Book Reviews of House of Sand and Fog

I don't care if Oprah liked this book; I detested it. I've never encountered a weaker heroine. I wanted to slap her at every page.

Very well done but very depressing. A man even stopped me on the beach when he saw what I was reading and commented on how depressing it was and was curious as to how I was handling it. It took me forever to read because I needed to take breaks every now and then and re-group.

I simply could not get into this book and with 50 pages left I gave up. It was too slow for me and I didn't identify with the characters.

I usually think Oprah's book club choices are boreing and tend to drag on, but I thought this book was a great read. It is a few different stories that tie together keeping it interesting and making you want to read more.

What an amazing, thrilling, gripping, shocking, truly tragic tale Andre Dubus III has written here. Even though from almost the beginning of the book, you know things will not turn out well, you cannot turn away from this story of four tragic adults and one innocent child caught up in lives of lies, need, loss, pride, and broken dreams. I cannot recommend this book too highly.

This was an amazing book. It was gritty and extremely depressing, but unbelievably well-written. The first 20 or 30 pages were very hard to get thru, so boring that I almost put it down, but I'm glad I stuck with it. This is definitely one that has made an impression.

This is simply an amazing book! One of the best of the thousands of books I've read over many, many years. BTW. if you live in Northern California (or are interested in it) it's a must read for you too. Set on the coast of No. CA near San Francisco.

From Oprah's bookclulb, and a National Book Award Finalist, House of Sand and Fog is one of my all time favorite reads. It is filled with suspense that is almost unbearable at times. The disconnected charachters become intertwined in such a crisis that escalates from chapter to chapter...it is hard to understand how their crisis can every be defused. I love books that focus on immigrant stories...making this one of my favorites.

An ending that will leave you amazed. Intense, touching and enlightening. A wonderful synopsis of life and those around us, including those who come to America to find freedom and perhaps find a lot less.

Oprah's book club choice...slow in the beginning, then picks up speed...good

This was a really good read a few years ago. Couldn't put it down. Never saw the movie, but would like to.

Truly, a very very good book that I couldn't stop reading. But truly, one of the most depressing books I've ever read.

One of my top five books of all time.

One of the finest and best written, evocative books I've read. The story will stay with you....forever. However, the book is a downer. Tragic, but superb storytelling.

This book haunted me long after I put it down -- beware, it is very sad. Well written and very enjoyable.

This book is so well written and evokes a tremendous amount of passion from the reader. The overlap of their characters and their joint "death spiral" in life draws you in. A real page turner and hey...not every story in life has a happy ending.

Dramatic read - emotions soar as the reader connects with the story

Definitely a page turner. Very sad testimony about greed, pride, and lust. The ending was sad, yet I felt a relief for the characters.

Loved this book. Was frustrated by the characters actionsat times , but that's why we read about people different than we are.

I loved this book. The inter-relations of the characters is well formulated and interesting. It is a sad story and there are no heroes, but the story is unforgettable and compelling. Great Read!

My favorite novel, no contest. I was so amazed by this book that I thought of it constantly for a least a month after finishing reading it. You will literally never forget this story, no matter what. While it can be depressing, it's real and it touches you at your core.
Beautiful and tragic...

This book was so much more than what I had expected. A great read!

You won't be able to put it down. An immigrant's story careens toward a shocking ending.

A complex book -- both main characters are protagonists and antagonists. Such an amazing read!

Kathy Nicolo loses her house through a bureaucratic mistake to an Iranian immigrant. Their struggle over the house have tragic consequences.

Kathy Nicolo is a recovering addict whose husband has left her and who is making her way in the straight world with her own cleaning business. When her house in the California hills is mistakenly seized by the county for back taxes and sold at public auction, she finds herself living out of her car and on the brink of desperation. Once a wealthy and powerful man in Iran and a colonel in the army under the Shah's rule, Behrani is now a struggling immigrant who hopes that he can sell the house for a large profit, so that he can once again provide his family with a lifestyle like the one they enjoyed in Iran. Emotions take precedence over ethics, logic, love and the law as their paths collide in a surprising and tragic conclusion.

I saw the movie first and loved it. After several months, I saw the book for sale and picked it up. Like most novels, the book is better than the movie, but nothing from the book is really left out of the movie. The descriptions are far more vivid in the book and we receive more explanation to why the main characters are where they are in the world. Riveting and suspenseful, a tale of how good people wind up, unintentionally, in tragic circumstances, colliding head-on with others they encounter. The reader's empathy can easily switch from character to character, with each turning page.

A very thought-provoking read, with glimpses of cultural differences and gut-wrenching choices that often makes one wonder what one would do in similar situations.

