This Novel Has Absolutely Nothing To Do With The Village People, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Remember their song, "Go West?"  This novel, the first of Hamid's I have read, is a short, intimate experience, about two characters, Saeed and Nadia, who meet, come together, fall apart, and come together once again, facing an unknown future.

                                 Nothing new there.  But the landscape around all this takes place--even though locales as diverse as London, or Marin, California, are mentioned--is less real, and more metaphorical. Especially when talk centers around moving through doors to get to another locale.  Where the hell are we?  A dystopian reality?  An adult Narnia?  Maybe a little of both.

                                   Hamid's language is gorgeous and lyrical, making the fantastical elements of the story credible.  And its dystopian nature rings true in these times.  But, as "Lincoln" proves, is there ever a time when the nation, let alone the world, is NOT at some kind of dystopian point?  In its own quiet way, Hamid's work forces a facing of this truth many might now want to face.

                                     This quiet, intimate novel is more telling than one might think. I slammed the door on the song beginning to creep into my consciousness here--Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?"

                                       Because, like Ann-Margret, in "Bye, Bye, Birdie!," "I've Got A Lot Of Livin' To Do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"