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House of Sand and Fog Paperback – February 1, 1999

4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 2,494 ratings

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Tense with suspense from the first line, this is one of the great American realist novels. In this page-turning, breathtaking novel, the characters will walk off the page and into your life. And a small house will seem like the most important piece of territory in the world.

On a road crew in California, a former colonel in the Iranian Air Force under the Shah yearns to restore his family's dignity. When an attractive bungalow comes available on county auction for a fraction of its value, he sees a great opportunity for himself, his wife, and his children. But the house's former owner, a recovering alcoholic and addict down on her luck, doesn't see it that way, nor does her lover, a married cop driven to extremes to win her love and get her house back.

House of Sand and Fog is a narrative triumph in which a traditional immigrant success story and a modern love story are turned upside down with brutal, heartrending consequences. It is an American tragedy, and a shockingly true picture of the country we live in today.
"All the Little Raindrops: A Novel" by Mia Sheridan for $10.39
The chilling story of the abduction of two teenagers, their escape, and the dark secrets that, years later, bring them back to the scene of the crime. | Learn more

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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0393104109
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. (February 1, 1999)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 363 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1400077354
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1400077359
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 2,494 ratings

About the author

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Andre Dubus III
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Andre Dubus III is the author of The Garden of Last Days, House of Sand and Fog (a #1 New York Times bestseller, Oprah’s Book Club pick, and finalist for the National Book Award) and Townie, winner of an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature. His writing has received many honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Magazine Award, and two Pushcart Prizes. He lives with his family north of Boston.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
2,494 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book an engaging read with excellent writing style. They describe it as a page-turner and well-crafted. However, some readers feel the story lacks excitement and is unappealing. Opinions differ on the character development and pacing. Some find the characters well-developed and relatable, while others find them unsympathetic and unrealistic.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

80 customers mention "Readability"80 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They describe it as an interesting read with suspense and passion. The writing style is literary and the characters are portrayed well. However, some readers feel the book drags on a bit.

"...In other respects, the movie is superior to the book...." Read more

"...Here at least for me, there isn't a clear cut answer. Beautifully and painstakingly written. When I shut my eyes and see the " widows walk"...." Read more

"...Often this book is a perfect page-turner, but just as often I found myself wanting to skip over chunks and chunks of paragraph...." Read more

"...ending might not be what the readers want, but all in all, it is a very good book. A very recommendable contemporary tour de force. B-" Read more

46 customers mention "Writing style"41 positive5 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style. They find the characters well-articulated and narrated, making it easy for them to engage with their passionate interests and outcomes. The writing makes it easy for them to become part of each character's world. Readers describe the book as an excellent read and an insightful commentary on how events can go wrong.

"...Beautifully and painstakingly written. When I shut my eyes and see the " widows walk". I feel the sun pounding on the pavement...." Read more

"...Overall, a depressing but fairly well written book with a great story." Read more

"...THE WRITING ITSELF: Author uses both present tense (Behrani's point of view) and past tense (Kathy and Burdon's point of view), & both first person..." Read more

"...A love-hate relationship. It is extremely well-written, and I was drawn into the story, anxious to see what was coming next...." Read more

71 customers mention "Story quality"46 positive25 negative

Customers have different views on the story. Some find it compelling and well-written, with twists that keep them hooked. The simple structure is appreciated by readers. However, others feel the story drags in the second half, seems contrived, and predictable after a strong start. Sexual scenes are also mentioned as unnecessary and distracting from the story.

"...much more fleshed out, you learn a lot more of their histories, and each chapter (minus any chapter numbers) is told through the perspective of one..." Read more

"As in most cases, the nuances and details of the books are more engaging than the movie...." Read more

"...making the remaining pages very uninteresting and the ending is pretty unsatisfying...." Read more

"...The story is complex and rich. You only get a glimpse of his ability in his collection of short stories, The Cagekeeper. Buy this book...." Read more

50 customers mention "Character development"30 positive20 negative

Customers have different views on the character development. Some find the characters well-developed and relatable, with clear explanations of their pasts and futures. Others feel the characters are unsympathetic and unrealistic. There is also mention of idiosyncratic Iranian characters' speech.

"...In many respects, the book is superior to the movie. The characters are much more fleshed out, you learn a lot more of their histories, and each..." Read more

"...The book went on and on and focused on all the stupid decisions the characters make. There was no ending...." Read more

"...The conflicts between our three major characters (especially near the climax) are written with brilliant tension, and the most tragic events that..." Read more

"...There is no villain in this story, except perhaps the vague ‘county’ which in Kafkaesque fashion has omitted one letter from a street name, causing..." Read more

41 customers mention "Pacing"26 positive15 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it thought-provoking and interesting, with the various perspectives well-presented. Others feel it drags on a bit in the middle of the story.