This is possibly the worst book I ever read. I couldn't find a redeeming value in any of the characters. The only thing worse than the book was the movie. Just my 2-cents worth.

PS - The Husband bought this for me for Christmas when it was new. I hated it so much when I thank him for the gift, I asked him to not buy me any more books.

This is a wonderful read, but have your box of tissues handy.... You are torn between the characters; you can easily see the "rightness" of each person. Who do you root for? You don't know, you can't decide, you feel for each of the characters, and wish you could fix their problems. But you can't.

Great story! Through the whole thing, I just wanted to yell at everyone to just stop... you could just watch both sides spinning out of control!. The author does a great job of building empathy for both sides of the conflict.

An Oprah's book club book

I loved this book. It is beautifully written and captures the clashes between cultures, so much of which comes from lack of understanding.

Review first published on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com/2012/03/house-of-sand-and-fog.html


House of Sand and Fog is indeed the story of a house and the two sets of people who both feel that it is rightfully theirs. The Behranis are a family displaced from their homeland of Iran due to revolution. To them, this house is a last chance to restore some dignity to their lives. Kathy Lazaro is a recovering alcoholic and addict. To her, this house is her last refuge. The house is confiscated from Kathy Lazaro for tax purposes. The Behranis purchase it at auction. The rest of the book is the story of struggle between the two, leading to a dramatic and sad conclusion.

House of Sand and Fog is one of the most depressing books I have read in a long time. All 365 pages of it. There is the longing of the Behrani family for a life long gone and a homeland no longer open to them. It is their struggle to understand a new place and to create a new life for themselves. It is their sad attempt to maintain appearances of their past successes and position in life.

Then, there is Kathy Lazaro. She struggles with her recovery from alcoholism and addiction. She has left her home and family to build a new life with her husband in California. Her husband deserts her. So, she too struggles with finding a new place and creating a new life. She too attempts to maintain the appearances of her happy, married life to her family back home.

Thrown into this mix is Lester Burton. He is a police officer who gets involved with Kathy Lazaro. He proceeds down a path that leads them all to a catastrophic result.

The characters in this book are realistic. The emotions they feel and the situations they find themselves in also ring true. Unfortunately, the overwhelming sadness of this book makes it very difficult to read. In addition, the writing style is one based on long paragraphs and long descriptions. That too makes the book difficult to read. I found myself reading steadily for a while, then skimming through a portion of the book, and then reading the ending. Even so, I was left with an overwhelming depressing feeling and a need to step away from the story.

This book kept my attention somewhat, but wasn't something that I wasn't able to put down.

Ever hear of sin being a slippery slope? This book is a perfect character study of the extremes normal people can go to when faced with life-changing situations. One bad decision leads to another...and another...and before you know it, you've done things you would never have believed your integrity would allow. I enjoyed this book very much. I would have preferred less graphic sex, but I've gotten good at skipping over that stuff. The story was wonderfully heart-wrenching. I'm a little disappointed at the ending, but I wouldn't let that stop me from reading it.

This books is a great reminder of why it is important for people in America to find a way to be educated at the college level, or at very least gain enough life experiences to convey enough patience, professionalism, maturity and wisdom to not impair ...more This books is a great reminder of why it is important for people in America to find a way to be educated at the college level, or at very least gain enough life experiences to convey enough patience, professionalism, maturity and wisdom to not impair the lives of others. I feel like it was also attempting to reveal a taste of what life might be like if government was not organized. How blame can get out of scope, and how a mistake can expand exponentially, until it explodes.

The annoying things about this book: #1-Sentence length. There were some unnecessarily long sentences. #2-Commercializing. I am pretty sure Coke/Coca Cola paid Dubus to write this book. #3-The ending. I felt like the last thirty pages could have been different in a large or small scale & the story would have not suffered. The story was fascinating and engrossing on its own, so for it to end so predictably was a letdown. To me, it was like putting explosions in an action movie. I think my generation is rarely shocked, so the attempt dates the book as much as someone who still might use a watch for a Rolodex. #4-Communication. This wasn't so much of an annoyance as it just was honest reporting on the times in which this book was written. The story would just not hold up these days. Modern people google things that confuse them and call their loved ones on cell phones when they can't find each other. I have to remember that even though a book like this is semi-modern, times have changed considerably. For one thing, the colonel would have likely gotten a cool mil for that house! My guess is that if there where horse and carriages & minimal government, the story would be easier to comprehend. #5-Sex. It was pointed out to me by another reviewer that sweaty uneven mustaches aren't a fantastically sexy thing to write about. Never mind the idea that wood will not burn if it is still green, Lester(Rhymes with Fester!) Burdon(probably not a mistake here either) was offensively pathetic. Hopefully reading about he and Kathy having sex was intended to make one squirm with disgust. That is the only way I can justify it's gratuity. It was lovely that they liked each other, and I really wanted everything to work out-but a name like that, sex scenes like those where obvious precursors to where this story might end.

