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3.5 

The Other Americans

By Laila Lalami
The Other Americans by Laila Lalami digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

Late one spring night in California, Driss Guerraoui--father, husband, business owner, Moroccan immigrant--is hit and killed by a speeding car. The aftermath of his death brings together a diverse cast of characters: Guerraoui's daughter Nora, a jazz composer returning to the small town in the Mojave she thought she'd left for good; her mother, Maryam, who still pines for her life in the old country; Efraín, an undocumented witness whose fear of deportation prevents him from coming forward; Jeremy, an old friend of Nora's and an Iraqi War veteran; Coleman, a detective who is slowly discovering her son's secrets; Anderson, a neighbor trying to reconnect with his family; and the murdered man himself.

As the characters--deeply divided by race, religion, and class--tell their stories, each in their own voice, connections among them emerge. Driss's family confronts its secrets, a town faces its hypocrisies, and love--messy and unpredictable--is born. Timely, riveting, and unforgettable, The Other Americans is at once a family saga, a murder mystery, and a love story informed by the treacherous fault lines of American culture.

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The Other Americans Reviews

3.5
“2.5 stars rounded down. It was incredibly disappointing. The concept drew me in, but the author never quite delivered. She threw so many different things in that she didn't adequately explore any of them. All of the characters sounded the same in their chapters. The writing reminded me of stories my daughter used to write in middle school. I almost didn't finish it,but it had such great reviews that I continued and hoped it would get better as it progressed.”
“Was torn between 3 and 4 stars. The book was very interesting and had some good moments. It seemed like it was trying to prove too much of too many people. But the overall concept showed that we grapple with the different versions of ourselves, particularly with how our society and community accepts us, influences how we view happiness and success.”
“4.5 stars! I really enjoyed this book! More than I thought I would. There were certain aspects of all the characters that I could relate to, while also learning about other cultures. I liked the love story and the murder mystery. It felt very really and genuine.”

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