2008-09-26 Could Alan drew be the next Khaled Hosseini?

This was an excellent book and without doubt my favourite Vine Review book to date.

Having already left his beloved village due to the insurgencies caused by the Kurds' fight for identity, Sinan Basioglu has made his home in urban Gölcük. Nothing could have prepared him though, for the earthquake that shook the area in 1999. Suddenly his home is a heap of rubble and his son is missing.
Relief workers arrive several days later, led by his American neighbour, Marcus. Sinan is very wary of Americans, blaming them for the weapons and training given to the Kurds' enemies in the past, and therefore for the death of his father.
He is finally persuaded to take advantage of the shelter and food offered by the relief workers but is not happy that they are Christian and seem to be infiltrating the Muslim community via the children.
What follows is a wonderfully descriptive narrative covering both the clash between these religious beliefs and the interactions of the two families, American and Turkish, who suddenly find themselves on the same, yet opposide side of the divide.

Eloquently written, this was every bit as good as The Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns. My copy will be well worn by the time I've recommended it to all my friends!