Exciting story, fell a little flat

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kdowli01 Avatar

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This was such an intriguing concept, and I loved the story behind the plot. Three women in Saddam-era Iraq--the wife of an Australian diplomat, an Iraqi woman who works at the Australian embassy, and a gallery owner--and their unlikely friendship, given that one was being forced by the secret police to be an informer. The story was inspired by the author's similar experience when she was living in Iraq, which was really interesting to read about. It was so interesting to see the lives of ordinary people during this time, how they managed the political developments of the time, and the horrors they faced in protecting their families.

Side note: Is 2002 considered historical fiction? Because that's really depressing...

While I enjoyed the story, I did not love the character development. They largely came off as one-dimensional, and I'll admit I didn't really believe the friendship.

But overall it was good, I'd say 3.5 stars, and I'd read more by this author!