'loved this, wonderful writer-narrator combination

'not for you if 'action' is your thing; this is a tableau; beautifully crafted with subtle, smart & apparently effortless narration.
I loved EightMonths & ironically, couldn't put it down.

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Brilliant ..Cultural differences & bondings

An unusual way to communicate the challenge of living in a different culture. While having the right dreams and yet the frustrations of divides which perhaps in some places cannot be crossed.. so never really knowing....

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Dipped in and out!

I liked it. The storyline was different but I felt could have been more colourful, more cultural references. The narrator was good, clear but I personally would have preferred someone with a different tone, more interesting voice.

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Excellent

I love the imagery and descriptive nature of the narrative. The characters remind me of people we all know especially having lives and worked in the region. In a era when alternative facts seems to be king it’s easy to feel compassion for Fran as she lives her life in the shadows, almost disenfranchised and unable to grasp the reality of all that’s going on around her. That said, Hilary Mantel has written such a good novel I didn’t imagine for one minute that’s how the plot would be tied up at the conclusion.

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Essential reading for anyone going to Jeddah

Conveys the utterly stifling atmosphere in Jeddah. Amazing contrast to books like Wolf Hall. Such a versatile author.

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Must read

Probably the best fiction ook I have ever read. Well written, tense, gripping, believable. Very interesting backdrop, sympathetic characters and very plausible plot. Just read it.

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Assimilation

This novel cleverly conveys the effect of how it might feel to live as a female in an Arab country, through the eyes of an expat Western woman. The claustrophobia of a largely indoor life, fearfulness, and growing self doubt are very convincing. I listened to the audiobook (which is very well performed by Sandra Duncan,) while concurrently reading a book of essays by Arab female journalists, and this intensified and increased my understanding.
The only downside to the novel were the irritating rather weak characters, none are remotely likeable, and the plot rather fell away. After building alot of tension, the ending felt rather flat. So three stars but still recommended.

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Compelling

This is about an English ex pat couple's experience of living in Saudi, written from the perspective of the wife, Fran, The story is about the first 8 months of their lives there, how very different it is to their previous life in Africa and how totally different it is to any way of living Fran has ever encountered. I loved the style of writing, how the reader is totally within Fran's thoughts and fears.

Parts are also cleverly written in 3rd person, a great contrast. The narration was first class. I'm aware that the sadly, recently deceased Hilary Mantel lived in Saudi for a while, so it's fascinating to know this formed a basis for the story,

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Subtle portrayal of a culture alien to the west

As you would expect this is outstanding in description, of environment, atmosphere culture from a western point of view and character. The latter are mainly awful , including the narrator, in varying degrees. Ms Mantel is skilled at plotting, keeping the reader guessing till the end. Overall it’s a depressing listen though, accentuating culture differences.

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Highly evocative

A real sense of the atmosphere of Saudi Arabia, and the way expats navigate (or fail to) this society through the eyes of a woman whose husband is working on a building project. Dark and engaging

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