This Way to Heaven

Talk about an emotional rollercoaster. Although this is considered fiction, I'm sure the conditions depicted in this book aren't far off. Really great read.

I was simultaneously disturbed by and deeply moved by this book. I am hesitant to admit that I knew little about the situation in Bosnia before I read this book. This book not only educated me but it moved me. This is book is brilliantly written. Powerful, disturbing and unstoppable. Try as you might, you can't put it down. Read it.

I picked up this book as I was walking through Borders. I looked at the covers of the books looking for a good war novel. I found this one and luckily for me, the cover caught my attention. This book is brilliant! Not only did it inform me about the conflicts in Bosnia, but the story moved me. This is a deep and powerful book. I am amazed with this book and I recommend it to everyone. A warning is that it has quite a bit of graphic violence and includes a few scenes of graphic sexual stuff.

I received this book as a gift, and read it out of obligation. About 20 pages in, I was hooked! The author has a very good descriptive style, and made me feel for the main characters. The best thing about this novel was that one can learn an amazing amount of information about the Bosnia/Serbia war, something Americans in general are unfamiliar with. My word of warning is that this novel is very graphic, something akin to the WWII concentration camps. However, graphic violence aside, this was an ecxellent book.

Upon hearing that Foley's 2nd novel was in print, I eagerly got my hands on it and read it cover to cover. The story drags the reader through the darker side of Bosnia while reminding us of the inherent good in mankind. The hemingway-esque main character follows a seemingly well researched route through the war-torn region only to delay the devastation to follow. This book is not for the weak at heart!

Not only was I totally engrossed in Foley's story about American gunrunner Robert Jackson, I was amazed by how much I learned about the situation in the Balkans just from reading this novel! I generally keep up on current events so I knew something about the war in Bosnia before I picked up this book, but Foley's account really brought the history of the region, as well as the horror of the atrocities committed during the war, to life for me. His characters are incredibly human and his account of Jackson's inner struggles regarding his own life and regarding the war make him a character the reader cares about. I strongly recommend this book to anyone - whether you love adventure novels, novels that take place during important historical times, or even if you favor romances (Foley weaves a love story into the plot). I would also recommend the book to those who simply want to learn more about the Balkans while enjoying a great story.