iam_ofuje's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
aprylrose's review against another edition
2.0
dnf w/ 30 pages left.
damn, i really wanted to like this book. the story captured the essence of war through the eyes of innocence, and the beauty of friendship despite barriers. it was beautifully written and told a story that deserves to be shared, i will argue that.
however it was dense, and so hard to follow along with. the writing was very difficult to comprehend and it just wasn’t a great book for me personally.
damn, i really wanted to like this book. the story captured the essence of war through the eyes of innocence, and the beauty of friendship despite barriers. it was beautifully written and told a story that deserves to be shared, i will argue that.
however it was dense, and so hard to follow along with. the writing was very difficult to comprehend and it just wasn’t a great book for me personally.
amypitts's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
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
5.0
bethsbooketlist's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
🌟🌟🌟🌟 - This was our local book club read. I knew from the subject matter it would be a difficult read but it was incredibly incredibly difficult, especially considering the current news in the UK when looking at government attitudes to the refugee crisis. Every page explored the desperation of these people, the hostility and compassion refugees find in eachother, as well as the abuse and manipulation of those that refugees look to for help and support on their journey. Another big theme was the different attitudes towards the West from different cultures - I didn't disagree with a lot or them and it made me ashamed for our county's policies. I was also pretty disgusted at the lack of compassion in humanity throughout this book because it's unfortunately true. But the purity and goodness of children shines out in the pages and that really warmed my heart. The way language is used in this book is just beautiful - Omar El Akkad certainly has a way with words that brings all your emotions to the surface. Some sentences I read over and over again and just thought - wow. The beauty in the simplicity of the language but the way it was woven together to create such profound sentences - blew my mind. A quick read but powerful none the less
fajrbastaki's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
newlyhipstef's review against another edition
emotional
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? No
5.0
Heartbreaking, and frustrating. The author says so much in three poetic words. The book moves along quickly and is a fast read, yet packs character and history and politics. A look at the human story of refugees…children… and the adults who are in charge in some ways and so not in others