blueteacup's review
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
4.5
What Strange Paradise is a challenging novel about the migrant crisis currently happening around the world, specifically tackling migrants from Southwest Asia and North Africa trying to come to Europe. El Akkad uses alternating perspectives between a Syrian child refugee and a Greek teenager to both emphasize cultural and linguistic differences and to portray themes of finding mutual understanding despite these differences.
El Akkad is expertly able to enter the mind of a child and explain what the world looks like to a young boy who is in an unfamiliar place all alone, fleeing from war and strife. He uses fine details to express Amir’s desire to go home despite having no home to go back to, without blatantly stating the obvious. He also uses a wide cast of minor characters to explore differing perspectives on migration and refugee status. From a pregnant migrant woman still desperately trying to hold onto her morals and dignity when it seems everyone else has lost theirs, to a racist colonel afraid of white replacement, El Akkad is able to delve into each character’s mind and portray three-dimensional individuals.
My only gripe with the novel was I found it a bit hard to keep track of all of the characters on the migrant boat, as many were introduced all at once with little intro.
Overall, What Strange Paradise is a very well-written and insightful novel about migration and refugees, with interesting, well-rounded characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: War
Minor: Antisemitism
arnold_shelby's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is a moving exploration of humans seeking better futures, of people supporting one another, of tragedy as a normal, daily occurrence that white people turn off on a whim. Challenging and biting, hopeful, and painful all at once.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Racism
Minor: War and Vomit
katieeyu's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Xenophobia, and Racism
rebeccafarren's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Trafficking, Racism, and Xenophobia
daniellekat's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.75
I am speechless. This was incredible. The writing was so powerful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Trafficking, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Confinement and War
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: Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Violence, Racism, and Gun violence
devinmzt'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: War, Abandonment, Child death, and Xenophobia
yavin_iv's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Xenophobia, and Vomit
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Police brutality, War, and Blood
Minor: Gun violence, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Genocide
audreylee's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 stars. As more refugees will be heading away from conflict, more desperation, corruption, and xenophobia will be exposed in the world. A young boy survives the treacherous trip only to be hunted by the military in the hopes they can put him in a cage and prevent him from joining society at large. Allegiances shift and relationships are formed and broken as the bodies of some of the refugees are broken on the rocky shore. The shifting timeline bogged the story down and the intensity lapsed a bit during these episodes. No sweet fantasies are allowed here. Reality is grim and ever present. This book is slotted to be a contender for CanadaReads.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Racism
onewoman_bookclub's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Racism
Moderate: Child death and Death