2006: Map of Love

Amber got to choose our next book, Map of Love, by Ahdaf Soueif. I couldn't get this one at my local library so I ordered it used through Amazon.com. This book follows the dual love stories of Anna and Sharif in 1901 and Isabel and Omar in the present day.

Personally I found a hard time caring for Isabel and Omar in the same way that I cared for Anna and Sharif. I was disappointed whenever the action shifted from the past to the present. I found Anna's life story fascinating and I learned much from her take on Egyptian culture and traditions. I admired Sharif and kept hoping for a "happily ever after" for he and Anna.

Most of the group enjoyed the novel but many had problems with the one "mystical" section, saying that it seemed out of place with the rest of the story.

Our group had grown to 9 people by this time. Ratings for this book were: 3, 5, 6, 7x3, 9x2 and 10, and the official rating was 7.0.