Wow. I am not typically drawn to novels set in the Middle East (due to my own lack of knowledge regarding the culture), but this excerpt was lovely to read. I really appreciated how the story follows two local women and an Australian-American-- it gave me a more realistic and complex (and non-stereotyped) view of early 2000s Baghdad while still making the story accessible to my Western eyes. I definitely think this book would help expand my reading horizons and get me out of my comfort zone while still being an enjoyable read.