this book felt like sinking through layers of sand in the desert, each layer a window into the history and lives of the four main characters. at times it was hard to know what was real and what was metaphor, meaning that the story doesn't flow straightforward, rather it meanders and eddies, filling in puzzle pieces out of order, nevertheless ending with a full picture. despite the lyrical and metaphoric writing style, I was almost astonished at how easily I was able to create vibrant pictures in my head of all the characters; they felt full of life, their joys and sorrows animated.

I read the book tandem paperback and audio and enjoyed the experience! I'm planning to watch the movie soon to see how they are able to bring the characters to life on the screen.

What are the most well written books you've ever read?

I mean this on a technical level, as in what books did you think the author had such a good grasp on not just the story and/or characters but also their command of language?

What books do you think hold up at the best of the best in terms of the very craft of writing?

After reading the book I decided to watch the show and it's excellent so far! I'm in episode 3 and it feels very book accurate. Did anyone else watch it? Did you like it?

I could do with a great deal less of the translation discussion. I think we’ve hit that topic 3 times now? Once would have been plenty.