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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
I read this book a few years ago but I still remember the plotline to a tee. This is one of those books that I'll always carry with me because of how compelling the storyline is. Even though this book is not an easy read by any means, I was so invested in the story of the little boy Gabriel and his life in Burundi, that I finished the whole thing in a single day. The book starts innocent enough and through its progression, we are constantly reminded of just how ugly the world we live in can truly be. It is set in an extremely dark and turbulent historical period of two East African countries and yet the writing style is very tranquil which makes the tragedy of the story more digestible. The writer's choice to center the book around a child and his family gives a unique perspective of what it means to live through a war.
Breathtaking and haunting, we witness the evisceration of the author’s childhood as his country drowns into ethnic warfare.
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Dans la peau du petit Gabriel, le roman nous emmène au Burundi et retrace l’enfant joyeuse de ce jeune garçon jusqu’à ce que la guerre éclate et tout change. Le récit est on ne peux plus poignant car les horreurs de la guerre, du génocide des Tutsis est raconté par un enfant. On nous montre à quel point personne ne peut rester indifférent à la guerre, tout le monde est impacter, les enfants sont privés de leur innocence, de leur enfance.
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
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:
N/A
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a novel that reads as a memoir. Told from the perspective of ten year old Gabriel, who lives in Burundi with his French father, Rwandan mother, and younger sister. Although he has an idyllic view of his childhood running the neighborhood with his band of friends, the outside world is quickly encroaching on his life. We follow him through the effects of the Rwandan genocide and the beginning of the Burundi civil war.
This is a tough story to read with the difficult topics, but also important in understanding just a smidge of the difficulties many African countries have dealt with. Although I knew about and have read many stories about the Rwandan genocide, I was not aware of it’s effects on Burundi nor it’s own tumultuous times on the heels of that period.
This is a tough story to read with the difficult topics, but also important in understanding just a smidge of the difficulties many African countries have dealt with. Although I knew about and have read many stories about the Rwandan genocide, I was not aware of it’s effects on Burundi nor it’s own tumultuous times on the heels of that period.