Andrew George

Someone needs to list all of the great books that also happen to be painfully boring audiobooks, so I know which ones to avoid. This book would figure prominently on such a list.

I've come to find that beautifully written books where nothing happens tend to make poor audiobooks. That's exactly the case here. This book creates a vivid set of characters, but it basically stops there. I need more than that in an audiobook, I need to be entertained as well as impressed by use of language. Especially because I can't see and appreciate the words on the page.

I don't think that's a personal failing, but if it is, then I'd recommend that anyone who shares that failing stick to great books where things also happen to happen.

I read this in the hopes of a Catch-22-like experience. It was far from it. Not a bad book, but never hilarious--just very slightly funny, if that.

There is a lot about this book that is very honest, in terms of the feelings some people have towards this country. And I think it's worth reading--hopefully by mentally balanced individuals.

That said, I hope that none of this book's many admirers take it as justifying or rationalizing terrorism. We all agree that being happy about the killing of innocent people, just because you're uncomfortable with the way their country operates, is not ok, right??? I find the book's ambiguity on that question pretty unsettling.

This book is truly exceptional--life changing. I don't have enough adjectives to describe it. I have a hard time understanding how anyone could dislike it. It takes on themes so vast that it is hard to go back to normal reading afterwards.

If you were to read this as an actual book, you would miss out, this audiobook is that good. The narration is perfect; it's bone-chilling. This book is frightening, profound and incredibly relevant.