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creolelitbelle's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
Maybe because I read her memoir of her teenage years during the Bosnian War, The Cat I Never Named, first, but I found the after pieces more impactful than the rest of the narrative. Hearing how semi-carefree Amra's life was in the few years immediately before the war makes me believe looking back on the early signs of discontent & unrest in her country and among her people must be heartbreaking. Missing what happens right in front of you when it transpires slowly is easier than sudden onslaughts of events.
I appreciate how this memoir of her three summers spent with cousins shows how normal life was. Young Amra was just like any other tween or teen, seeking freedom from parents and solace with friends her own age. The world knows about the Holocaust, but the rape of Nanking, the genocide of Bosniaks, and so many more atrocities against humanity are skipped over. The fall of the Berlin Wall wasn't all sunshine rainbows, as Americans are raised to believe. In the following years, innocence was robbed from a generation that was taught hatred, Amra's generation, and she explains here how that didn't happen overnight. She saw glimpses into the hatred but never expected the end of life as she knew it and sisterhood as she came to love until it was too late. Readers could learn from this book and her earlier work. No one should be hated based on their ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, etc. Blanket statements do not work, and hate like this tore families and friends apart across Eastern Europe. Amazing what she has accomplished since the war, especially using her voice to share her experiences, even when remembering is painful.
I appreciate how this memoir of her three summers spent with cousins shows how normal life was. Young Amra was just like any other tween or teen, seeking freedom from parents and solace with friends her own age. The world knows about the Holocaust, but the rape of Nanking, the genocide of Bosniaks, and so many more atrocities against humanity are skipped over. The fall of the Berlin Wall wasn't all sunshine rainbows, as Americans are raised to believe. In the following years, innocence was robbed from a generation that was taught hatred, Amra's generation, and she explains here how that didn't happen overnight. She saw glimpses into the hatred but never expected the end of life as she knew it and sisterhood as she came to love until it was too late. Readers could learn from this book and her earlier work. No one should be hated based on their ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, etc. Blanket statements do not work, and hate like this tore families and friends apart across Eastern Europe. Amazing what she has accomplished since the war, especially using her voice to share her experiences, even when remembering is painful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia
Moderate: Genocide
eyeleash's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
Minor: Genocide
storiesandsours's review
I requested this from NetGalley, and I mistakenly thought it was a graphic novel. I decided to give it a try anyway. I found the writing to be childish with more telling than showing.
rebeshelton's review against another edition
5.0
A Heartrending Ode to Sisterhood and Resilience
Having read "The Cat I Never Named," I was already primed for the emotional depth and cultural insights Amra Sabic-El-Rayess offers in her writing. But nothing could have prepared me for the sheer brilliance of this novel, a poignant prequel that manages to be both heartbreaking and beautiful in equal measure.
From the very beginning, as Sabic-El-Rayess shares the bittersweet tale of her relationship with her older brother, Amar, and the sorrow of his passing, I was hooked. Her words paint a vibrant tableau of Bosnian culture, steeped in traditions of hospitality, family, and deep-seated bonds of friendship. Woven through the narrative is a delicate thread of young love, a testament to the throes of adolescence and the challenges the five young cousins face.
As they navigate the treacherous waters of an escalating political crisis, what truly stands out is their resilience. The bond these young girls share, tighter than that of sisters, becomes their anchor amidst the storm. And it's this bond that shines a light on the true spirit of humanity, showing us that even in the darkest of times, love and unity prevail.
These kinds of books made me the empathetic person I am today. Authors like Sabic-El-Rayess craft such evocative narratives that shape our understanding of the world and our place in it. Every generation needs stories like these, stories that resonate, uplift, and, ultimately, heal.
"Three Summers" isn't just a book; it's an experience, a journey of the heart that will leave an indelible mark long after the last page is turned. Simply put, it was absolutely breathtaking.
Having read "The Cat I Never Named," I was already primed for the emotional depth and cultural insights Amra Sabic-El-Rayess offers in her writing. But nothing could have prepared me for the sheer brilliance of this novel, a poignant prequel that manages to be both heartbreaking and beautiful in equal measure.
From the very beginning, as Sabic-El-Rayess shares the bittersweet tale of her relationship with her older brother, Amar, and the sorrow of his passing, I was hooked. Her words paint a vibrant tableau of Bosnian culture, steeped in traditions of hospitality, family, and deep-seated bonds of friendship. Woven through the narrative is a delicate thread of young love, a testament to the throes of adolescence and the challenges the five young cousins face.
As they navigate the treacherous waters of an escalating political crisis, what truly stands out is their resilience. The bond these young girls share, tighter than that of sisters, becomes their anchor amidst the storm. And it's this bond that shines a light on the true spirit of humanity, showing us that even in the darkest of times, love and unity prevail.
These kinds of books made me the empathetic person I am today. Authors like Sabic-El-Rayess craft such evocative narratives that shape our understanding of the world and our place in it. Every generation needs stories like these, stories that resonate, uplift, and, ultimately, heal.
"Three Summers" isn't just a book; it's an experience, a journey of the heart that will leave an indelible mark long after the last page is turned. Simply put, it was absolutely breathtaking.
kgourd's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
4.0
The perspective brought by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess in Three Summers is a much needed insight to a part of history that may not always be covered in middle grade history classes. Middle-grade readers will be swept up in this heartwarming coming-of-age book that is all about friendships, forgiveness, grief, and navigating all the big feelings that are universal for 12-15 year-olds.
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