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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
At first in intrigued but slowly I lost interest and didn’t want to force myself to finish it. This narrative didn’t sit right coming from a white Irish perspective and not that of a black Nigerian voice, especially considering it’s basis in the real life kidnapping of school girls by Boko Haram.
Powerful. Tragic. Devastating. But beautifully written and superb narration 4.5/5
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What an utterly heartwrenching book. Edna O'Brien describes the horror of the kidnapping of the Chibok girls by Boko Haram, told through the eyes of Maryam, one of the students who is taken by the terrorists.
I had my apprehensions going into the novel, but having read it, every single one of my doubts was swept away. I didn't know if O'Brien would be able to do the story justice (I didn't think anybody but a Chibok girl would be able to), but she delivered it in such a masterful way, with so much empathy and compassion. It's very,very clear that Edna O'Brien carried out a wealth of research before embarking on the journey to write this novel.
I had my apprehensions going into the novel, but having read it, every single one of my doubts was swept away. I didn't know if O'Brien would be able to do the story justice (I didn't think anybody but a Chibok girl would be able to), but she delivered it in such a masterful way, with so much empathy and compassion. It's very,very clear that Edna O'Brien carried out a wealth of research before embarking on the journey to write this novel.
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation
dark
emotional
sad
This is a fictional (but researched) account of a schoolgirl captured by the terrorist group Boko Haram in Nigeria, both during her captivity and after her escape.
I found this book very challenging. I went in not knowing its subject manner (I usually do this to preserve surprise and discovery), but this was a bit more than shocking to dive into unaware. I proceeded through it very quickly because of the sheer brutality and unimaginable horror of the events Maryam goes through; I wanted to get through it rapidly without lingering. I really wanted to stop reading it at several points, but forced myself to finish.
I'm torn about books like this. On the one hand, it's so important to bear witness to subjects and stories like this because I am in a privileged position simply by being shielded from such horrific adversity by the country of my birth. Even so, it's painful to the point of being damaging. Knowledge of the depths of human depravity (in this case, kidnap, rape, and dehumanization) can take a toll on anyone, and despair does not necessarily lead to change. It's important that fully half of this book is about afterwards; after Maryam is "free", she is still not usually safe, loved, welcomed home, or taken care of. Relief is ambiguous, treacherous, and at best temporary. There's a fascinating scene in the middle where the media and national government celebrate her "freedom" and return in a press conference, and the book grapples with this uneasy balance: powerful figures allude to her suffering, but are uninterested (or unable to support Maryam sufficiently for her eventually divulge) the true, horrible details of her suffering.
This is not a first person narrative, nor was it written by a Nigerian woman who was taken. Edna O'Brien is a white Irish author who researched this experience, traveled to Nigeria, and interviewed several survivors, according to her acknowledgements. I haven't yet looked into commentary outside her take there yet, but it's just worth stating.
I don't think I'd be able to read this again, but heck, I finished it. I stopped partway through Half of a Yellow Sun for the same sort of content that made this difficult to read. I don't say that to imply that muscling my way through this, when I couldn't get through the other, is an improvement. I was deeply emotionally affected by Half of a Yellow Sun, and couldn't bear the pain of its content. I think, having had that experience, I purposefully did not emotionally connect to this as much. I'm trying to hold this as knowledge of the world and experiences others have had to keep a little more distance.
I found this book very challenging. I went in not knowing its subject manner (I usually do this to preserve surprise and discovery), but this was a bit more than shocking to dive into unaware. I proceeded through it very quickly because of the sheer brutality and unimaginable horror of the events Maryam goes through; I wanted to get through it rapidly without lingering. I really wanted to stop reading it at several points, but forced myself to finish.
I'm torn about books like this. On the one hand, it's so important to bear witness to subjects and stories like this because I am in a privileged position simply by being shielded from such horrific adversity by the country of my birth. Even so, it's painful to the point of being damaging. Knowledge of the depths of human depravity (in this case, kidnap, rape, and dehumanization) can take a toll on anyone, and despair does not necessarily lead to change. It's important that fully half of this book is about afterwards; after Maryam is "free", she is still not usually safe, loved, welcomed home, or taken care of. Relief is ambiguous, treacherous, and at best temporary. There's a fascinating scene in the middle where the media and national government celebrate her "freedom" and return in a press conference, and the book grapples with this uneasy balance: powerful figures allude to her suffering, but are uninterested (or unable to support Maryam sufficiently for her eventually divulge) the true, horrible details of her suffering.
This is not a first person narrative, nor was it written by a Nigerian woman who was taken. Edna O'Brien is a white Irish author who researched this experience, traveled to Nigeria, and interviewed several survivors, according to her acknowledgements. I haven't yet looked into commentary outside her take there yet, but it's just worth stating.
I don't think I'd be able to read this again, but heck, I finished it. I stopped partway through Half of a Yellow Sun for the same sort of content that made this difficult to read. I don't say that to imply that muscling my way through this, when I couldn't get through the other, is an improvement. I was deeply emotionally affected by Half of a Yellow Sun, and couldn't bear the pain of its content. I think, having had that experience, I purposefully did not emotionally connect to this as much. I'm trying to hold this as knowledge of the world and experiences others have had to keep a little more distance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, War
Moderate: Religious bigotry
This is about as tough as it can get, for a story of war, kidnapping, human trafficking, and rape. See subject matter and be duly warned.
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
dark
medium-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:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Caution: this book will make you cry. It will make you angry. It will make you want to throw the book at the nearest wall.
Girl follows a teenage Nigerian narrator who was abducted by the Boko Haram and forced into marriage against her will. The absolutely horrific experiences this girl went through to escape and find her way back home with a baby in tow is just excruciatingly devastating. And the people she meets along the way who are either worse than what she escaped or anyone that attempts to help are very rarely mentioned, but they’ll all leave an impact.
Girl follows a teenage Nigerian narrator who was abducted by the Boko Haram and forced into marriage against her will. The absolutely horrific experiences this girl went through to escape and find her way back home with a baby in tow is just excruciatingly devastating. And the people she meets along the way who are either worse than what she escaped or anyone that attempts to help are very rarely mentioned, but they’ll all leave an impact.
dark
emotional
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:
Complicated