I am sure there where a few more, but I am willing to look over them for what was a unique story.

loved the book recommended

I couldn't put this book down -- an amazing story of how seemingly random lives, cultures and events intersect and then suddenly become an out of control spiral. Sad, yes, but so well written. I had to take some breaks because it was intense -- but well worth the read.

Not at all what I expected. It was a so-so read.

Phenomenal. This book was unlike any I had read before - suspensful and surprising.

I found this very depressing to the point I had to ask myself why I was even reading it. I kept thinking maybe I was missing the point as it is supposed to be such a popular book. I guess I never did get the point and yes I did finish the book, but it was time I now wish I had used for something else. The book on a whole just seemed like a waste of words on pages-why spend time reading something that left me so depressed. I won't do it again.

This is an incredible book, I recommend it to everyone!

another great read from Oprah.......

Interesting book, but, I felt it needed "something". Not sure what, just something.

Great book. You never know what is going to happen. One of my favorites.

wonderfully written, gripping story, one of Oprah's picks

A wonderful novel of suspense involving 3 people drawn by their desires for the same small house and doomed to be on an explosive collision course. Oprah's Book Club book

This book should be read by all who seek some answers regarding foreigners living in this country. Great story.

Wonderfully written story centering around a house - the woman from whom the county takes the house in error, the Iranian family who buys it, and the policeman who enforces the woman's eviction and becomes captivated by her. The characterizations are wonderful, the tension finely written and rushing towards a conclusion that seems ridiculous but inevitable. I found the book captivating.

An Oprah Book Club book

a literary thriller of almost unbelievable suspense

A riveting tale of the clash of cultures (American and Iranian) in suburban California.

[an Oprah Book Club Selection][From the back cover] In this riveting novel of almost unbearable suspense, three fragile yet determined people become dangerously entangled in a relentlessly escalating crisis. Colonel Behrani, once a wealthy man in Iran, is now a struggling immigrant willing to bet everything he has to restore his family's dignity. Kathy Nicolo is a troubled young woman whose house is all she has left, and who refuses to let her hard-won stability slip away from her. Sheriff Lester Burdon, a married man who finds himself falling in love with Kathy, becomes obsessed with helping her fight for justice. Drawn by their competing desires to the same small house in the California hills and doomed by their tragic inability to understand one another, the three converge in an explosive collision course.

Like this. Oprah picks good books.

Great to read before seeing the movie...the book is much better, of course!

I liked the book much better than the movie. Our book club read this and everyone really liked it.

enjoyed this book.

The book was great to read. I read it before seeing the movie. i really liked it. The characters are developed nicely and I felt very connected to them in the story.

Another Oprah recommended!

Excellent character development... much social commentary about racism and cultural bias. The story itself is a great edge-of-your-seat read.

I really enjoyed this story even though it is sad. I saw the movie also. The book was a lot better. I highly recommend ready this book.

I have yet to see the movie, however I don't think it can quite stand up to the book version. Yes the book had it's slow part, however, things start to speed up and it's very intense!

Intriguing characters. A real page-turner.

a good read.... enjoyed the character development very much... thought the ending was a bit fantastical, and might have benefited from being simpler

Very good read!

Tragic and riveting, couldn't put it down, cried while reading it!

Excellent book. If you haven't seen the movie; read this first. If you have seen the movie; read the book. It is way more intense than the movie!

The book was beautifully written--however, I didn't find any of the characters very likable, which made it hard to feel for them when things went wrong. Surprisingly, I preferred the movie to the book, because I felt that the actors did a better job of conveying both the strengths and flaws of the characters.

The meeting of different cultures over a home. A good movie, a better read.

Loved this book! A very emotional read!

excellent book.......I couldn't put it down

Very Good Read !!!!

Book is ever so much better than the movie!

Very interesting characters - definitely one to read.

I like this book, especially because the setting was the San Francisoc Bay Area. Great read.

Tragically sad....

WEll written; interesting and sympathetic characters.

