findingfiction_'s review against another edition
4.0
Books about Syrian refugees are a bit harder for me to consume because of how impactful the war in Syria has been.
This book leaves the reader both heartbroken and hopeful, a dull sameness of emotions felt by those on that boat.
It is an impactful read and the ending is sure to leave its mark.
This book leaves the reader both heartbroken and hopeful, a dull sameness of emotions felt by those on that boat.
It is an impactful read and the ending is sure to leave its mark.
hnagle15's review against another edition
5.0
-I finished this last night and I was up all night thinking about it. I can't stop thinking about how well it was written, and how haunting the story was.
-Amir truly came to life for me. His character was so vibrant, his experiences so vividly described. His story completely broke my heart, because it seemed so innocent. I mean this in the sense that he was just curious what his Quiet Uncle was doing, which led him to a situation he could not get out of. His curiosity led him to a place he never wanted to be, a place he did not understand.
-I enjoyed the alternating between After and Before.
-Reading from the POV from the Colonel was the hardest. His blatant racism and hatred for Amir (and all refugees) was so well written - reading from his POV you saw his justifications for his actions, yet from the outside (Vanna or Amir's POV), you could see how his actions were rooted in pure hatred.
-Amir truly came to life for me. His character was so vibrant, his experiences so vividly described. His story completely broke my heart, because it seemed so innocent. I mean this in the sense that he was just curious what his Quiet Uncle was doing, which led him to a situation he could not get out of. His curiosity led him to a place he never wanted to be, a place he did not understand.
-I enjoyed the alternating between After and Before.
-Reading from the POV from the Colonel was the hardest. His blatant racism and hatred for Amir (and all refugees) was so well written - reading from his POV you saw his justifications for his actions, yet from the outside (Vanna or Amir's POV), you could see how his actions were rooted in pure hatred.
lolajoan's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent and beautiful and deeply sad. Totally deserving of the praise and awards it's gotten.
marabender's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
rachelini's review against another edition
3.0
Read for both book clubs, as it turns out. :D El Akkad is a great writer, but I didn't find myself drawn into the story. Interesting discussions though.
jstor's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.5
courdywardy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ellalucys's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5