Cutting down trees

This may very well just get deleted but I thought it might be fun to blog/take notes on Under the Persimmon Tree as I read it, so here goes:

On picking up the book - The author is American, bad start.

First glance through (author's note and such) - There's a glossary of unusual/foreign terms, it's fantastic. The author is already admitting to taking liberties with the timeframe and series of events.

First chapter - Meet Najmah, a little farmer girl, and then thank god for the Taliban because another 20 pages on that farm and I'd have been ready to fall asleep. Najmah means "star".

Second chapter - Meet Nusrat, actually Elaine, a young blonde haired blue eyed woman from New York who is now living in Pakistan with her husband who is currently away. 9/11 is mentioned.

Third chapter - Uncle Mohiuddin is a bad guy, he wants their land. All the men and boys are gone from the village, the rest leave for Pakistan. Habib is born.

Fourth chapter - Meteors, omens, sick Margaret, no friends. Nusrat means "help"

Through chapter 7 - The author is starting to sound painfully American and some of the descriptions of the land are just dragging on forever. I could easily forgive these things if there was some original plot to hold my interest, but I'm still left hoping for that to develop.

Through book's end - Not much changes, certainly the story plays out and the plot is as predictable as anything could be, the author maintains an American perspective which makes most of the caracters seem out of place or simply not at home in an otherwise well described culture. I did not like this book, and the glossary was the best part, just as I had feared.