I loved this book. Apalling and very thought provoking.

this book is brand new

In the riveting novel of almost unbearable suspense, three fragile yet determined people became dangerously entangeled in a relentlessly escalating crisis. Colonel Behrani, once a welthy man in Iran, is now a struggling immigrant willing to bet everything he has to restore his family's dignity. Kathy Nicolo is a troubled young woman whose house is all she has left, and who refuses to let her hard won stability slip away from her. Sherriff Lester Burdon, a married man who finds himself falling in love with Kathy, becomes obsessed with helping her fight for justice.

This story had me in tears at times, it also had me Mad!

promising start, silly ending.

Loved this book! From the back cover..."In this riveting novel of almost unbearable suspense, three fragile yet determined people become dangerously entangled in a relentlessly escalating crisis."

I like it.

Oprah's Book Club: In this riveting novel of almost unbearable suspense, 3 fragile yet determined people become dangerously entangled in a relentlessly escalating crisis. Drawn by their competing desires to the same small house in the California hills and doomed by their tragic inability to understand one another, the 3 converge in an explosive collision course.

Interesting book. Good commentary on our culture.

I am a really big fan of the "Oprah" book club books, but this one I did not care for. Can't really say why, other than it did not suit me at all. Maybe someone else likes it?

oprah's book club...suspense, sad, volatile thriller

this book was great, it is an oprah's book club one. a must read

Great book. The characters really draw you in.

Wonderful book! If you like the book you should see the movie too :)

Pretty good. If you usually like what Oprah picks you will like it

A real page-turner. Nicely written and very interesting characters. Hard to put down once the story grabs you.

From the publisher: "In riveting novel of almost unbearable suspense, three fragile yet determined people becom dangerously entangled in a relentlessly escalating crisis. Colonel Behrani, once a wealthy man in Iran, is now a struggling immigrant willing to bet everything he has to restore his family's dignity. Kathy Nicolo is a troubled young woman whose house is all she has left, and who refuses to let her hard-won stability slip away from her. Sheriff Lester Burdon, a married man who finds himself falling in love with Kathy, becomes obsessed with helping her fight for justice.
Drawn by their competing desires to the same small house in the California hills and doomed by their tragic inability to understand one another, the three converge in an explosive collision course. Combining unadorned realism with profound empathy, House of Sand and Fog marks the arrival of a major new voice in American fiction."

great book and great movie.

This is a very well written book, although incredibly sad. I found that I had sympathy for both of the main characters, who are in opposition to each other. The portrayal of the characters left me with much to think about.

Unbelievable novel about three people whose lives become entwined in a story that challenges our cultural views and values.

An Oprah's Book Club selection, later made into a movie.

Beautifully, stunningly written, though more than a little depressing.

Suspense until the last page. Well-written. Oprah's Book Club choice.

"Dubus tells his tragic tale from the viewpoints of the two main adversaries, Behrani and Kathy. To both of them, the house represents something more than just a place to live. For the colonel, it is a foot in the door of the American dream; for Kathy, a reminder of a kinder, gentler past. In prose that is simple yet evocative, House of Sand and Fog builds to its inevitable denouement, one that is painfully dark but unfailingly honest." amazon

This book was so beautifully written, so carefully constructed; if the reader is tempted to second guess why something happened, or someone behaved a certain way, the author has given you the information, already answered the question. It is a gradual, then accelerated decent to despair.

A clash of cultures, a story of loss and confusion.

I found this to be a pretty intense and disturbing book, so much so that I didn't want to see it acted out in the movie. Its worth reading

Tedious in spots, but overall a very compelling story with characters who draw your sympathies.

Once again the book is better than the movie. A great read.

This book is one I didn't soon forget. Compelling and upsetting, but a wonderful read.

compelling story of three individuals entangled in property dispute over small house that means so much more to these folks than a simple matter of property , excellent read - Oprah's book club selection

A really good read even though it is a sad story on both sides.

compelling, suspenseful, disturbing novel - focused on good people, misunderstanding, conflicting cultures - escalated!

I have not read this book but thought someone else might enjoy. From the back cover " In this riveting novel of almost unbearable suspense, three fragile yet determined people become dangerously entangled in a relentlessly escalating crisis.....a struggling immigrant...a troubled young woman....a married man...drawn by their competing desires to the same small house in the California hill..."

I love this book...I just happen to have two copies of it and want to trade it for something else!

IT IS SO FRUSTRATING BECAUSE YOU REALLY CAN SEE BOTH SIDES OF THE POSITION. I THINK THE BOOK WAS BETTER THAN THE MOVIE!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHOULD SHE GET HER HOUSE BACK?

Much better than watching the movie!

A GRAET BOOK OF SUSPENSE AND DIFFERENCE IN CULTURES

The movie released last year was based on this book. The book is much better! A clash of two cultures over the ownership of a house creates drama and tragedy.