Title: Negative and exaggerated
Review: I base my opinion on Mantel's novel from 18 years of living in Saudi Arabia. In defence of this book it is obvious she writes from first hand experience of Jeddah and she suceeds in creating an uneasy atmosphere from the start. However, the characters are, without exception, somewhat bland, empty people, lacking strength or depth. This may well be Mantel's intention together with the lack of substantial conclusion to the plot. Mantel dwells entirely on the negatives in Saudi and very little on the positives, such as the genuine friendships one acquires by getting to know people from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures.The success of this novel must surely lie in its negative sensationalism rather than its literary credibility. It would be tragic if readers were put off visiting Saudi Arabia on the strength of this book which portrays bigotry and ignorance.
Is this product review negative?