A beautifully written book. I love the way the narrative weaves its stories of inter-generational and cross-cultural conflict together and resists the urge (for the most part)to assign characters the roles of "good guy" and "bad guy." I especially like the careful way Simonson draws Major Pettigrew, himself, allowing him (and the reader) to gradually understand and accept his own shortcomings.

As with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, I was a bit disappointed in the ending of this book. The drama on the cliff top is little too Hollywood for me, but the post-climactic scenes (especially with Amina) and the Epilogue return to the thoughtful, understated prose of the majority of this excellent narrative.