Scan barcode
kamckim's review against another edition
5.0
I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Laird's writing. Her YA Novels are set in various third-world countries (where she has herself travelled) in which her protagonists often face the challenges of poverty, illiteracy and injustice whilst coming of age. Their struggles against antagonists are very real, based on stories Laird has gathered in her travels. THE GARBAGE KING is set in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and weaves together the stories of Dani, a somewhat pampered rich kid, and Mamo, a runaway child slave who takes Dani under his wing. Together the boys join a street gang to earn their living as godana, street beggars. As the boys begin to bond, they learn to respect each other and themselves. The characters they encounter and the settings they inhabit are expertly described and take the reader to the heart of the story. Laird's work teaches us about the differences in the world, but also about human nature and the power to overcome, which are the same wherever you go.
thirdtimecharmed's review against another edition
3.0
I'm am English teacher and have been reading this book with my Year 8 classes. Students have enjoyed the story and have been gripped. Some parts of the story (especially at the beginning) are quite slow and disinterested young readers initially but their interest grew as issues began to develop for the characters. This story is really interesting to help students understand the Ethiopian context and themes on social justice.
etakaria's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
melbsreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Trigger warnings: death of a parent, kidnapping, enslavement, animal death, homelessness, death of a child, blood, violence.
I picked this up purely because it's set in Ethiopia so I knew it would tick a box for my Read Around the World challenge. And it definitely did that. But that aside, I found the story somewhat disjointed with what was on the back of the book. Yes, it's about two boys from very different worlds who meet and end up living on the streets of Addis Ababa. But it's also the story of one boy's sister and the other's father and the boys that they end up living on the streets with, and as a result I kind of found that I was losing track of all the different threads going on in the story.
I also would have found it handy to have a map of Ethiopia in the front of the book just to give me some kind of idea of the distances we're talking about when people leave Addis Ababa for the country and vice versa.
I picked this up purely because it's set in Ethiopia so I knew it would tick a box for my Read Around the World challenge. And it definitely did that. But that aside, I found the story somewhat disjointed with what was on the back of the book. Yes, it's about two boys from very different worlds who meet and end up living on the streets of Addis Ababa. But it's also the story of one boy's sister and the other's father and the boys that they end up living on the streets with, and as a result I kind of found that I was losing track of all the different threads going on in the story.
I also would have found it handy to have a map of Ethiopia in the front of the book just to give me some kind of idea of the distances we're talking about when people leave Addis Ababa for the country and vice versa.
isobe_lw's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
3smallsalsmum's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
tehpengpls's review against another edition
4.0
4.5*!!
I couldn't put it down for very long!! I was very invested in the story and the ending was very realistic. The characters were also relatable and made you feel for them. The afterword was very strong too :)
I couldn't put it down for very long!! I was very invested in the story and the ending was very realistic. The characters were also relatable and made you feel for them. The afterword was very strong too :)
cavereads's review against another edition
4.0
Moving read of suffering and trials and how strength is found and people can overcome.
hummykk's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
analyticali's review against another edition
3.0
I might describe this book as charming if I didn't live in Addis. Instead, it's given me a fresh perspective on all the levels of poverty in Ethiopia. Addis is a world with many many tiers, and while nothing is zoned (and cows meander down my street) people can live simultaneously in completely different worlds. It's a thoughtful and insightful book by an outsider who clearly loves Ethiopia. Best of all (compared to plenty of serious Africa books that I find myself reading) it has a happy ending.