About to snuggle in with my little girl on our staycation with a book I've been looking forward to for a long time.

I did find it meandering and melodramatic, but the innocence to the style despite the traumatic subject matter was appealing; an idealistic hope that these practices would end. Lovely at moments, sickening at others-certainly gave some insight in the treatment of slaves. And sparked a revolution!

The fact that while the individual stories were fictional, that they, and the political and cultural background were not, make me feel sick to my stomach at some parts. But the narrative empathy Hosseini evokes is wonderful-found it more hard hitting than The Kite Runner.

Got a rug, my uggies, a fresh book (reading for students) and company. All set!