What a great story written in a very readable style. I really enjoyed it. The news reports are a clever addition to highlight events going on at the time, some of these directly relevant to Sama and Hadi’s experiences . A twist of fate has put them in a terrible situation.
The author has managed to capture the emotions of the couple really well. The desperation and helplessness of Hadi along with Sama’s fear and disconnection from the outside world in the hospital and when she has to return to the flat they shared on her own.
These problems are experienced by them on different sides of the world when they should be enjoying being together with their new baby. He is met by an uncaring system at the embassy in Jordan, she has more kindness meted out to her in America. Difficult decisions have to be made by both independently.
After the first couple of chapters setting the scene of their problem I would perhaps have liked the story to run sequentially from when they first met.
Then they could work towards the final resolution and still keep the suspense and anguish at fever pitch. Also some people might find the shifting from one time and place to another off-putting, and I am not sure the migratory bird sections spread through the book were a necessary addition, but I really enjoyed it in the current form.
The author has managed to capture the emotions of the couple really well. The desperation and helplessness of Hadi along with Sama’s fear and disconnection from the outside world in the hospital and when she has to return to the flat they shared on her own.
These problems are experienced by them on different sides of the world when they should be enjoying being together with their new baby. He is met by an uncaring system at the embassy in Jordan, she has more kindness meted out to her in America. Difficult decisions have to be made by both independently.
After the first couple of chapters setting the scene of their problem I would perhaps have liked the story to run sequentially from when they first met.
Then they could work towards the final resolution and still keep the suspense and anguish at fever pitch. Also some people might find the shifting from one time and place to another off-putting, and I am not sure the migratory bird sections spread through the book were a necessary addition, but I really enjoyed it in the current form.