The Translator

Leila Aboulela

You can paste every label on this book you want, one of which includes being a NYT Notable Book, and it still remains just a romance imvho. Something separates the man and woman. Will they overcome that? I have nothing against romances, since I used to read them when I was younger, I just don't care for them now. Once the thought occurred to me that this was essentially a romance -- it was all over except getting to The End.

Nicely enough written; the locales and excursions into Islam may fascinate or interest. But, since I've lived in the Middle East, the exoticism of either place or religion was not so exotic to me and didn't lend itself to appreciating the book more.