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danielnski's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A fantastic meditation on war, the people war displaces, and the people who receive them, all while being quite briskly paced and concise. There are so many moments and passages that I flagged for myself to come back to or reflect on because the prose is so beautiful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Gun violence, Trafficking, Grief, and War
literarylaila's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
lizmarasse's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Beautiful, haunting story - the refugee crisis examined from the perspective of a child.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Xenophobia, Vomit, and Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent
chelsl's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Xenophobia
abitbetterbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I can’t say that I “enjoyed” this book per se but it was really brilliant. I think some people may take it at face value and be upset by the ending and not think more critically about what the author was actually trying to accomplish with this work. If you are able to be confronted with your own bias and appropriately critiqued for holding a whitewashed version of what happens during a migrant crisis, then I think this book is an excellent read.
I think this book is a well-written (thought not perfectly executed) critique of the apathy of the Western world to the suffering of the global south, and points a finger straight at the idea Western exceptionalism. In picking apart this notion that some people are inherently good and want to help, and are willing to make great sacrifice in order to do so, and some people are inherently ignorant, selfish, and hurtful, El Akkad creates a story that is not really about the story or characters themselves and more about making a thematic point.
This isn’t a good thing or a bad thing, it just is a thing that some people may feel differently about when approaching this book. I’d highly recommend the audio, the narrator is one of the best I’ve ever heard.
I think this book is a well-written (thought not perfectly executed) critique of the apathy of the Western world to the suffering of the global south, and points a finger straight at the idea Western exceptionalism. In picking apart this notion that some people are inherently good and want to help, and are willing to make great sacrifice in order to do so, and some people are inherently ignorant, selfish, and hurtful, El Akkad creates a story that is not really about the story or characters themselves and more about making a thematic point.
This isn’t a good thing or a bad thing, it just is a thing that some people may feel differently about when approaching this book. I’d highly recommend the audio, the narrator is one of the best I’ve ever heard.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Xenophobia
Moderate: Child death, Death, Racism, Death of parent, and Classism
galexy_brain's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I am the hopeful, privileged reader, but I didn’t realize until the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, and War
Minor: Confinement, Racism, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
laur_o's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Death, and War
chloe_eags's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Racism, and Violence
kelly_e's review against another edition
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Title: What Strange Paradise
Author: Omar El Akkad
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: July 20, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Memorable • Contrasting • Necessary
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Nine-year-old Amir is the lone surviour when the overfilled boat carrying him and other refugees capsizes. He comes to on a beach where he must evade the military to ensure his safety. Eventually he will be rescued by Vanna, a 14-year-old, who is determined to keep him safe, despite their differences. What Strange Paradise looks at the global refugee crisis through the eyes of a child.
💭 T H O U G H T S
What Strange Paradise wasn't on my radar until it was chosen for the 2022 Canada Reads longlist in January. After being shortlisted, I immediately placed a hold for it at my library knowing I wanted to read each of the five books before the debates in late March.
Omar El Akkad sets aside the cultural, historical and political aspects that drive people to leave their homelands, seeking refuge elsewhere, and instead focuses on the stories of the people at the center of the crisis. What really stood out for me is the writing, and powerful nature of two children brought together. The contrasting nature of the Greek island - with its fancy hotels and beaches masking the crisis - was a tool very well utilized within these pages. This is by no means an easy book to read, and at times made me feel uncomfortable, bringing to life the struggle, the fear, the barriers, and the injustices these people face. El Akkad succeeds in making the reader uneasy by humanizing and really bringing to life the real lived experience, and inching me closer to the crisis.
As heartbreaking as the story is, there are glimpses of hope and kindness sprinkled throughout. I believe this to be incredibly powerful, as it demonstrates that people can be facing the most dire circumstances but still find it within them to be kind. For examples really stand out, firstly the pregnant lady on board the ship who takes Amir under her wing, and Vanna, who will do everything in her power to help Amir.
What didn't work for me was the structure. The alternating chapters didn't carry the same weight, and at times it felt disjointed. I found myself much more invested in and wanting more of the before chapters compared to the after ones. For instance, I wanted so much more from Amir's connection with the pregnant lady on board the ship. Because of this lack of character depth it didn't pack the emotional punch I had been anticipating. And then there was the ending, which definitely left me disappointed.
Yes - this is definitely a book that needs to be read. No - it's not the emotional journey I was expecting. And yet, there is no doubt this book has left me with lots to think about. With such cinematic tools, I am left to ponder if there wouldn't have been more value in this as a movie.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• all Canadians
• educators
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Maher shrugged. 'Books are good for the soul,' he said. 'Books will ween you off cruelty.'"
Author: Omar El Akkad
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: July 20, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Memorable • Contrasting • Necessary
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Nine-year-old Amir is the lone surviour when the overfilled boat carrying him and other refugees capsizes. He comes to on a beach where he must evade the military to ensure his safety. Eventually he will be rescued by Vanna, a 14-year-old, who is determined to keep him safe, despite their differences. What Strange Paradise looks at the global refugee crisis through the eyes of a child.
💭 T H O U G H T S
What Strange Paradise wasn't on my radar until it was chosen for the 2022 Canada Reads longlist in January. After being shortlisted, I immediately placed a hold for it at my library knowing I wanted to read each of the five books before the debates in late March.
Omar El Akkad sets aside the cultural, historical and political aspects that drive people to leave their homelands, seeking refuge elsewhere, and instead focuses on the stories of the people at the center of the crisis. What really stood out for me is the writing, and powerful nature of two children brought together. The contrasting nature of the Greek island - with its fancy hotels and beaches masking the crisis - was a tool very well utilized within these pages. This is by no means an easy book to read, and at times made me feel uncomfortable, bringing to life the struggle, the fear, the barriers, and the injustices these people face. El Akkad succeeds in making the reader uneasy by humanizing and really bringing to life the real lived experience, and inching me closer to the crisis.
As heartbreaking as the story is, there are glimpses of hope and kindness sprinkled throughout. I believe this to be incredibly powerful, as it demonstrates that people can be facing the most dire circumstances but still find it within them to be kind. For examples really stand out, firstly the pregnant lady on board the ship who takes Amir under her wing, and Vanna, who will do everything in her power to help Amir.
What didn't work for me was the structure. The alternating chapters didn't carry the same weight, and at times it felt disjointed. I found myself much more invested in and wanting more of the before chapters compared to the after ones. For instance, I wanted so much more from Amir's connection with the pregnant lady on board the ship. Because of this lack of character depth it didn't pack the emotional punch I had been anticipating. And then there was the ending, which definitely left me disappointed.
Yes - this is definitely a book that needs to be read. No - it's not the emotional journey I was expecting. And yet, there is no doubt this book has left me with lots to think about. With such cinematic tools, I am left to ponder if there wouldn't have been more value in this as a movie.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• all Canadians
• educators
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Maher shrugged. 'Books are good for the soul,' he said. 'Books will ween you off cruelty.'"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and Pregnancy
devin_reads_books's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Xenophobia, Abandonment, and War