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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
hopeful
sad
adventurous
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Abandonment
This was a beautifully written book, and the first novel I have read about the Syrian refugee crisis. Joukhadar also tells a story (legend) about the famed mapmaker Muhammad al-Idrisi, which is woven in and out of the current day story. However, the legend she tells of the warrior/hero Rawiya was made of for the book. Put simply, al-Idrisi was a real character, as was King Roger of Sicily, but interweaving the story of the legendary "roc" and serpents was borrowed from the legend of Sinbad the Sailor. I enjoyed learning about Middle Eastern/Muslim history from the Middle Ages, since as a Westerner and a Christian, the stories I have heard have from this time period offer a different POV, and it's often told in an "us versus them" scenario. This author, though clearly written about Muslims from a Muslim region, simply tells a story...it never feels as though there are "good guys" or "bad guys," and I found that very refreshing.
The current day story is told in 2011, and as I understand it, the "beginning" of the violence in Syria. However, I am sure this isn't the "beginning" per se, but it is the beginning of this story. Nour is an 11-year-old girl who serves as the narrator. She has two older sisters who are very close in age; Houda is 18, and Zarrah is 17. Their family lived in NYC, and Nour was born in New York and is an American citizen. However, the death of their father has left the family struggling, and their mom decides to move back to Syria...again, this is 2011, so it tells me that the fighting must not have been that bad at this time, or else their mother would (probably) not have made the choice to move back to a war-torn country....also important to the story is that Nour's mom is a professional mapmaker...I don't know if this is her only source of income, but it is how she makes a living once they return to Syria.
The story picks up two months later with Nour's family in Syria, and violence ensues. Only two months after living in Syria, the family become refugees and literally run for their lives. It is so hard to imagine their struggles, and sadly their struggles are all too real. They first leave Syria and enter Jordan, then Libya, Algeria, and finally, Ceuta, which is technically in Spain, but acts as a bridge between Europe and Africa. Interestingly, while the author mentions the violence and horrors this family is facing, she does not mention Isis, Russia, or anything political. She simply tells a story.
All the while, the story of Rawiya is intertwined with that of Nour...their flight out of Syria, their dangerous adventures...both even pretend to be young boys (though for slightly different reasons) because it's "safer" for them. It's all beautifully done - it's hard to imagine a book detailing the plight of refugees can be so poetic, but it is. This book is full of beautiful, inspirational quotes (again, surprising to me), but the most poignant part of the book is when Nour's mother tells her daughter to "be careful...people are scared of us [refugees]" and Nour answers, "I try not to be scary, Mama." How incredibly sad and shameful that the refugees are scaring other people!
This is one of the best books I've read in 2020 - if you're looking for something that makes you think, and where you might learn something, then this book is for you. I should add that if you are a refugee or if you have close members/friends who are refugees, this book might be painful to read at times. However, the author does a good job of simply telling a story and not sensationalizing violence.
The current day story is told in 2011, and as I understand it, the "beginning" of the violence in Syria. However, I am sure this isn't the "beginning" per se, but it is the beginning of this story. Nour is an 11-year-old girl who serves as the narrator. She has two older sisters who are very close in age; Houda is 18, and Zarrah is 17. Their family lived in NYC, and Nour was born in New York and is an American citizen. However, the death of their father has left the family struggling, and their mom decides to move back to Syria...again, this is 2011, so it tells me that the fighting must not have been that bad at this time, or else their mother would (probably) not have made the choice to move back to a war-torn country....also important to the story is that Nour's mom is a professional mapmaker...I don't know if this is her only source of income, but it is how she makes a living once they return to Syria.
The story picks up two months later with Nour's family in Syria, and violence ensues. Only two months after living in Syria, the family become refugees and literally run for their lives. It is so hard to imagine their struggles, and sadly their struggles are all too real. They first leave Syria and enter Jordan, then Libya, Algeria, and finally, Ceuta, which is technically in Spain, but acts as a bridge between Europe and Africa. Interestingly, while the author mentions the violence and horrors this family is facing, she does not mention Isis, Russia, or anything political. She simply tells a story.
All the while, the story of Rawiya is intertwined with that of Nour...their flight out of Syria, their dangerous adventures...both even pretend to be young boys (though for slightly different reasons) because it's "safer" for them. It's all beautifully done - it's hard to imagine a book detailing the plight of refugees can be so poetic, but it is. This book is full of beautiful, inspirational quotes (again, surprising to me), but the most poignant part of the book is when Nour's mother tells her daughter to "be careful...people are scared of us [refugees]" and Nour answers, "I try not to be scary, Mama." How incredibly sad and shameful that the refugees are scaring other people!
This is one of the best books I've read in 2020 - if you're looking for something that makes you think, and where you might learn something, then this book is for you. I should add that if you are a refugee or if you have close members/friends who are refugees, this book might be painful to read at times. However, the author does a good job of simply telling a story and not sensationalizing violence.
Though it took about 60 pages, this book is worth your time. Joukhadar paints with words! Colors and senses splash together creating an amazing sensual experience!
Een heel mooi en aangrijpend verhaal wat helaas voor velen elke dag de realiteit is. Helaas vond ik de schrijfstijl wat minder, en daarom deed ik ook best lang over dit boek en had ik niet altijd zin om door te lezen, maar het was het wel waard!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I didn't want it to end. There was so much detail and it left me on the edge of my seat.