"...The characters are much more fleshed out, you learn a lot more of their histories, and each chapter (minus any chapter numbers) is told through the..." Read more

"...instead it seems like wasted words and space, and like I said, destroys the pacing...." Read more

"...: the descriptions of San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, and other places are very detailed and not overly bloated with adjectives and metaphors...." Read more

"This book has so much detail that you feel their pain, joy, anxiety, and love. Two families that both think they are right. And they are both right...." Read more

26 customers mention "Sadness"13 positive13 negative

Customers have different views on the book's sadness. Some find it heartbreaking and evoking sympathy, while others find it depressing and unrealistic. The ending is considered too depressing for some readers.

"...You will get to know all of them, their strengths and weaknesses, their faults, their loves and their loathings, their characters and lack of..." Read more

"...And while some might argue the ending is too depressing, that's kind of the point...." Read more

"...The two main characters, though not especially likeable, evoke the reader’s sympathy...." Read more

"...I found this story really sad - almost from the beginning the pages were steeped in a sort of desperate misery. But i couldn't stop reading!" Read more

11 customers mention "Book appeal"0 positive11 negative

Customers find the book unappealing and boring. They feel the pacing is inconsistent and jarring, making it hard to enjoy. The characters are described as dull and tiresome.

"...Where the book is weakest, I feel, is the pacing...." Read more

"...The two main characters, though not especially likeable, evoke the reader’s sympathy...." Read more

"...of this device seems inconsistent and I found it jarring rather than enjoyable." Read more

"...are very well developed, but I ended up understanding and feeling bad for each one...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2022
    There is no happy ending, and you'll feel as emotionally wiped out as the main character does by the end. Nevertheless, it's one of the best feel-bad stories I've ever read/watched!

    Full disclosure: I first saw the movie adaptation when it came out, and it was a movie that haunted me. I had been wanting to read the book for a while, and I finally took the chance this past month to do so.

    In many respects, the book is superior to the movie. The characters are much more fleshed out, you learn a lot more of their histories, and each chapter (minus any chapter numbers) is told through the perspective of one of the characters so you're always inside someone's head.

    In other respects, the movie is superior to the book. The fat from the book is trimmed down, from additional dialogue to scenes that slowed down the pacing in the book. The ending has also been tweaked but in my opinion it's a better one (and arguably more tragic because you sympathize with the characters more than you will in the book). I lastly have to point out the amazing performances of Jennifer Connolly and Ben Kingsley which bring the characters to life. They bring their all to the film, and it shows!

    With all that said, there are some fantastic summaries and analyses of this book already posted here on Amazon so I won't add one of my own. But what I will point out about the story is how it illustrates even one bad decision (or lack of decision) can create a ripple effect of negative consequences. What makes the story so tragic is you're able to understand where both characters are coming from as they fight over the house. You definitely won't always agree with their decisions, perhaps they'll even anger you like they did for me, but you will always understand why they're making them.

    Indeed, both characters have a right to the house. But if only either of them decided to better understand each other's situations...if only either of them decided to let go of his/her self-righteousness and pride for a moment...if only either of them decided to be more honest with their family members...if only either them decided to give up the fight and see this fight was not worth it...could tragedy have been avoided.

    And while some might argue the ending is too depressing, that's kind of the point. Like the great ancient stories of tragedy, it's the main character's inability to see their own flaws which bring about their downfall.
    26 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2024
    I am very glad that I read this book. I must say I was not emotionally prepared for a lot of it. Much of the subject matter hit me very close to home. Now, with that said I'm thrilled that I read it. I was talking to friends and they were recommending movies for me which I'm no movie snob I lived to watch TV but I just hadn't had a really great book reach and grab me from the get. That changed. One, of many incredible things about books, is there is always a "good guy & bad guy". Here at least for me, there isn't a clear cut answer. Beautifully and painstakingly written. When I shut my eyes and see the " widows walk". I feel the sun pounding on the pavement. I also know the feeling of desperation so strong you will stop at nothing to protect WHO you, what you love and sometimes where you love
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2008
    The story is told primarily from two different people's points of view. I am not sure if the author intended the readers to feel any sympathy towards the characters in their predicaments, but I found all of them to be pretty despicable, and I thought they all probably deserve what's coming to them. At times I subconsciously root for one character or the next, but both of the main characters are greedy and selfish. Kathy is a screw up and incompetent which leads to all the trouble she gets in. Behrani is egotistical, stubborn and cares mostly about himself, imposing his own ideas of what is "best" for his family.

    It is interesting hearing it from two different points of view, separated by different chapters, but I also feel like he stereotyped both characters a great deal. Using strategically broken english and an overbearing sense of pride through Behrani's words, and perhaps the exact opposite for Kathy.

    Often this book is a perfect page-turner, but just as often I found myself wanting to skip over chunks and chunks of paragraph. What makes this book great is the gripping story and eerie building of suspense. You might suspect what is going to happen next, but you definitely do feel the need to keep reading. Where the book is weakest, I feel, is the pacing. Several points throughout the book the author will pause in the midst of a character's thoughts and dive into a flashback that can last up to three pages. And all of these flashbacks provide little more insight into the character... instead it seems like wasted words and space, and like I said, destroys the pacing. The climatic scene happens well before the end of the book, making the remaining pages very uninteresting and the ending is pretty unsatisfying.

    Overall, a depressing but fairly well written book with a great story.
    13 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2024
    As in most cases, the nuances and details of the books are more engaging than the movie. Having said that I saw the movie first and liked it so much I bought the book. This will be one I re-read from time to time. I bought the soft book copy. It was well made - printing, cover, etc.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • THOMAS KURUVILLA
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in India on February 15, 2017
    good
  • Nancy Davies
    4.0 out of 5 stars Worth a read
    Reviewed in Australia on August 17, 2018
    Far more captivating than I thought it was going to be. Both sides were both heroes and villains in their own way
  • Jacquie C
    5.0 out of 5 stars wonderfully written
    Reviewed in Canada on January 16, 2015
    An error at city hall sends two people on a collision course. What was the 'right' thing to do? Things get so far out of hand that it becomes very difficult to tell.

    This story grabs you from the first chapter. the tale - told from the prospective off all the main characters - has you bouncing between sympathies.

    This story has a tragic ending where no one wins and it leaves you thinking - what would I have done? Just how far would I go to protect my own pride?
  • Larillalapilla
    4.0 out of 5 stars Correct shipment and product in perfect state
    Reviewed in Spain on April 23, 2014
    A good book for men or women. It is the source of the film adaptation with the same title starring Jennifer Connelly and Sir Ben Kingsley. It is a very faithfully adapted film, indeed. About the book, it is very well written, and quite easy and pleasant to read.
  • Rumiko
    5.0 out of 5 stars unbelievable tragedy
    Reviewed in Japan on December 22, 2012
    タイトルからして、地味で、静かな印象を受けた。
    そして、物語の始まりはそんな印象を裏切らなかったが、
    後半は一転して息を呑むような展開となり、
    静かな物語は、予測できなかったような悲劇の形で幕を閉じた。

    主人公の一人は、父の遺産の家に住む女性Kathy。数ヶ月前に
    彼女の夫はどこかに去っていった。
    過去にアルコール中毒の既往がある彼女は個人宅を清掃する仕事をして
    生計を立てていた。
    ある日カウンティのタックスオフィスの役人が彼女が税金を払っていない
    ことを主張し、よって彼女の家を差し押さえ、
    格安のオークションで家を売ってしまう。
    もうひとりの主人公は、オークションでKathyの家を手に入れたイラン人の移民Behrani。
    イランで極めて高い地位にいた彼は、イラン革命の時に命からがら逃げ、米国に落ち着いていた。
    考えられないような低い地位の人々と肉体労働をし、こつこつとお金を貯めていた
    彼は、格安オークションでKathyの家を手に入れ、それを転売することで
    お金をもうけることを思いつく。それもすべて、彼の妻と息子のためと称して…

    Kathyが家を差し押さえられたのは結局カウンティのミスで、
    Behraniは家を返すよう言われるが、もちろん返さない。
    また、Kathyの孤独と陰影のある美しさに惹かれていったCounty Sheriffの
    Lesterは、なんとかして彼女のために家を取り戻そうと考える。
    そこからじわじわと、悲劇が始まる…

    法と秩序の国アメリカで、誰も悪くない状況で(カウンティは絶対悪いが)、このような最悪の
    結果が生まれてしまう。読んでいてとてもせつなかった。
    たとえ家があっても、そこにいる最愛の人がいなければ、そこになんの意味もないのだ。

    小説は、Kathyが語ると、そのあとBehraniが語るという形をとっている。
    そこで読者は、どちらの心境も追い詰められた状況も理解でき、
    双方の誤解と思い込みが解けないことにいらだちを感じる。
    著者が描くひとつひとつのエピソードは、とてもよくそれぞれのキャラクターの
    性格を浮き彫りにしていて素晴らしい。
    特にLesterが最後、破壊的な行動に走ってしまうのを理解するのに、
    彼の過去のエピソードはとても役に立つ。

    最後の悲劇とはどんなことになってしまうのか…是非読んで、やりきれなさを
    噛み締めて欲しい。