What readers think of House of Sand and Fog, plus links to write your own review.

This book was indeed a page turning! I had a hard time putting it down.

Bravo author!!!!!

The book is a fast paced book that had me hooked on to it. I could not put it down till I was done reading it. It is certainly a good book for a book club that would spark an animated discussion.

Great novel....decent ending

This book was amazing. i loved it from start to finish. I saw the movie first, but that is what encouraged me to read such a wonderful book. Although some of the characters DO tick me off a little.. like lester.. he made me mad because of the stupid choices he had made throughout the book. but, overall, it was great!

This is one of the worst books I have ever read, filled with wholesale violence, blood, anger, stupidity, and characters none of which I gave a damn about. I cannot believe that they made a movie out of it. I was lured into buying it and reading it because of its beautiful cover! What a lesson!

I thought this one of the most intelligent novels I have read, in that the characters are constructed so carefully that the devastating outcome of their actions becomes totally believable. It isn't the sort of novel I'd usually choose (Margaret Atwood is my favourite author) and I read it because of a reader's group a friend has set up. At first I was thinking 'very good of its type', its type being, I supposed, suspenseful thriller, a standard best-seller. But then I reached part II and it was as though Dubus had shifted up a gear, suddenly punching us with the full force of his literary power. It reminds me most of all of that bridge that collapsed after winds made it resonate at it's natural frequency... galloping Gertie?.... each character is a flawed human being, (as are we all), and these little, normal, everyday flaws pile one upon the other so that the situation reverberates out of control towards the climax. Amazing book.

I saw the film last night, a week after reading the book, and I think it's really only worth seeing if you haven't read the book and aren't going to. It's so weak compared with the book. Pretty scenery, but lacks the gut-wrenching depth, and the changed ending is a cop out despite the director's attempts to justify it.

This book is a poignant example of how people who are not in control of their lives can take hideous control of those who seemingly are in control. The characters are painted carefully; attention must be paid to the addict's abject maelstrom. I just read this book. Halfway through I looked to see when it had been written. It was before 9/11, and I think that that makes a huge difference in one's reaction to the plot. I tried to picture what would have changed had this been written after that horrific watershed. This book may not be a laugh riot, but it is thoughtful and warm, and well worth the effort.

Not only did I read this book, I also saw the movie. The book was gripping and it had good setting; the characters were very realistic and they acted as any person would have in this situation. The book is very insightful into the way two or more people can degrade their lives in the way of a material possession. The movie however is not worth seeing, it is an unimaginable bore and it resembles nothing of what the book portrays in the way of human nature.