Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
5 stars for idea, 3 stars for execution.
I love/am scared by the idea of this book, which is unfortunately very plausible. But I found myself going between moments of excitement and moments of boredom in this book.
The execution of setting this book up in vignettes had some unfortunate flaws. We see life in pre/mid war border states; life in a refugee camp; a bit of life as a sniper for the rebels; a bit of life in prison; and a bit of life afterwards. But with these bits I never got a full picture of the countries, the war, life for everyone, and most of it was a bit slow. We are tracing Sarat's evolution into the North-hating person she becomes, but even with the intense eye focused on her, I didn't get why she was quite so filled with hate besides the fact that her parents were killed and such.
I devoured the book and still recommend to others. But I suspect the topic of the book and it's timelines will elevate it a tad more than it really should be.
I love/am scared by the idea of this book, which is unfortunately very plausible. But I found myself going between moments of excitement and moments of boredom in this book.
The execution of setting this book up in vignettes had some unfortunate flaws. We see life in pre/mid war border states; life in a refugee camp; a bit of life as a sniper for the rebels; a bit of life in prison; and a bit of life afterwards. But with these bits I never got a full picture of the countries, the war, life for everyone, and most of it was a bit slow. We are tracing Sarat's evolution into the North-hating person she becomes, but even with the intense eye focused on her, I didn't get why she was quite so filled with hate besides the fact that her parents were killed and such.
I devoured the book and still recommend to others. But I suspect the topic of the book and it's timelines will elevate it a tad more than it really should be.
Poorly written, too routine and humdrum to get into. DNF pretty swiftly.
If you're looking for futuristic, dystopian novels which seem eerily plausible, I just finished last month's #bookofthemonthclub pic, American War. Set in the last quarter of this century, it imagines an America where rising seas have reshaped the coasts, fossil fuels are outlawed, and the nation is embroiled in a long, second Civil War. Terrifying and heart breaking, it was an amazing read.
This is an excellent book which paints a scenario of the world that does not seem far fetched in the least. While at the same time, it's a very human story of loss, love, anger and revenge.
I feel as though this book was trying to draw comparisons to the American Civil War and I just don't have enough knowledge of that war to get anything out of this book. I may pick it up in the future and try again but it is a no for right now.
Another one of those books that depicts just how blurry the difference is between right and wrong.
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
A very interesting and beautifully crafted experiment. Will Americans see the actions of people in war-torn countries such as Syria, Iraq, and Palestine in more human and complex terms if they imagine the familiar events described in the news in a local context instead of seeing them as something "foreign"? More than just a tale of red state/blue state polarization resulting in civil war, the story places the conflict in global terms, commenting on how global superpowers exacerbate conflicts.
Fascinating story with a badass heroine. Loved the historical data and paperwork presented through the book similar to World War Z. Dion Graham is on my list of audiobook narrators to follow and I'll definitely be looking out of for Omar El Akkad's next book!
This is not my usual type of book and for me was a difficult read. Sarat character was intresting but I felt like it was missing something. I just couldn't relate ... the whole plot I found odd and maybe it's my love of a HEA that's clouded my judgement. Its written well but for me felt like a educational book or history lesson.