Ekrem HoserHoseritibarenآيت يوسف، المغربitibarenآيت يوسف، المغرب

An exploration of the politics of development that I thought was excellent at first but, well, the way Ruby-sachs ended it was kind of sloppy. or rather too neat. Her characterization of the 'water man's daughter' was lacking something, though her other two main characters and the short segment that is written from the perspective of Peter Matthews are excellent.

Ann Patchett's debut novel (she's better known for Bel Canto) is worth reading, if ultimately frustrating in its detachment. But her characters are always memorable and her writing solid, and I finished the book, which means it was by no means terrible. I just wish there had been some sense of a moving plot, not just a character study of three people (husband, wife and daughter) emotionally detached from each other. Still, worth a read. My favorite Patchett novel is Magician's Assistant, which I read 15 years ago and loved.