Hobbies and Crafts

I loved the beautifully illustrated cover of this book and that at least made it appealing but I found the book very very difficult to get into. It is a love story and for those who like this genre it would appeal. It was an interesting book and gave you insight into another culture. The characters were well defined and the description of the country and culture was very illustrative. The love story didn't have a happy ending thus making for a dismal ending. I am sorry that this review is short but I just can't be enthusiastic about it but I am pleased to have been given the opportunity to read this book but I won't be seeking out further books by this author. Sorry.

Initially I found this book difficult to get into and wondered whether to give up but I persevered and am very glad I did. After the first few chapters I found it fascinating.

The book is built round a love story between two Muslims, one a Shia and one a Sunni, but the novel is much more than a love story. It shows how a tragic incident can set a gentle artistic man on the road to becoming an armed militant, and how easily that happens. The book shows ordinary families getting caught up in events when all they really want is to continue living quiet humdrum lives.

I am in two minds about the author's writing style. Writing the entire book in the third person present tense made it quite difficult to read but it did give the story an immediacy; a feeling that this is happening now.

It Is clear from the start that there is going to be no happy-ever-after ending to the love story but I hadn't expected the ending to be so bleak. There was no hope that things would ever get better. While the book is about the struggle for Kashmir it does seem to have some relevance to what is happening elsewhere in the world and I found it quite disturbing and chilling.

None of the characters is wholly bad. Some are weak or stupid but none come over as evil. I also found the women in the book interesting. We are often given the impression that the women in these countries are downtrodden but in this book the women are respected and many are well educated with independent minds.

I'm not sure it would be right to say I enjoyed this book but I found it very interesting and it certainly made me think. I'm very glad I read it.

review the book of Gold Leaves by Mirza Waheed.
So difficult to get into the story while trying to work out who is who with all the unpronounceable names. I found the book quite dry, the plot hard to untangle and I wondered if it was translated into English from an Asian language.
I suppose the conflicts in the story are topical with a Romeo and Juliet romance between two Muslim sects. It was ironic that I should be reading of a school mini bus attacked by gun fire as a school in Pakistan was attacked with over a hundred children killed.
So we have Muslim against Muslim and also appearing in the story we have Hindu. When up to page 125 I quite honestly could not have told you what the story line is.
I managed to finish the book, found it mildly interesting because of the current situation regarding suicide bombers, terrorists, Syria etc. but too much like real life to be entertaining. The love story was well written and sad, especially the presumed ending. However I didn't like his style of writing and doubt if I would read another by him.

To me the best bit was the book cover which is beautiful and the cover story which is intriguing and slightly spooky.

Just received mine so should put my review on next week. Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy2015.

As I started to read this book there was a sense of something both predictable and inevitable that almost persuaded me to stop reading it. And I'm not sure whether the intention of this novel was to entertain as much as inform and put forward a point of view. It wasn't an enjoyable book for me; stylistically I don't favour books written in the very present tense but that wouldn't stop me from appreciating a book of worth. And it was a story with little optimism. I learn a lot about life in Kashmir and Indian militia and Pakistani insurgents and maybe I should know about them and what the ordinary people have had to endure and are still enduring possibly. And I doubt I would have picked up a non fiction book about this subject and read it. But if you seek a work of fiction to be entertained and lose yourself in for a while I'm not sure this is the book for you. Nevertheless I am grateful to Genes Reunited for giving me the opportunity to read it. I have learnt how injustice can lead to fanaticism.

Not received mine yet either. Hope it's a good read Ann. Happy Christmas everyone :-)

Mine arrived today. Gosh what an expensive book to receive free. Thank you. Looking forward to reading it. :-)

Haven't had mine either but no doubt it will arrive in due course.

I was just thinking the same thing, Ann :-)

I have not received it yet.

Hi everyone,

To those of you who were selected to receive a free copy of The Book of Gold Leaves, we hope you enjoy reading it and would love to hear what you think.

Happy reading!

Book Club