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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What this author manages to convey is the depth and intricacies of the loss of homeland and culture, the devastating effects of war on innocent people, the struggles and dangers of seeking refuge away from one's country which is invaded by the greed and corruption of war. By telling Nour's story intertwined with the mythical story of Rawiya we are able to see the depth of the history and culture that is being torn apart and how devastating this experience is for refugees.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Sluggish to get through. I liked the historic parallel timeline story of Rawiya.
This is a book I would have never picked up if not for it being a challenge book. It just doesn’t fit into the normal pattern of books that I read. With that being said, I’m really glad I stumbled across this one. It follows Nour in “present times” (2011) and Rawiya in the ancient Middle East. Nour is telling herself the story of Rawiya while her family is escaping to safety after a bombing destroys their home in Syria. It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking book; one that I most likely won’t read again anytime soon just because it’s so emotionally heavy, but it’s got a small place in my heart.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I understand not everyone loves split-timeline stories, but I do, and I think this one worked well. Both Nour and Rawiya (and their families & friends) are engaging characters who I grew to care about very much– so I'm glad they both ultimately got happy endings!