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senseofthesky's review against another edition
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
brughiera's review against another edition
4.0
This novel brilliantly portrays the claustrophobic atmosphere experienced by a formerly working woman marooned in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, when her husband accepts a position with a construction company. Despite making the aquaintance of her neighbours, the Pakistani Yasmin and the Iraqi Samira, and meeting the local expatriatiates, Frances' sense of isolation grows. The ominous atmosphere centres round the ostensibly 'empty' flat above the one where Frances and Andrew are living. Gradually disturbing details are built up and the sinister nature of its use confirmed, but not exactly clarified, after the dinner at home with the long-awaited air-conditioning engineer, Fairfax. The fact that the mystery is not completely resolved serves to accentuate the lingering atmosphere of menace.
outofthemouth's review against another edition
4.0
Simple story of two experienced expats (they met whilst working in Africa) who find that life in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is very different. I know a dozen or so people who made their livings in SA for a few years and this book sounds like their description of their lives. The challenging nature of the climate and the culture are beautifully described, as I would expect from Hilary Mantell. I liked the way that the main protagonist, Frances, a career cartographer who is unable to work in Jedda, becomes like a prisoner in her own home whilst her civil engineer husband, Andrew, goes to work. Her personal diary adds to the telling of the story and expresses her "square peg in a round hole" feeling towards the country and the expat community.
The ending is ambiguous as are many aspects of life in Saudi and the novel finishes with Frances' isolation and ennui in a new home after the events in their initial flat on Ghazzah Street force them to move.
The ending is ambiguous as are many aspects of life in Saudi and the novel finishes with Frances' isolation and ennui in a new home after the events in their initial flat on Ghazzah Street force them to move.
bridgetbrooks's review against another edition
5.0
This novel is about a young couple who go to live in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) for a while in 1984 to earn some money. Andrew is a civil engineer who is given the job of managing the construction of a new building. Frances, his wife, arrives a few weeks later and is immediately overcome by feelings of isolation and claustrophobia.
The young couple are housed in a flat next to a busy road. The road is surrounded by a high wall and virtually every window looks out on this wall. It’s very hot and very dusty. The air-conditioning pumps round stale air and cockroaches share the flat with them.
The novel is based in part on Hilary Mantel’s own experience of living in Jeddah with her husband when he was working there as a geologist; she says that the day she left was the best of her life.
There is a plot but really, this is more about the experience of living in such a restrictive, dangerous and misogynistic society and how different people cope (or don’t cope) with it. I found it compelling, but it also filled me with dread. Well worth reading!
The young couple are housed in a flat next to a busy road. The road is surrounded by a high wall and virtually every window looks out on this wall. It’s very hot and very dusty. The air-conditioning pumps round stale air and cockroaches share the flat with them.
The novel is based in part on Hilary Mantel’s own experience of living in Jeddah with her husband when he was working there as a geologist; she says that the day she left was the best of her life.
There is a plot but really, this is more about the experience of living in such a restrictive, dangerous and misogynistic society and how different people cope (or don’t cope) with it. I found it compelling, but it also filled me with dread. Well worth reading!
ionajane25's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lauri1962's review against another edition
3.0
A disturbingly faithful portayal of expatriate life in "The Kingdom"...brought back lots of good (and bad) memories.
waffletoast98's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
jerihurd's review against another edition
3.0
Subtitle: Some People Should Just Stay Home
Interesting plot, but the general tenor of the book was pretty much the usual "western values confronts the Muslim world and is horrified" ridiculousness. While Mantel makes a token attempt to show her ex-pats are just as rigid in their evaluations of "The Other," the bulk of her story relies on the tired, victimized women trope. And, of course, all sorts of evil-skulduggery ultimately justifies the narrator's euro-centric paranoia.
I caught myself comparing this (unfavorably) to Forster's excellent Passage to India, and wondering if Mantel was attempting a modern version.
Interesting plot, but the general tenor of the book was pretty much the usual "western values confronts the Muslim world and is horrified" ridiculousness. While Mantel makes a token attempt to show her ex-pats are just as rigid in their evaluations of "The Other," the bulk of her story relies on the tired, victimized women trope. And, of course, all sorts of evil-skulduggery ultimately justifies the narrator's euro-centric paranoia.
I caught myself comparing this (unfavorably) to Forster's excellent Passage to India, and wondering if Mantel was attempting a modern version.
emma_victorian's review against another edition
5.0
I think I prefer Mantel's non-historical work. This is an intelligent, mysterious & fascinating novel about a British expat couple living in Jeddah. Unable to work Frances (a cartographer) is isolated at home and navigates the strangeness of life in the Kingdom and the bigotry of local British expat communities. She befriends her glamorous Pakistani neighbour and watches strange things happen in the top floor flat. The only thing is I never could quite piece together what happened in the end and grew frustrated with the protagonist's restless hope in turn. But the depiction of the expat experience was insightful.