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anges_book_chatter's review against another edition
challenging
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
stormymonday's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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? Yes
3.75
library_dreamer's review against another edition
2.5
I had a really hard time getting through this one because of the way Jean talked about and treated women, especially a transgender woman. There's a possibility that something was lost in translation, but his attitudes and actions made it really hard to enjoy the rest of what should have been an interesting buddy traveling story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Antisemitism
quackthump's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
toryhallelujah's review against another edition
3.0
Very odd. Worth it for the dialogue -- I felt like I was there; I got such a good sense of how the Cameroonian speech patterns flow and I very much enjoyed that! But the story itself was quite strange.
midnightbookgirl's review against another edition
informative
reflective
fast-paced
2.75
Spoilerish... proceed with caution
I thought this was going to be a coming of age story... but it never quite gets there. Jean learns more- about himself, about his family, on his journey to bring his brother Roger home, but it doesn't equal any growth and you. Or at least, the reader doesn't get to see it.
It made for a good book club discussion, although we were all questioning if the slurs and attitude toward the trans character were meant to represent Jean's feelings (as he continuously has unkind thoughts towards most women in the story, especially if he saw them as competition for Simon's attention) or if they reflect the author's opinions, or the general regard in Cameroon.
While I didn't love this book, and will never reread it, I did enjoy the glimpse of life in Cameroon, as previously the only thing I knew of the country was based on soccer. Jean and Simon's travels from Douala across the country brought Cameroon to life- the sights, the noise, the food, the beauty and the danger.
I thought this was going to be a coming of age story... but it never quite gets there. Jean learns more- about himself, about his family, on his journey to bring his brother Roger home, but it doesn't equal any growth and you. Or at least, the reader doesn't get to see it.
It made for a good book club discussion, although we were all questioning if the slurs and attitude toward the trans character were meant to represent Jean's feelings (as he continuously has unkind thoughts towards most women in the story, especially if he saw them as competition for Simon's attention) or if they reflect the author's opinions, or the general regard in Cameroon.
While I didn't love this book, and will never reread it, I did enjoy the glimpse of life in Cameroon, as previously the only thing I knew of the country was based on soccer. Jean and Simon's travels from Douala across the country brought Cameroon to life- the sights, the noise, the food, the beauty and the danger.
beckylej's review against another edition
4.0
After the death of their father, Choupi's older brother, Roger, runs away in search of fame as a football player in Europe.
Their mother is devastated and so Choupi and his friend Simon set off to find the missing Roger. But it's been a month already and terrorist attacks in the north are dominating the news.
With few clues to start with, the two take a winding path through Camaroon that leads to potential disaster around every corner!
Max Lobe's English debut is a coming-of-age road trip story of (mis)adventure!
With short chapters and plenty of humor, Lobe tackles some otherwise very heavy topics! As mentioned above, there's the ever looming threat of terrorist attacks, which causes Choupi understandable anxiety! That dark atmosphere combined with the grief felt by the family, as well as Choupi's own questions about identity could have weighed the book down. I believe, though, that Lobe's intention was not only to illustrate a sort of average guy story, but to give readers who aren't familiar with Camaroon a chance to see that—in general—the lives of the people living there aren't that different from their own.
The story bounces around in time as Choupi reminisces about various instances that have led to the journey. Through his eyes, we see the strained family dynamic—Choupi is his mother's favorite and Roger's own hopes and dreams of being a football star aren't exactly supported. Indeed, tension between Choupi and Roger comes to a head before Roger leaves.
I'll admit that going into this story I knew absolutely nothing about Camaroon. I also wasn't really sure what to expect out of this one except that the description included the quote, "Through a series of joyful sparky vignettes, Cameroon life is revealed in all its ups and downs." I have to say that I agree wholeheartedly! This book, even with all of the various issues wrapped up in the thread of the search for Roger, does remain overall light. And clocking in at just about 200 pages, it's an incredibly easy read as well!
Their mother is devastated and so Choupi and his friend Simon set off to find the missing Roger. But it's been a month already and terrorist attacks in the north are dominating the news.
With few clues to start with, the two take a winding path through Camaroon that leads to potential disaster around every corner!
Max Lobe's English debut is a coming-of-age road trip story of (mis)adventure!
With short chapters and plenty of humor, Lobe tackles some otherwise very heavy topics! As mentioned above, there's the ever looming threat of terrorist attacks, which causes Choupi understandable anxiety! That dark atmosphere combined with the grief felt by the family, as well as Choupi's own questions about identity could have weighed the book down. I believe, though, that Lobe's intention was not only to illustrate a sort of average guy story, but to give readers who aren't familiar with Camaroon a chance to see that—in general—the lives of the people living there aren't that different from their own.
The story bounces around in time as Choupi reminisces about various instances that have led to the journey. Through his eyes, we see the strained family dynamic—Choupi is his mother's favorite and Roger's own hopes and dreams of being a football star aren't exactly supported. Indeed, tension between Choupi and Roger comes to a head before Roger leaves.
I'll admit that going into this story I knew absolutely nothing about Camaroon. I also wasn't really sure what to expect out of this one except that the description included the quote, "Through a series of joyful sparky vignettes, Cameroon life is revealed in all its ups and downs." I have to say that I agree wholeheartedly! This book, even with all of the various issues wrapped up in the thread of the search for Roger, does remain overall light. And clocking in at just about 200 pages, it's an incredibly easy read as well!
smokeyshouse's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Great descriptive prose and humor, but the ending was very abrupt!