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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
I very rarely don’t finish a book. However in this case I had to make an exception to the rule. 1 star ratings are rare for me - but we aren’t able to give 0 stars on Goodreads, and snippets of what I read were evocative.
I got about 50 pages in before I put it down for good. The blurb didn’t give anything of the plot away and I was surprised by the content.
A lady named Rachel reviewed this book in some detail and expressed very eloquently the exact same issues that I had with the book; link is below. I don’t have anything more to add and would recommend reading this review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3215421374
I got about 50 pages in before I put it down for good. The blurb didn’t give anything of the plot away and I was surprised by the content.
A lady named Rachel reviewed this book in some detail and expressed very eloquently the exact same issues that I had with the book; link is below. I don’t have anything more to add and would recommend reading this review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3215421374
Not surprisingly, a very tough read.
An important story to tell and, by all accounts, very well researched.
An important story to tell and, by all accounts, very well researched.
If you can't make me interested in Boko Haram kidnapping women and mistreating them in them worst possible way, then it must be bad, Edna O'Brien, girl, you were writing to my strengths and I still didn't like it.
(See what I did there? You probably wish you didn't).
(See what I did there? You probably wish you didn't).
*TW: Rape, Abuse*
3.5 stars. This book was a quick read, being just under 250 pages, and yet it manages to fit quite a bit of plot into it. The story centres around a Nigerian girl, and details her subsequent kidnapping by the terrorist group Boko Haram. It was absolutely devastating and incredibly graphic; so not really for the faint-hearted. I really did enjoy the book, although I did have to take regular breaks from reading it, in part due to its graphic nature but also the non-stop threat our main character has to face- it became exhausting.
O'Brien's writing is brilliant, and uses short, staccato sentences to push along the action and to envelope the reader into the urgency of the situation. I also appreciate how O'Brien sheds light on a catastrophic recent event, illustrating its long-term effects and how Nigeria didn't just revert back to the norm after the media storm ended- its effects are still being felt today. However, the one thing I was uncomfortable with was the fact that Edna O'Brien is a white female commenting on a black narrative. I understand that she did a lot of research prior to writing this book, including talking to some of the survivors of Boko Haram, but something still doesn't sit right with me. It would have been 4 stars had it not been for this fact, but I would still recommend.
3.5 stars. This book was a quick read, being just under 250 pages, and yet it manages to fit quite a bit of plot into it. The story centres around a Nigerian girl, and details her subsequent kidnapping by the terrorist group Boko Haram. It was absolutely devastating and incredibly graphic; so not really for the faint-hearted. I really did enjoy the book, although I did have to take regular breaks from reading it, in part due to its graphic nature but also the non-stop threat our main character has to face- it became exhausting.
O'Brien's writing is brilliant, and uses short, staccato sentences to push along the action and to envelope the reader into the urgency of the situation. I also appreciate how O'Brien sheds light on a catastrophic recent event, illustrating its long-term effects and how Nigeria didn't just revert back to the norm after the media storm ended- its effects are still being felt today. However, the one thing I was uncomfortable with was the fact that Edna O'Brien is a white female commenting on a black narrative. I understand that she did a lot of research prior to writing this book, including talking to some of the survivors of Boko Haram, but something still doesn't sit right with me. It would have been 4 stars had it not been for this fact, but I would still recommend.
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Really did not enjoy it at all. Would definitely have made a better essay or short story at most.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail