"Formulaic, melodramatic, over-the-top, and not very subtle. How this twaddle became a commercial success is beyond me. The film inspired by the novel is dire, too."
"Adds no insight to Islamic fundamentalism, mired as it is in clichés & stereotypes. Superficial, contrived, poorly written, & derivative in its narrative structure, the novel has no redeeming features"
"A miserable novel teeming with all the Irish childhood clichés: drunken father, overworked mother, too many children, perpetually gloomy weather and sexual abuse. Yawn."
"Moving in parts, but Jensen can’t make up her mind whether she wants it to be a family saga, detective story, satire, or paranormal tale. It has a bit of everything, none of which is satisfying."
"The book is just a self congratulatory jerk-off, with Seth showing off his knowledge of Western Classical music, interrupting the flow of what could have been an interesting story line."
"Wonderfully written & very funny in parts, it would have been an engrossing read had I not read 'Howard’s End', from which the book borrows liberally (without any acknowledgment)."
"If you are looking for depth here, you are diving at the wrong end. It takes more than a collection of off-the-wall characters behaving and speaking wackily to make a good novel."
"A novel set in 1980s India. One wonders what the purpose was other than giving a vehicle to the author to rant about anything and everything. Contains cringeworthy descriptions of sex. Complete waste"
"Boring, monotonous tale of the boring life of a boring man, which never really gets out of the left lane. Shields’s ‘home-grown truths’ become annoying after a while. Not one of her best."
"Stylishly written, with handful of truisms thrown in, which nevertheless do not compensate for the complete lack of plot. Is it a fable? If so, of what? A fanciful knickknack and nothing more."
"Predictable, bradyphrenic, and lacking drama; you might as well be reading a grocery list. When it finishes you wonder: have I missed the point? Then you realize there is no point."
"Gimmicky, goofy, mawkishly sentimental, and ultimately unconvincing. Foer takes on big themes and makes a dog’s breakfast. A big let down from the author of ‘Everything is Illuminated’."
"Too many bland characters that are barely believable. You stop caring halfway through what might happen to them. Long descriptions of clothing may inccrease page numbers but add nothing to the story"
"Bernieres employs a wide range of techniques, ideas and styles, and serves a hodgepodge of drama, action, comedy, tension, and melodrama. It is all a bit too much. Well written, though."
