Scan barcode
cassidys_bookshelf32's review against another edition
4.0
"Some good-byes are as gentle and inevitable as sunset, while some blindside you like a collision you didn't see coming. Some good-byes are schoolyard bullies you are powerless to stop, while others punctuate the end of a relationship because you decided: enough. Some are heartbreaking, leaving you a little more damaged than you were before, while others set you free."
A nine-year-old white girl named Robin becomes an orphan during the Soweto uprising in South Africa in the 1970's. Her Aunt takes her in, but quickly realizes that her lifestyle and job keep her from being the person and parent she needs to be for Robin. Enter in Beauty, a Xhosa woman looking for her daughter lost in a protest during the uprising. Beauty and Robin's Aunt come to an understanding, Beauty will look after Robin while she works as a flight attendant and Beauty can get her work permit to continue her search for her lost daughter. Hum If You Don't Know the Words was a beautifully woven story filled with memorable characters and breathtaking writing. I was fully immersed in the story with a history that I knew nothing about and I will think about it often. 4/5🌟
A nine-year-old white girl named Robin becomes an orphan during the Soweto uprising in South Africa in the 1970's. Her Aunt takes her in, but quickly realizes that her lifestyle and job keep her from being the person and parent she needs to be for Robin. Enter in Beauty, a Xhosa woman looking for her daughter lost in a protest during the uprising. Beauty and Robin's Aunt come to an understanding, Beauty will look after Robin while she works as a flight attendant and Beauty can get her work permit to continue her search for her lost daughter. Hum If You Don't Know the Words was a beautifully woven story filled with memorable characters and breathtaking writing. I was fully immersed in the story with a history that I knew nothing about and I will think about it often. 4/5🌟
i_likedbooksbest's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
fast-paced
5.0
twellz's review against another edition
4.0
Hum if You Don’t Know the Words:
Apartheid. South Africa. This book is written from the perspective of a 9-year old girl named Robin, who lost both of her parents to violence. Crazy, flight attendant Aunt Edith takes Robin in but lacks parental instincts so she hires a caretaker, Beauty, whose daughter Nomsa went missing during the Soweto Uprising.
Things I liked:
*Suspense: This book keeps you on the edge of your seat. Although it is not a suspense novel, it did keep me very engaged.
*Real Life Connections: On 16 June 1976, an estimated 20,000 children from schools in the township of Soweto in Johannesburg, South Africa took to the streets to protest the introduction of Afrikaans as a language of instruction in local schools. Armoured police cars, later known as “hippos”, start moving into Soweto & the rally turned violent. Official figures put the death toll at 23 people killed, but other reports say it was at least 200. Most of the victims were under 23, and many shot in the back. The uprising marked the turning point in the fight to end Apartheid & the author of this book used this as the foundation of her story.
Quote I really liked:
“I didn’t know what to say in a world where people were hated and attacked for not being the right color, not speaking the right language, not worshipping the right god or not loving the right people; a world where hatred was the common language, and bricks, the only words.” (Ugh…even though this book was set in the 70’s…this crap is still so true today.)
*Beauty: She was my favorite character. She reminded me of the maid Aibileen in The Help.
Things that I Didn’t Like:
*Cat was Robin’s imaginary friend. I am sure there was some psychological reason why she is a part of the book, but it was annoying to me.
*Robin’s age. 9-10 years old is way too young for how she behaved in this book. It became unrealistic as the story kept going. Robin’s wisdom seemed far, far beyond her years & the author would have been better off making her a teenager.
Summary:
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. It is captivating, scary, and a sad reality of just how messed up the people on our planet are.
“It is no coincidence that the parts of the country given to the blacks for their homelands are the parts where nothing of value grows.” (When driving through Detroit, I can’t stop believing that this is where it all began. So sad.)
Apartheid. South Africa. This book is written from the perspective of a 9-year old girl named Robin, who lost both of her parents to violence. Crazy, flight attendant Aunt Edith takes Robin in but lacks parental instincts so she hires a caretaker, Beauty, whose daughter Nomsa went missing during the Soweto Uprising.
Things I liked:
*Suspense: This book keeps you on the edge of your seat. Although it is not a suspense novel, it did keep me very engaged.
*Real Life Connections: On 16 June 1976, an estimated 20,000 children from schools in the township of Soweto in Johannesburg, South Africa took to the streets to protest the introduction of Afrikaans as a language of instruction in local schools. Armoured police cars, later known as “hippos”, start moving into Soweto & the rally turned violent. Official figures put the death toll at 23 people killed, but other reports say it was at least 200. Most of the victims were under 23, and many shot in the back. The uprising marked the turning point in the fight to end Apartheid & the author of this book used this as the foundation of her story.
Quote I really liked:
“I didn’t know what to say in a world where people were hated and attacked for not being the right color, not speaking the right language, not worshipping the right god or not loving the right people; a world where hatred was the common language, and bricks, the only words.” (Ugh…even though this book was set in the 70’s…this crap is still so true today.)
*Beauty: She was my favorite character. She reminded me of the maid Aibileen in The Help.
Things that I Didn’t Like:
*Cat was Robin’s imaginary friend. I am sure there was some psychological reason why she is a part of the book, but it was annoying to me.
*Robin’s age. 9-10 years old is way too young for how she behaved in this book. It became unrealistic as the story kept going. Robin’s wisdom seemed far, far beyond her years & the author would have been better off making her a teenager.
Summary:
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. It is captivating, scary, and a sad reality of just how messed up the people on our planet are.
“It is no coincidence that the parts of the country given to the blacks for their homelands are the parts where nothing of value grows.” (When driving through Detroit, I can’t stop believing that this is where it all began. So sad.)
donnalisa's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
wanderlustcrew's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this. Learned a lot about South Africa and Apartheid. Great writing and easy to follow. Robin is a funny character. Loved having a child’s perspective. I loved the accents on audio!
bookmarkie's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
hanne_b's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
lavenderreader16's review against another edition
3.0
I just feel like this book wasn’t for me. I read it for my book club, and I definitely wouldn’t have picked it up otherwise. I think the history part was interesting and it was informative to learn more about South Africa’s political scene at the time. But I just didn’t connect to the main character - the little girl. I also wish that her relationship with Beauty hadn’t been so rushed because the summary made it seem like it was the main focus of the book. Overall written but just didn’t hook me
meckels's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0