When the Apricots Bloom: A Novel of Riveting and Evocative Fiction

This is a very slow pace of book, and I actually kind of loved it. It feels so perfectly fitting for the life the three women have in Baghdad. The dull slog through every day for Ally. The intolerable passing of time for Rania and Huda. The burn building just under the surface, while the face must remain impassive. Or more colloquially, like that saying about how a serenely gliding duck is paddling madly just under the surface of the water. This brushed with some of the most painful things in life. It mentioned them, and moved on, because that's the way the women must be if they want to keep their lives. The brusque attitude towards horrors, the horrified casualness in dismissing them... it sinks in deep. Plot was solid. Progression was slow and steady, and then the last third of the book absolutely flew by for me. No romance, just pain and love of a different kind.

This novel completely surprised me. From the beautiful, lyrical writing with concrete metaphors focused on the Middle East landscape and culture, to the three-dimensional characters that grabbed my attention and jumped off the pages, this author captured the power of family and friendship and the decisions a war-torn, cruel dictatorship forced its citizens to make in the hopes of surviving and providing a safer life for themselves and their families. I've read nonfiction articles and books about the leadership of Saddam Hussein and his brother, who, in my opinion, was even more cruel and inhumane, if that was even fathomable. The lies, torture, deceptions, and sacrifices Iraqis were forced to endure tested their values and morality and so many suffered unbearable losses. This author created a fictional world that felt as if it could be a true to life story and the powerful ending will remain with me for a long time to come.

"When the Apricots Bloom" is a novel full of loss, love, and hope. The three main characters, Huda, Ally, and Rania are all so unique in both their personalities and their struggles, but the bond the three women share is something truly beautiful. I found myself rooting for all of them, though I knew it impossible that they all get what they want. I found it very interesting that this novel was based on the real experiences of the author. A dependent spouse living in Iraq during Hussein's rule, Wilkinson was in a very similar position to Ally. Her experiences clearly gave a special life and extra dimension to Ally's character. I look forward to reading other books from Wilkinson. I thoroughly enjoyed her debut novel, and I cannot wait to see what else she has in store. I encourage anyone looking for a truly moving read to consider picking up this book, you won't regret it.