bgg616's review against another edition
5.0
I had heard that some reviewers asked what an Irish writer in her late 80’s was doing writing about a victim of Boko Haram in Nigeria. But I avoided reading reviews as I am wont to do, and read this after it was nominated for the 2020 Women’s Prize long list. At the end of the book, the Acknowledgements section describes the research O’Brien did for this book, including traveling to Nigeria, visiting several parts of the country, and meeting with various groups and individuals in order to create a story that accurately represented the experiences of a kidnapped victim. Some readers may find it useful to read this section first. O’Brien has spent her career writing about the plight of women, not only in Ireland, but in Bosnia (Little Red Chairs) and in this novel, Nigeria. The kidnapping of hundreds of girls in 2014 in Chibok, in northeastern Nigeria, got global attention and celebrities, including Michelle Obama and Beyoncé, took up their cause. Five years later, many girls remain missing, and the story has been all but forgotten.
In the middle of the night, men claiming to be soldiers arriving to protect a school during a local insurrection break into the girls’ dormitory. They are not soldiers, but members of the Jihadist group Boko Haram. The narrator of the story is Maryam, a young teen. The conditions in the camp where the girls are held are horrifying. The violence, necessary not only to keep the girls under control, but more importantly to keep the fighters terrified of taking off, is relentless. Maryam is married off and gives birth. Then she escapes. As appalling as life in the camp was, Maryam’s escape with her infant daughter is full of dismaying dangers. Maryam finds temporary refuge, but time after time she is forced to move on. What was most revealing was the account of what happened to girls who managed to escape. This is not a story with a happy ending, but it is a portrayal of the resilience of women.
O’Brien’s novel was very deserving of the nomination for the 2020 Women’s Prize long list. It is not an easy story to read, but it is an important one. Highly recommended.
In the middle of the night, men claiming to be soldiers arriving to protect a school during a local insurrection break into the girls’ dormitory. They are not soldiers, but members of the Jihadist group Boko Haram. The narrator of the story is Maryam, a young teen. The conditions in the camp where the girls are held are horrifying. The violence, necessary not only to keep the girls under control, but more importantly to keep the fighters terrified of taking off, is relentless. Maryam is married off and gives birth. Then she escapes. As appalling as life in the camp was, Maryam’s escape with her infant daughter is full of dismaying dangers. Maryam finds temporary refuge, but time after time she is forced to move on. What was most revealing was the account of what happened to girls who managed to escape. This is not a story with a happy ending, but it is a portrayal of the resilience of women.
O’Brien’s novel was very deserving of the nomination for the 2020 Women’s Prize long list. It is not an easy story to read, but it is an important one. Highly recommended.
bellaruffell's review
4.0
On 14 April, 2014, 276 young girls were abducted from their school by the extremist terrorist organisation Boko Haram. The news horrified the world and yet the international community did little to help these girls. The author of Girl travelled to Nigeria where she met some of the survivors, those who managed against all odds to escape. This novel is based on their accumulative experiences, combining them into the fictional character Maryam.
There have been some huge questions and discussions around this book. The biggest of which for me whether a 89 yer old white woman is the right person to tell the story of an African school girl. I understand the arguments from both sides. However the key thing for me is that this is an extremely well written book that tells and important story. O’Brien finds a relentless tone that forces the reader to confront the atrocities these young women had to endure, but without making the book sound like conveying misery is the only point: The victims and survivors are strong and dignified characters facing overwhelming fanatism and brutality.
This is a fantastic novel. My quandary is whether it would have been more interesting to read a non fiction version detailing O’Briens research in Nigeria and first hand accounts of the women she met.
There have been some huge questions and discussions around this book. The biggest of which for me whether a 89 yer old white woman is the right person to tell the story of an African school girl. I understand the arguments from both sides. However the key thing for me is that this is an extremely well written book that tells and important story. O’Brien finds a relentless tone that forces the reader to confront the atrocities these young women had to endure, but without making the book sound like conveying misery is the only point: The victims and survivors are strong and dignified characters facing overwhelming fanatism and brutality.
This is a fantastic novel. My quandary is whether it would have been more interesting to read a non fiction version detailing O’Briens research in Nigeria and first hand accounts of the women she met.
kristinmbiddle's review against another edition
2.0
I’ve said this many times before but here it is: the only thing worse than a book so boring up front that I dnf in the 1st few minutes is a book that has an interesting 1st chapter so you keep reading but then the rest of the book suuuuux!!!
1. It was boring
2. The main character describes a lot of dreams.also, she quotes other characters telling stories and when your mind wanders as mine did, I kept having to surmise if it was a dream I was reading or a persons past story or back to the book.
3. Unlike Small Country (I understand they are not the same) the gritty parts served more of a purpose, to paint a picture, but in this book it seemed more gratuitous. if these events took place (I’m sure they did unfortunately) than I apologize and these stores need to be told.
Still, it didn’t feel…I don’t know…authentic? I became skeptical so I started googling the book. It worth noting I had looked for nonfiction so I assumed it was when I started it. that’s when I read some of the controversy around it. I had never even heard of this book prior so I did not go into with any preconceptions. Also, I will not speculate on the author’s knowledge; who am I to make that call? However, I would not have started even bothering to look it up had it not made me feel uneasy about it.
