tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post6187050935716206220..comments2024-03-08T03:18:48.591-05:00Comments on Lotus Reads: Secret Son by Laila LalamiLotus Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-83775026531608528012010-05-04T07:18:23.826-04:002010-05-04T07:18:23.826-04:00Hey Chitts! As usual, lovely to see you here. Yo...Hey Chitts! As usual, lovely to see you here. You know, I would describe "Secret Son" as something of a palate cleanser, something that you can read inbetween two heavy reads for despite its serious plot and themes, it's a very light read, perfect for when you're just getting over an 'intellectually-stimulating read' and you need a bit of a breather. And yes, you will learn quite a bit about Morocco...especially its class system.Lotus Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-63750986851044339642010-05-03T12:18:57.631-04:002010-05-03T12:18:57.631-04:00Lotus, Thank you, Thank you for doing a review of ...Lotus, Thank you, Thank you for doing a review of 'Secret Son'. I still have mixed feelings about this book and I can't wait to see if I would like it or not. What entices me the most is the Moroccon theme, as I haven't read anything based on that.Will give it a shot!Happy Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05170475118277864013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-45972536484612909852010-05-03T06:52:17.972-04:002010-05-03T06:52:17.972-04:00Hi, Sanj!
Again, thanks for making me think and r...Hi, Sanj!<br /><br />Again, thanks for making me think and rethink the novel! :)<br /><br />HOw do the two compare? Well, really, they are entirely different stories. "Claybird" is set against the backdrop of the Pakistan-Bangladesh war and although the protagonist goes to a Madrasa, he does so, not because he is marginalized or because he has no other option, but because his father, a Muslim who recently rediscovered his religion, was very pious. In "Secret Son", Youssef, the lead character is swayed by the fundamentalists not because he is devout but because he is poor and sees himself as a person with no opportunity and very resentful of those that have 'made it'. I have no objection to those that belong in the former group...it is the latter that we must be wary about.<br /><br />As for the class distinctions, you are so right, you see it to varying degrees and in almost every society, but in North America, there is dignity of labour and people do not look down on you because of the job you do or the money you earn. If they do, it is covert, not overt. In Morocco, it is far more "in your face". People from different social classes never mix on any level and because of a lack of affirmative action or any other kind of assistance, the people belonging to the poorer classes find it virtually impossible to get a hand up! <br /><br />Thanks again for the comment Sanj, hope you never take your thinking cap off! :)))Lotus Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-89088129407907076622010-05-03T06:41:02.302-04:002010-05-03T06:41:02.302-04:00Hey Marilyn!
I do believe she needed a hook and t...Hey Marilyn!<br /><br />I do believe she needed a hook and this was a good one except it kinda fell flat, atleast in my opinion. The book has got a few raving reviews, but a lot of readers thought it was a pretty mediocre read. I'm one that falls in the latter group! :)Lotus Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-12610919560770083272010-05-03T06:38:52.394-04:002010-05-03T06:38:52.394-04:00Hey Book Lover!
I honestly think "The Kiteru...Hey Book Lover!<br /><br />I honestly think "The Kiterunner" is in a class by itself. The Secret Son doesn't possess the same emotional depth, nor does it make you feel for its characters in the same way that you would feel for those in the Kiterunner. KR was a very special novel and I believe Hosseini wasn't able to capture the same magic in his second offering. Did you read "A Thousand Golden Suns"?Lotus Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-55345821045703251952010-05-01T08:10:59.174-04:002010-05-01T08:10:59.174-04:00Thank you Lotus for a wonderful review. Enjoyed it...Thank you Lotus for a wonderful review. Enjoyed it as always for you always capture the essence of a book so well. Have a couple of thoughts..<br />How does the influence of religious fundamentalism compare in this book versus that in "The Clay Bird", the Bangladeshi movie? Granted the medium is different as is the country and the milieu and society but kids are kind of the protagonists or at least a pivotal part of the stories?<br />Not to defend class distinctions or anything by any means, but I think they exist everywhere no?<br />The cliques you describe exist in North American schools and universities (the names may be different). People also for the most part tend to live and socialize with people in their same class.<br />For all the chances that the US and Canada offer to achieve a better life, speaking at least for the US I can say class (as in social/economic class) is very much alive. It is not as blatant as the harsher situations in countries like Morocco, but it does exist.<br />Sorry my comments were not completely about the book per se, just got me thinking about it.<br />And that Lotus is why I love to read your book reviews, in addition to being truly wonderful and bringing your own unique perspective to the book, they always get me thinking! Thank you!karmichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10973922761187532706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-27438412350843213782010-05-01T08:09:17.332-04:002010-05-01T08:09:17.332-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.karmichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10973922761187532706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-89259823293136312872010-05-01T01:14:39.192-04:002010-05-01T01:14:39.192-04:00LR - that is tough...waiting for a few chapters to...LR - that is tough...waiting for a few chapters to get to the story...and great point about the title...I wonder if the Author had a different one in mind.Marilynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05090687138872179144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-88987178110414446542010-04-30T23:11:02.880-04:002010-04-30T23:11:02.880-04:00I guess its comparable to the Kite runner's pa...I guess its comparable to the Kite runner's painting of Afghanistan, although that would be almost a 5 star book on the whole.Bookloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06663722686944644570noreply@blogger.com