I thought the writing was in general quite good, and liked how the story described things and how Asad's thoughts as well as what was happening in the real world were narrated. However, I also think the story lacked progression. Instead of having a basic idea and then venturing off of it as the story continues, it stuck with describing how Palestinians like Asad live in Gaza, until at the end, when we get a glimpse of Asad saying goodbye to Gaza and leaving to explore. At the same time, describing the sad conditions of Gaza is pretty much the point of the book. Just like Asad saw the rest of the world through books, we are seeing Gaza through this book. This isn't just an everyday story, it's an educational novel. To quote the synopsis, "It conjures a life filled with the longing, the bruised hopes, and the frustrations of a people. It is a window into a world most people see only in news clips".