I read this on holiday back in October and never got round to joining in the discussion but did want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

i think it should be the default way plse - for all ads stuff.
what version we on now?

read thebook on holiday (got back yesterday)
really enjoyed it
gutted to have missed ythe chat and Mr Matar himself.
just wanted to stick my oar in and say my tuppence on the characters;

thought the mum was v real, and love HM's saying that she was the real hero of the book. i thought everything she did was totally understandable in the circs she was in. her anger and frustration at having her life dictated at such a young age - who wouldnt be? she was married off to a stranger for rules she didnt understand - and that stranger then had total charge of her destiny. she never once got to decide how she wanted her life to go and i think that can be crippling. the drinking; id have done that too. and it stopped when baba was home because it had to. her feelings for baba and the way they evolved were understandable too - obv she wasnt too keen to start with, but once she is married to him what choice does she have but to accept him and the fact that his fate and actions are inextricably linked to her own?

am surprised at anger towards the boy. with so little info how on earth was he to be expected to deal with the situations put before him? and his concern and affection, almost dependence on, his mothers affection and confidences when she was drinking were so touching.

the father i know least about b/c thats who S knows leastabout. sounds to me like he genuinely wanted to make things better for his country and everyone in it and whats to dislike about that? he should have helped his son (and wife?) to understand better what was happening, or at least how best to help him and survive themselves, but thats easy to say from afar.

thought it was a fab book, with v believable, human characters. bravo.

Delighted everyone enjoyed it - Hisham certainly did, so thanks to you too...

Looking forward to seeing tonight's result for November's choice. Just a reminder to vote [http://www.mumsnet.com/bookclub/November2007.html here] if you haven't already

Thanks from me too.
I was called away from the chat last night and was gutted to miss most of it.
It is great to read back through though. Fantastic having Hisham Matar participating. Thank you Tilly & Mumsnet HQ for arranging.
Looking forward to next month.

Thanks for organising that visit from Hisham Tilly-good to get insight to the writers craft!

Vote here for November Book of the month, if you haven't already.

Thanks from me too...very interesting! I will look forward to the final outcome of the vote so I can order next months book from amazon!

Maybe next month if DD has stopped waking up at 4am I can stay up past 10pm too! Thanks Tilly and MN towers for organising this.

Just got back home and caught up - such a good chat