy it.
This book is slow starting at first, but then it picks up. There are a lot of political tirades about the situation in the US and the situation with Trump. Given that this information was factual, and it the current climate of being his reelection year, it felt real, topical, and terrifying. I feel that it added a great depth in the story, especially the politics being told through Chris' lectures. It made it interesting and felt as if discussing with a familiar friend.
The cultural clash and conflict that Azita faced was a nice touch to the story. Not only did it make it more personal, but it made the story feel more realistic and accurate. The characters overall were intriguing, engaging, and seemed as if they were people you would know outside of a novel. The interweaving of
the personal relationships between people and how politics impacts those people and those relationships adds quality. For instance, Azita's relationship with a young man is negatively impacted due to the prejudice of his family, which surrounded politics. Again, this illustrates Corbett's ability to craft a life-like story.
My only real complaint is the formatting with the emails was not uniform, some of them were written in italics, but others were not. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to those who like contemporary novels, heavily influenced by politics with a slice of life added. This book has everything, and I think that people would enjoy it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews