Laila Lalami

This is a fabulous, unputdownable book about the experience of a slave who gets sent along on the Spanish colonization of Florida.
It doesn't make you feel good about humanity, but it will teach you about the tough travels, the kindness and savagery of all involved.
I'm so very glad I read it.

I enjoyed the book as well as the plot but my god did I get mad at Nora's mom for constantly comparing her two daughters and then leaving some open ended question such as did Salma get help in the end? Did Nora actually end up with Jeremy? What happened to Efrian? Just wish these questions could've been answered

The Other Americans by Laila Lalami is a superlative expose of widespread racism brilliantly injected into a hit and run mystery. Told from the view point of delectable and repulsive set of characters, Laila shows us a brittle Americana fabric that is searching for answers. Loneliness, love, immigration and the definition of home percolate this gorgeous novel. The metaphors come fast and furious.

Not the most sophisticated book I've read recently. Tells the story of Moroccans looking for a brighter future outside their country. Few succeed.
I found the story lines simplistic and the characters two dimensional, but the book does paint a picture of a world far from my own. I'm glad I read it.