I got this book for my Kindle from a local library, not knowing much about it. Because of this, I assumed it was fiction, and it was only very slowly--as I began to see photograph after photograph--that I suspected it was based on a real story. I think it was more powerful to read the book in this way; it became so much more poignant when it switched from a hypothetically real story to actual events that happened to actual people.
The book itself was difficult to read, but not in ways I expected. It was the human injustice much more than the storm itself that was devastating. Kathy's post-traumatic stress was also hard to read about. Still, the concluding faith in what could--and can still--be rebuilt was incredibly affirming, and made me want to purchase the book to support the Zeitoun foundation.