1. It was boring
2. The main character describes a lot of dreams.also, she quotes other characters telling stories and when your mind wanders as mine did, I kept having to surmise if it was a dream I was reading or a persons past story or back to the book.
3. Unlike Small Country (I understand they are not the same) the gritty parts served more of a purpose, to paint a picture, but in this book it seemed more gratuitous. if these events took place (I’m sure they did unfortunately) than I apologize and these stores need to be told.
Still, it didn’t feel…I don’t know…authentic? I became skeptical so I started googling the book. It worth noting I had looked for nonfiction so I assumed it was when I started it. that’s when I read some of the controversy around it. I had never even heard of this book prior so I did not go into with any preconceptions. Also, I will not speculate on the author’s knowledge; who am I to make that call? However, I would not have started even bothering to look it up had it not made me feel uneasy about it.
hnagle15's review against another edition
2.0
Content warning: Rape, kidnapping, stoning, involuntary pregnancy, horrifying birthing scene, humiliation.
I don't know what I expected, but I will have to admit that this wasn't it. It is my own fault for not researching the book prior to reading it - I borrowed the audiobook from the library after recognizing the cover. Had I known a white woman wrote this story, I don't know that I would have read it. I think that while the author's intentions were good, the end result was not.
I don't know what I expected, but I will have to admit that this wasn't it. It is my own fault for not researching the book prior to reading it - I borrowed the audiobook from the library after recognizing the cover. Had I known a white woman wrote this story, I don't know that I would have read it. I think that while the author's intentions were good, the end result was not.
marjimyst69's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
audreykerr's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't know what this book was about until I started it. It was one of those books that I was hearing enough hype about the back end of last year/early this year that I decided I'd read it, and it didn't matter what it was about. Well...if I knew it was a fictional story of the accumulation of told accounts from the schoolgirls in Chibok who were abducted by Boko Haram I probably would have passed.
It still feels too recent - students have just this past week sat exams for the first time in Chibok since the abduction, and more than 100 are still missing/being held. The references to Ireland in the book were just very weird, and felt there to remind you of the fact that the author is a white Irish woman, but they just felt unnatural to me. At least the first third of the book if not more is just a relentless telling of the horrors and atrocities against Maryam and the other girls. It's not something I want in a book, I don't gain anything but more disgust and sadness.
It still feels too recent - students have just this past week sat exams for the first time in Chibok since the abduction, and more than 100 are still missing/being held. The references to Ireland in the book were just very weird, and felt there to remind you of the fact that the author is a white Irish woman, but they just felt unnatural to me. At least the first third of the book if not more is just a relentless telling of the horrors and atrocities against Maryam and the other girls. It's not something I want in a book, I don't gain anything but more disgust and sadness.
mrsclb's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
whatcourtneyreads's review against another edition
4.0
⚠️CW: significant physical and sexual violence (incl. children); war⚠️
Maryam, a young Nigerian girl, has just been abducted (along with all of her school friends) by the Boko Haram, a group of fundamentalist terrorists, who proceed to torture and rape them, and force them into marriage with adult men. This story is based on the experiences of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls who were abducted in 2014.
This book was absolutely devastating. I felt physically unwell at a few points in the first little bit, the descriptions were so graphic. It was actually relentless at one point. The trauma that these girls endured is monstrous, and the resulting destruction of families is heartbreaking.
O’Brien’s writing was incredibly engaging, and it took about two pages for me to be fully invested in this story. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down and finished it within a day.
I did feel like the pacing across the narrative was a bit jarring. We are propelled forward so harshly into the trauma and violence in the first half, before the story changes completely in the second and momentum is lost. It diminished my experience a bit, however I still really enjoyed the book overall.
I was initially concerned that a white Irish woman wrote this, however I was glad to read that O’Brien did significant research before writing this book, and spoke extensively with people who have lived experience. If it can’t be Own Voices, I hope it’s at least an accurate and respectful portrayal.
Maryam, a young Nigerian girl, has just been abducted (along with all of her school friends) by the Boko Haram, a group of fundamentalist terrorists, who proceed to torture and rape them, and force them into marriage with adult men. This story is based on the experiences of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls who were abducted in 2014.
This book was absolutely devastating. I felt physically unwell at a few points in the first little bit, the descriptions were so graphic. It was actually relentless at one point. The trauma that these girls endured is monstrous, and the resulting destruction of families is heartbreaking.
O’Brien’s writing was incredibly engaging, and it took about two pages for me to be fully invested in this story. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down and finished it within a day.
I did feel like the pacing across the narrative was a bit jarring. We are propelled forward so harshly into the trauma and violence in the first half, before the story changes completely in the second and momentum is lost. It diminished my experience a bit, however I still really enjoyed the book overall.
I was initially concerned that a white Irish woman wrote this, however I was glad to read that O’Brien did significant research before writing this book, and spoke extensively with people who have lived experience. If it can’t be Own Voices, I hope it’s at least an accurate and respectful portrayal.