Overall, what do you think of Half a Cup of Sand and Sky? (no spoilers)

Overall, what do you think of Half a Cup of Sand and Sky? (no spoilers)

This book ranks as one of my all-time favorites. I learned quite a lot about this period of history and global nuclear standings. I hope it wins a ton of awards.

I loved it! I was so impressed that a woman who was not Iranian wrote it because Amineh's voice was so real, so immersed in her culture. I immediately thought of Memoirs of a Geisha where a man created a marvelous female character. This is a book I intend to share with friends, keep and re-read. I loved Amineh!

I found the book to be a wonderful fusion of love & marriage, family, personal growth, social change, and historical background. I learned more about the Iranian people (and their cooking), the global politics of disarmament, and how both familial and societal expectations are ever present in the choices we make wherever we are in this world. For me, Half a Cup of Sand and Sky was a magnificent and well-written read!

I have not finished the book yet, but so far I am enjoying it. I had to write down all the names of the characters so I could keep everyone straight. I normally do not like weak women, but I think Amineh is going to come out strong in the end. The author does a good job on making one feel they are there with her words and descriptions of the land and what is going on at the moment.

I very much enjoyed the book. It combines historical fiction with a love story. Amineh is a character who is fully developed in both her strengths and weaknesses. We are encouraged to cheer her on in her discovery of who she can become. This book brings to life the culture and lifestyle of Iranian people during the 1990s.

I have not yet finished the book, but am definitely enjoying/appreciating what I have read. Descriptions of people and places make the story so very real.

Of all the books, I have read lately, this is one of my favorites. I enjoy learning about different cultures and the roles of women in that culture. The ending of the book was uplifting. It ended on a "positive note" for Amineh and her family. There were many inspiring quotes throughout the book. Quotes that have made a difference in my own life.

I am in the minority here, as I didn't care for this book. I felt the story and writing were disjointed and didn't flow well. There were some aspects of the story that felt rushed or unnecessary - for example, the couple pages about the chicken coop didn't really seem to be relevant to anything unless I completely missed it? The book also jumped around in time periods, which felt very random.
I did enjoy the cooking / recipes and also the build up of the relationship between Amineh and Patrik. Overall I rated this book 2 out of 5 stars. Although everyone else seems to like it much more, so perhaps I am off here!

I was fascinated with this period of history, especially since I worked alongside several people that fled Iran. Persepolis is one of my all time favorite book recommendations and made me appreciate the power of the graphic novel format.
I was a little disappointed with the book. I agree with AmberH
That the story was disjointed and could have been edited better. The prose was good. the plot point of nuclear weapons was fascinating and the idea that there are so many dedicated idealistic people across the globe, gives me hope.

I enjoyed the book and felt I learned a great deal about life in Iran.

I read part of the book, and felt there were too many characters with similar names to keep straight. After reading the reviews so far, I will try again!
Thanks

I would love to hear the book since the names and places are so foreign - I'd like to know how they sound in their native tongue. There was lots of foreshadowing that gave it a darker ambiance than I expected.

The book exceeded expectations. There were numerous themes with many thought provoking situations.

I thought it was a well written book and I liked the story. It gave a lot of detail, but not in an overwhelming way.

After reading the other posts, I see that I should keep reading. I'm about 75 pages in. It seems slow to me. The topics are stated and not elaborated.

I really enjoyed reading about Amineh's journey through life in a time of much upheaval in Iran.

It was a wonderful historical fiction as I was immediately drawn to the sights and sounds of Iran. What wonderful descriptions, I smelt the gardens and the foods.

Great pacing, tone and storytelling makes for a wonderful reading experience!

I found it fascinating, informative and powerful in the way the author captured how significant conflicts in one woman’s life unfold and reverberate over time, influenced by the changing political landscape in Iran. Nothing felt forced or out of place; small details reveal changes in Amineh’s character—the chicken coop for example: it disturbed her briefly at a difficult time, but her ability to let it go showed how she was learning to be more open, accepting, flexible, and less brooding and resentful in the face of life’s disappointments. This prepares her for the bigger challenges that follow.

I loved the book and have already recommended it to my book club. Amineh's character was so well developed and made me truly care for her. I found the historical background and learning about the culture and politics over time in Iran very enlightening. I agree with beverlyj and others that the storytelling was excellent.

I enjoyed the book and thought it was well written. The names are difficult to keep straight, but they are authentic names and I blame that on myself and being unfamiliar with the Iranian history. I liked the time line given at the beginning of every chapter.

I enjoyed this book very much. I was so drawn to Amina's struggles with defining herself. I can relate to her desire to be a committed mother and to be her own person. I have experienced similar social and religious pressures to conform to an ideal that is not an ideal for me. I appreciated that she didn't get everything right the first time. It took her time to find herself.

I loved the portrayal of Iran. In the western world the Middle East is only shown through one lens. With the thoughtful and well-done portrayal in this book (and others) I have come to see that there is a history and beauty to Iran. I look forward to learning more about this amazing place.

I really didn’t know much about nuclear disarmament in Iran at that time, but when I started reading this, I thought the reader was thrust into the topic without enough information. I thought a lot of the book was boring, and the characters weren’t particularly interesting. Amineh seemed at times to want a closeness with her husband, and at other times wanted a relationship with Patrick. Her husband was a wooden character who didn’t seem to love anyone, even his children. Plus, I didn’t really care for how the timing in the last third seemed to jump by years - sometimes the next chapter was 3 years later, or 7 years later.

Surprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don't believe I would have selected it on my own simply because I am just not that interested in the Middle East and Iran and, as others have mentioned, the many names and characters tend to complicate my comprehension. However, I learned so much about the culture, social/political issues, religious differences and food!

I loved it! I found this to be a dense read, so I was grateful for the scaffolding of the chapter dates, often flipping back to ensure I understood the timeline.
Earlier, I had submitted quotes that "spoke to me," but as I continued to read I found more and more. Another...
"They had lived their relationship within the cracks of both of their lives, struggling to find sufficient room for themselves in those slivers."
I particularly loved the ending, which echoed the tender ending of the wonderful "Meet Me at the Museum".