peacefulwarrior's review against another edition
5.0
Speechless
I am simply speechless... I couldn’t put the book down I read it though the day and night. I can’t imagine what they went through.
I am simply speechless... I couldn’t put the book down I read it though the day and night. I can’t imagine what they went through.
ckjesq's review against another edition
5.0
There is nothing here to say other than read this book - blessings to Nadia Hezni nasser - survivors all of them brave and beautiful
thuglibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a must read. It is not a pleasant book but it is vitally important to remember what occurred in the fight against the Islamic State. Nadia's entire village, a Yazidi Christian community, was overrun by ISIS, with most of the men executed. Nadia was taken to Mosul and was forced to be be an ISIS slave. What is most disturbing is that people that lived in neighboring villages who were not Christian and were not targeted, did nothing. A reminder of what can happen when good people turn the other way and do nothing.
I read an advance copy and was not compensated.
I read an advance copy and was not compensated.
creeker868's review against another edition
4.0
A story everyone should read. It is not easy to read but reminds you that evil survives when people don't stand up to defend innocents. Just because some has different beliefs is no reason to ignore what is happening to them. Don't look away.
brittanydawnn_'s review against another edition
5.0
**Review to come. I’m still processing this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Murder, War, Violence, and Genocide
ajsterkel's review against another edition
5.0
This memoir will make you want to punch people in the face. Seriously. Why is this stuff still happening?! The author was raised in a small Yazidi village in northern Iraq. In 2014, when she was 21 years old, ISIS invaded the village. They slaughtered most of the villagers, including many of Nadia's family members. Nadia was kidnapped and sold into sex slavery. She eventually escaped and made her way to Germany. There's a quote on the back of the book from The Economist that says "horrific and essential reading." I'd agree with that. Why are genocides still happening in modern times? And, why are terrorists using Facebook to sell sex slaves? (Seriously, WTF Facebook?)
For me, the most interesting part of the memoir is Nadia's observations about people who see problems and choose to ignore them. Here's a paragraph for you:
If I was forced to find something to complain about in the book, it would be the lack of a family tree. Nadia has a big family and a lot of friends. Sometimes I had a hard time remembering how they were all connected. That's a small complaint. This book should be required reading.
For me, the most interesting part of the memoir is Nadia's observations about people who see problems and choose to ignore them. Here's a paragraph for you:
"Maybe, I thought, it was asking too much of a normal family to fight back against terrorists like the men in ISIS, men who threw people they accused of being homosexual off rooftops; men who raped young girls because they belonged to the wrong religion; men who stoned people to death. My willingness to help others had never been tested like that. But that was because Yazidis had never been shielded by their religion, only attacked. Hisham and his family had remained safe in ISIS-occupied Mosul because they were born Sunni and therefore were accepted by the militants. Until I showed up, they'd been content to wear their religion as armor. I tried not to hate them for it, because they were showing me such kindness, but I didn't love them." - The Last Girl
If I was forced to find something to complain about in the book, it would be the lack of a family tree. Nadia has a big family and a lot of friends. Sometimes I had a hard time remembering how they were all connected. That's a small complaint. This book should be required reading.
guardianang's review against another edition
5.0
Nadia Murad's gut-wrenching story is one I've always known existed (hundreds of thousands like it exist), but have chosen to avoid up until now. I read this with a lot of shame- not only for my ignorance regarding genocide and how it happens all around us, but also for my willful lack of prior engagement on the topic. As someone who considers herself both well-read and globally conscious, I had no idea how little I knew. These are our sisters, and we can not look away. This book is a must read.