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So I expected this book to be an updated, more "fair" (i.e. less biased, less prejudiced) version of the well-known "Not Without My Daughter" version of book. And to be fair, it is a better version. It's not as biased, not as prejudiced. I had high hopes, given that the author was born in Egypt and comes from a Saudi family. Unfortunately that didn't seem to matter in this book's case.

At the beginning of the book you get a short introduction to Karim in a neutral way. And then later, there are *some* attempts at giving a voice to Dina's husband Karim (the scary Arab who steals the children to raise them in an equally scary Muslim country). However, those attempts are minimal (like crumbs thrown in to allay criticism). For example, the author *hints* at Karim's difficulties in America post 9-11, but she doesn't in any manner describe those difficulties in a human manner so that the reader could understand the psychological damage done to Karim, and why he might feel his own children might be in danger (i.e. possible verbal harassment, physical harassment, increased anti-Muslim hate crimes increasing in number every year since 2001, etc.). The author then treats Karim's family in Jordan much like she treats Karim. The family is portrayed in a very caricature manner (surly manner, unfriendly, always disapproving, lacking in the traditional Arab manner of welcoming guests, etc.). No attempt is made to give a back story for WHY certain family members might feel the way they do, act the way they do, etc. And then once again, the author throws in one person, a sister-in-law, who is mildly friendly and helpful, just so that you know that not ALL Arabs are completely horrible. The book simply doesn't do a good job of covering the various characters in this story in a real, human manner. Only the American characters seem to get back stories and descriptions for why they act the way they do, why they have the feelings they have.

The story itself? It's generally entertaining. You have the main story (i.e. Dina trying to get her kidnapped children back from Jordan) and then several side stories (i.e. Dina's two best friends and their respective love lives). The characters are generally likable (the American ones, that is).Although Dina's relationship with her oldest son, Jordy, is not without it's criticisms. Personally, I didn't find the ending to the story at all realistic, but I can't explain why without giving away the end (and I hate to put a spoiler in my review).

Since yes, there are lots of real, legitimate stories of one parent stealing children from another and taking them to live in a second country... I'm sure there are well written, nonfiction stories out there that do a much better job of telling a story like this one that (I'd hope) are more nuanced and give a better idea of the complex issues involved.