Rated of 5
by Tricia L. (Auburn, WA) I trust Rodriguez's writing.
Because of her excellent non-fiction, I was already predisposed to like this novel. It was so interesting and the fact that it was fiction made me aware of how powerful a story can be, whether true or not. A great read!
Rated of 5
by Judy G. (Carmel, IN) Cup of Friendship not quite full
I started off the book thinking it was going to be a great read. In the end, I was disappointed. Despite all the known violence in Afghanistan, Ahmet and others guarding the entries, the building of the wall, the story doesn't describe any coffeehouse incidents until 2/3 of the way through the book. The title is about friendship, yet the story doesn't ever quite "cement" that bond between the female characters for me. I finished the book feeling the story was slightly disjointed. There was a potential for greatness; but the depth of story and character development never quite got there.
Rated of 5
by Adelia S. (Livingston, MT) A Cup of Friendship
Loved the book! It felt like the author had lived what she had written. Her colorful descriptions of the area and the beautiful fabrics for their clothing came to life for me. The cruelty in the name of religion evoked anger and sympathy for what the women have to endure. I would compare this book favorably with Hosseini's "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and Mortenson's "Three Cups of Tea."
Rated of 5
by Julie R. (Jefferson, ME) A Cup of Friendship
This book centers around more than wine aka "tea" and friendship. To be sure, Sunny, the main character, has created a place where both Afghans and visitors can relax and share cultures and friendship, and the "tea" house becomes a central part of the setting. However, the author's interwoven plot adds to the reader's insight into the harsh reality of the Afghans' daily living in light of the threat of Taliban aggression. In addition, as Sunny and her friends persevere in protecting the lives of those in danger, the mystery and suspense centered on the lives of the characters sustain the readers' interest to the end. This is a story of the affirmation of love between the clash of religious traditions and the characters' inner values. In my opinion, the title does not reflect the deeper themes of the book.
Rated of 5
by Ariel F. (Madison, WI) A Cup of Friendship
I was happy to read the first book of fiction, “A Cup of Friendship”, by Deborah Rodriguez. Rodriguez, is also the author of the non-fiction book “Kabul Beauty School”. Several years ago, I read her nonfiction work. I did feel that despite one being a work of fiction and one being nonfiction, they were similar.
I found this book to be an easy, fast moving read. I enjoyed reading this book about contemporary Afghanistan. For me, this novel was thought provoking. How I value the freedom that I as a woman have. At times, I felt as if I was actually in the coffee shop witnessing some of the events as they were happening. The novel deals with Afghani issues and culture regarding the roles women, friendship, family, country decisions and of course, some romance. While reading the novel, I felt love and sympathy for three of the main characters, Sunny, Yazmina and Halajan.
Having spent some time in Azerbaijan, I am aware of some of the elements of being a Muslim and the role of women in Muslim culture. I gained more information about Muslims in this novel.
I highly recommend this book.
Rated of 5
by Joan V. (Miller Place, NY) A Cup of Friendship
This book immediately gets your attention. It's a fast read and enjoyable.
Set in current day Kabul it centers around the lives of five women: Sunny an American and owner of a coffee house; Connie, also an American, who is looking for love; Isabel, a British journalist and two Afghani women Halajan – owner of the building and Jazmina both of who work in the café.
The stories of other Afghani women are woven throughout the book and the fear of the Taliban regaining power is strongly felt.
I would have given this book a higher rating except that it often gravitates into the 'romance' novel genre. Too many cliques of eyes meeting across a room, unspoken longings and shortness of breath, plus a few sex scenes are unnecessary.
The theme of survival, strong women, and a positive look at the Muslim religion overcame some of the weaknesses in this book.
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of 5
by Tricia L. (Auburn, WA) 
of 5
by Judy G. (Carmel, IN) 
of 5
by Joan V. (Miller Place, NY) 
