2010 (my review can be found on the LibraryThing page linked)
http://www.librarything.com/topic/54129#1010475 ( )

I really, really wanted to like this book. Ever since I read the interview of the author in the Globe and Mail prior to the Gillers, it's been on my shortlist of books to read. So when Ibis3 offered it up I jumped at the chance. But (you knew there was going to be a but) I found Bassam an unlikeable character and I could not care about what was happening to him. Some would argue that he became the person he was because of the horrific experiences during the Lebanese civil war but my feeling, based upon incidents from his childhood that he narrated, was that he would have been a violent and manipulative adult anyway. Years ago I used to have to interview incarcerated criminals and what always struck me about them was that, when faced with a problem, their immediate solution was to commit a crime, either violent or property-based. And that's what I felt about Bassam. All kinds of people tried to help him but he always managed to drive them away.

In fact, about the only character I liked in the book was George's aunt Nabila. She genuinely seemed to care for George and Bassam without expecting anything in return. She should have been the one getting out of Beirut.

In a strange coincidence just as I was on my way to the computer to write this report, CBC led off its evening newscast with an article about the fighting in the Nahr el Bared camp. This quote from one of the militants in the camp shows that, even though the people and issues have changed, nothing is really different:

Meanwhile, Fatah Islam has continued to reject government calls for a surrender.

"This is not only impossible, this is unthinkable. Our blood is cheaper than handing over our weapons and surrendering," said Abu Hureira.

It's a sad commentary on life in the Middle East. ( )

A spectacular book about Bassam, a young Lebonese Christian, who lives in Lebanon in the early 80's. Told in first person/present tense, influenced by the language and rhythm of the Bible, Bassam struggles to deal with a world that is all encompassingly violent. ( )

An entertaining read though the testosterone-fueled stream of consciousness passages seemed overly-embellished. What was most compelling for this reader was the portrayal of various characters' participation in the Lebanese civil war being motivated from personal loyalty or gain rather than ideological conviction, that many of the combatants were boys who fought with an attitude of nihilism rather than idealism. ( )

There are some positives to take from this book. I thought some of the themes threaded through the novel well, like the books title, but the overall story was disconnected, the first part takes place in war-torn Beirut and the last part in Paris. The author manages to capture the tone of both places well, but doesn't connect the main plot well. ( )