The whole comes together as very real, so real that the reader feels s/he knows the characters too, and wants to find out what may be their lot today. The characters are melds of people she knew at the time. Second, the story is based on experiences the author had while teaching English in Kurdistan.
First, it’s a debut novel of literary fiction, and to create an excellent book the first time in this genre deserves big applause. This book gets 5 stars for multiple reasons. I’m so happy to discover another author I completely enjoy. I did notice minor grammatical errors, but nothing worth toiling over. I highly enjoyed this novel and recommend it to those with multicultural interests. A glossary is included in the back as a reference to the Arabic words, names, and phrases that were used in the book. The Author's Afterward is a must read as the author briefly explains important events that transpired during her time there. It was not pertinent to the story of her life with Kurds and it took away from the culture of the book.Īlthough fictitious, this work is based upon the author’s time and experiences in Kurdish Iraq.
At moments throughout her account in Iraq, she has moments of pining for her old life with her husband, and recounts details in her divorce often.
I did not care for her anecdotal divorce history. So, it is only after her divorce that Theresa signs up to teach abroad in Iraq. As a teacher in this foreign land, her career is tested, and character threatened. Her local friends are not always making the best decisions, and Theresa must watch as they reap the consequences. Theresa seeks to help her new friend but understands she must respect the rules of her friend’s home and as an American woman has a hard time swallowing what she must accept. To her surprise, she experiences but a small taste of the caste system primarily through a Kurdish woman that she becomes friends with. It takes Theresa a while to adapt to the new environment and culture, but after purchasing a bike she is able to acclimate more rapidly. On her journey, she immerses the readers into the Kurdish culture. Although entering Iraq as a teacher, Theresa leaves having learned more than expected. The Kurdish Bike is the narrative account of an American teacher’s journey to Kurdish Iraq.
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