This is the story of Daniel; he’s not sitting beside you as you read this book but it’ll seem like he is.  Daniel is telling his classmates about Iran, exactly how he remembers it and what it was like when he left that country, because that’s important.

Twelve-year-old Daniel currently lives in Oklahoma with his family. Residing in Mrs. Miller’s classroom, Daniel knows about inequity and how individuals feel about Persians.  Giving his own personal story, Daniel wants his classmates to know him, to know who he is, as a person.  So, sit back and enjoy his story.  For these are his own memories, his whole personal life (his twelve years) you will be holding securely in your own two hands.

I adored this book, I really did.  I loved how he wrote the book; the way that I felt a part of it and how the style of writing he used, personalized the book.  The stories he wrote were interesting and they felt genuine and vivid.  When the family fled Iran with their hard, gray suitcase and his memories of his extended family, even the smallest of details, felt so important.  What a great treasure!

“If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.” ….. “It’ll be alright in the end, folks.  If it’s not alright, then it’s not the end.” 

(Wow, I really enjoyed this and it made me stop and think, it’s so true. If you want a happy ending to whatever is happening, keep going till you get one.  If you feel you’re getting an unhappy ending, keep going, perhaps you’re not at the end and you can change things.)

I'm hoping to finish this up in the next hour or so.

This has turned out to be a gripping read.

Maybe this is one where the story reminding me of other stories actually adds to the suspense. Based on a True Story is more layered than the book/film it reminds me of and which actually features by reference (so it is definitely meant to be based on it).

The additional layers make this a really interesting read.

The overwhelming question I have is: Who is L.?

I started - finally!!! - on a new book today. Delphine de Vigan's "Based on a True Story". It is a little predictable and slow, but much less annoying than the Ware book. It also reminds me of Stephen King's film but I hope that there will be twists coming up that will make this book different.

This edition is not the edition I have, btw. My cover is nicer. But with all the BL slowness, indeed unresponsiveness, I am not even going to try to add my edition to the database. 

It's taken far too long to even add the book to my currently reading shelf AND add a reading update!

The whole BL mess is seriously frustrating me right now. I don't want to leave, but I now too fear that the platform may no longer be sustainable as my main bookish home. :(