Reviews

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai

hannahsbooksandblackcats's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

cpareader's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

elenap's review

4.0

A fascinating account of life in Pakistan with and without the Taliban rule. A series of rebellious acts of a girl and her father that led to terrifying consequences. For me, it always feels uncomfortable to read about such a vastly different culture where women are treated so poorly. It enrages me, and I don't understand how people think we don't need feminism anymore.

It's definitely a worthwhile read, the only reason I give it 4 stars is because I was not a big fan of the writing style, it felt repetitive (the person that helped the kid write this could have done a better job).

suspetey's review

4.0

"I don't want to be thought of as the 'girl who was shot by the Taliban' but the 'girl who fought for education.' This is the cause to which I want to devote my life." Epilogue, 309

amanda1793's review

4.0

I really enjoyed this. For me, the only issue that I had with it was I wanted more of Malala's experiences. She does a very good job of detailing what is happening with the Taliban and the fear her Valley lives under, but I wish we had more of her life.

She is a very influential individual and she fights for a very important cause. More people should read this book to learn about this wonderful girl.

rosemwood's review

4.0

A heartbreaking story that is based on a true story of a young brave girl who would not be quite by what she believed in. Malala is a very inspiring person and I remember learning about her after she was attacked. This is her story about not only that attack but the build up of the attack. I wanted to give it a 5 star because she is such a brave girl but the writing was hard to get through at times. Some information it seemed disjointed and not part of her story. Though during her story she educates the read on just how bad it was growing up in her life. I recommend reading it.

lizzycatslibrary's review

3.0

At first I felt like I should give this book 4-5 stars solely based on what this girl has been through and all that she has accomplished in her very short lifetime. Malala is impressive and it is hard to believe that such a young girl could be so accomplished. When I think about the actual book itself, though, something is a little off for me. I thought it was interesting and informative. I learned some new things and got to know Malala and what she thinks about the world more... but it just wasn't a true 4-5 star rating for me. I think this book is important and would encourage others to read it, but I am going to leave it with 3 stars.

goobdiddy's review

5.0

I was expecting this to be a tough book to read, mainly because I find myself on the verge of weeping like a baby whenever I hear Malala speak on talk shows, etc. Hers is a truly extraordinary story, made even more so by her insistence that she's just doing what any girl would do. Through this book she paints a picture of Swat as a home, a place to be proud of, and a place to fight for, which is very different from the image that is portrayed in the media. Despite the horrifying events that happened to her, she hasn't given up, and is still giving back to the world. I was expecting to be bawling while reading her story, but instead of saying "that poor girl", I found my self saying "that amazingly powerful girl". I truly hope she succeeds in her mission to bring education to girls around the world. This is a highly recommended read for those in search of inspiration, or a good role model!

mariahistryingtoread's review

5.0

The Diversify That Shelf Readathon was from August 10th to August 19th. I chose this to satisfy POC on the cover, a non western setting, and a different culture than me.

Malala is a young Pakistani woman who was born into a country at war with itself. Her father is a staunch believer of womens' rights especially to education as well as an outspoken political activist in general. Through, his unshakeable support of her, Malala follows in his footsteps to become a trailblazer in her own right.

I will not pretend to understand all of the intricacies of why Pakistan has had such political turmoil. It seems to largely be a result of religious fervor, self serving foreign interference and an inability to properly get anything done because of corrupt officials. This is obviously a broad strokes, outsiders' perspective so I encourage you to do your own research.

This book provides a lot of historical context to bolster Malala's story - something I very much appreciated. As someone who has very little knowledge of Pakistani society I felt that it was a great addition because I was able to better see the factors that contributed to Malala's circumstances. I actually would go so far as to say that it was necessary to ensure the reader gets the whole picture.

This is a mostly easy read. It's well paced, well documented, and well written overall. Malala's voice shines throughout. I listened to the audiobook which immersed me even more in the atmosphere. I say it's mostly an easy read because sometimes the subject matter becomes difficult to get through. It's never graphic in its discussion of some of the tragedies Malala and her people face, but it was often frustrating or lamentable nevertheless.

I don't think it was this life changing read, but it fulfilled all the major requirements of an autobiography and kept me entertained which is all I think you can really ask for when reading this genre.

lleahy87's review against another edition

I struggle to read nonfiction. It felt like she was telling the same story over and over.