Alex P Wu

The book got me through so many different, strong emotions. I was elated, then devastated, relieved, found some hope, feared the worst, fell in love and lost it all...

I thought it’s going to be a fun and light book about Morocco, discovering the culture and different places; adventure intertwined with a sweet romance. And I wasn’t disappointed. I learned many interesting facts and stories about historic moroccan cities; the book also brought back many memories from my trips to Marrakech, Essaouira and Sahara. Sara’s point of view was very similar to mine - the way she perceived the places, events, people or even food. It was almost like a diary I’ve never written. It made me dream about going to Morocco again, spending there a month or two, or maybe even staying there forever.

But the book was also MUCH more than that. Throughout the book we can follow Sara struggling to find her true self while making the most difficult decision of her life - living a secure and wealthy life with a good-looking man she doesn’t love or pursuing her heart’s desires? Moreover, she experienced the true meaning of friendship and focused on what really matters in life. In the end, she turned out to be much braver than I thought she was, and I am sure she was also surprised by her own decisions.

The book is well written, I like the author’s style. Characters are very well developed and unique; it’s impossible not to like them. Additionaly, I find the plot quite exceptional - at least I’ve never read a book like this one. There are many unexpected twists that make the book almost impossible to put down. I definitely recommend!… (altro)

The Rapture is based on a fairly good premise. I know the subject of rapture has been covered lots of times before, from the biblical prophecy that the believers would float up in the sky on Judgement Day and be saved, versus the irreverent version where the orthodox religious zealots float high up in the sky and are then dropped, cleansing the world of their annoyance and presaging the golden age of peace for all, which can begin now the loonies are away (see also John Lennon’s Imagine). Okay, so what if rapture happens. What would you think? Would we accept that something magical was happening to a cult (or they were claiming it was happening), even though you can’t look into it because of some amendment or other protecting religious freedom? The novel has a mix of police procedural and political governance early on, then dips into cult mentalities and suddenly ducks into an off-world mystery-exploding adventure with another culture, radically unacceptable behaviour, the struggle for survival, uncertainty around people’s loyalties, confused identities/gender and, of course, answers the central question of where do all these raptured people go? The aliens are interesting, providing answers about whether alien visitors came to our planet long ago, to pass on their wisdom to ancient civilisations (see Erich von Daniken) but there’s also a hint of the old typo in the bumper book of alien hospitality: How to cook for humans / How to cook four humans.… (altro)

I visited Morocco years ago, so I was looking forward to a literary return to this contradictory country. That's exactly what I got with Morocco, Maybe . It is a dramatized travelogue that brings to life the exotic sights, sounds, and smells of each location. Readers are taken on a realistic sojourn across the country, showcasing not only its exotic beauty, but also its unpleasant realities. There were many scenes that brought me right back to my own trip, for better or worse.

But it's not just a travel guide, it's a delightful love story with an always clever, yet sometimes misguided, lead character. A bulldog in the courtroom, Sarah can be tentative in life, which made me love-hate her. She is rational, safe, consistent, and over-prepared, yet anyone who has traveled through a developing country knows that the spirit of adventure requires the antithesis. She gets better at it as she goes. And as she learns to embrace her adventure through Morocco, she also develops a new outlook to travel through life.

If you want a traditional romance book, you may be disappointed. While there are strong romantic elements, Morocco, Maybe doesn't follow a standard romance arc. It's subtle and complex, conflicted and melancholy. And it's definitely not a rom com despite the sometimes amusing rhetoric between Sarah and her travelmates.

Did I mention the legal thriller centered around a historic, archaelogical find? Yes, it's got a thread of John Grisham in the plot, which heightens the stakes and propels the tension through each chapter, especially toward the end.

The pace is contemplative, the writing is elegant, and the story is far more poignant than I expected at the start. There are a couple of characters and plot points that we've seen before--the loyal best friend, the misunderstanding--but the author effectively steers away from sappiness and sentimentality.

I am so glad I went on this touching journey to a far off place, and recommend this book to anyone who is a traveler at heart.… (altro)

This story is more entertaining and polished than the majority of books on the shelves today. I wasn't expecting this.

Rapture is ambitious yet easy to follow, with elements of police procedural, suspense, action, and ethical dilemma. Reiko is a washed up officer investigating a mysterious disappearance that none of her colleagues will touch. She wants desperately to right her career so she goes all in on the case concerning the Pure. From there, it's a page turner, each scene giving clues to the next as Reiko peels away a layer at a time. A lot of books have fillers which I tend to skim over due to my impatience. Not Rapture, it moves briskly. When she gets to the core of her case, it's harshly rich with moral ambiguity. There are no perfect solutions, and I found myself asking what I would do if put into the same situations. The whole book would translate well into a movie.

The first and third sections were my favorite because both had big mysteries that kept me wondering. Even when it was late and I knew I had to get to sleep, I couldn't help but read just one more chapter. And then another and another until it was the wee hours. In addition to plot twists and turns, the author is also great at creating vivid action scenes which I relished despite not being a big action person. The only element I didn't care for was the slight brush with romance, not because I don't like romance, but because I was annoyed with that particular character and therefore found the relationship frustrating.

Rapture is both hugely fun and thought provoking, with short chapters, conflicted characters, and efficient prose that flows easily. I still find myself thinking about this story from time to time, wondering what's going on in this colorful, ambivalent world. I hope that the author writes more like it. Sequel please!… (altro)