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A review by emilyusuallyreading
The Boat People by Sharon Bala
2.0
What I Liked
I was eager and fully prepared to love this book. I am a supporter of refugees, I want to learn their plights, and I would like to know more about the challenges and red tape they face coming into a foreign country. The Boat People is based off of a true story, which amazed me, and the main character Masinyen and his son's stories are tearfully powerful.
What I Didn't Like
However, in order to try and show the totality of the process, Bala gives a LOT more main characters. Unfortunately, her message is over-politicized and heavy-handed, from my perspective. Anyone conservative or born Canadian is bad... anyone who is an immigrant, liberal, or a refugee is good. Instead of letting this story speak for itself, Bala seems to preach politics, which will automatically turn away anyone who might be otherwise swayed by this text.
I was eager and fully prepared to love this book. I am a supporter of refugees, I want to learn their plights, and I would like to know more about the challenges and red tape they face coming into a foreign country. The Boat People is based off of a true story, which amazed me, and the main character Masinyen and his son's stories are tearfully powerful.
What I Didn't Like
However, in order to try and show the totality of the process, Bala gives a LOT more main characters. Unfortunately, her message is over-politicized and heavy-handed, from my perspective. Anyone conservative or born Canadian is bad... anyone who is an immigrant, liberal, or a refugee is good. Instead of letting this story speak for itself, Bala seems to preach politics, which will automatically turn away anyone who might be otherwise swayed by this text.