23/09/2026
The bright green cover of Good People by Patmeena Sabit has been standing out in our shop, and with a catchy title, it does make you want to pick it up and have a look. Linda recently read it, and here is what she had to say in her review.
I don’t want to say too much, and I’d advise against googling this title, because I think this book is best read with as little information as possible.
The Sharafs, an Afghan-American family, have fled Kabul and, after many challenges and sacrifices, build a successful life in Virginia, USA. Although the Sharaf family are the central characters, you never hear their voices. Instead, their story is told through interviews with various people including friends, neighbours, teachers, journalists, and a gas station attendant. Some accounts are from direct witnesses while others are based on rumours. The Sharaf family are only seen through the eyes of others.
I thought the structure of this book worked perfectly with how the story unfolded. Its short chapters are made for compulsive reading, and I’d finish one chapter deciding ‘guilty’, only to have my opinion turned on its head with the next.
Described as being a crime mystery with a community putting a grieving family on trial, this novel is more than that. It’s about immigration, racism, and bias in the American Dream. It’s a book of cultural clashes and perspectives.
There are some beautifully written passages with different dialects throughout this book which for me really added to the emotion. ‘Good People’ will sit with me for a long time.
