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ornamentalhermit's review against another edition
4.0
There is power in telling people’s stories. Dunya shares the incredible work of Abdullah Shrem and others fighting to rescue women kidnapped by Isis. Their stories are heart wrenching and reveal the very worst of humanity. Yet, they also reveal the very best as you read of many individuals sacrificing so much to bring these women home, and the women’s own courage to survive.
A book that hits heavy, and I feel will stay with you for a long time after reading.
A book that hits heavy, and I feel will stay with you for a long time after reading.
wyatt046's review against another edition
3.0
I hate being critical of books like this because the stories are so gut wrenching. However I just didn't really think it was very well written. I could have used a lot more geographical and/or cultural context to what was going on. Also I didn't really understand what was going on with the author inserting her narrative. Very clunky. Really needed some editorial help I think.
dremma's review against another edition
4.0
A necessary narrative. The narrative itself is very good. The translators made sure that the stories move. The book is disjointed. The first half consists entirely of transcripts of calls between the author and the refugees. The second half includes more of the author’s own poetry and narrative.
peiman198913's review against another edition
2.0
کتاب دو رشته ی در هم تنیده داره، یکی روایت های آزاد کردن و فراری دادن زنان و کودکان از دست داعش توسط یک زنبوردار به نام عبدا... و یکی داستان های جسته و گریخته از خود نویسنده مربوط به زمان جنگ در عراق. با اینکه این حقایق رو همه باید بدونند ولی فکر میکنم برای ما ایرانی ها که هر روز داستان هایی با این مضمون دیدم و شنیدیم خیلی گیرا نیست... و شاید انتظار من بیشتر بود
patty_kansascity's review against another edition
4.0
RATING - 3.5 (bumped up for topic)
"When I was held in captivity for three months, I wished for the world. The problem isn't that the world was going to end, but that it continues without any change." (Nadia, page 173)
I bumped up my rating to 4-star because it's important. These are the stories of people who have fled homes, lost family, been kidnapped, abused, sold, and so on by ISIS. It took me a bit to get into the book because, as horrifying as the stories are, the author doesn't put emotion into the retelling of them, so the delivery can be rather dry. I'm not sure if the emotion was lost in translation, cultural differences or on purpose, but I came to value it. By NOT riding on the coattails of the author's emotion, I had to read slower and let these stories enter my brain, really consider them, put myself into some of the stories, and then my heart was moved.
These are the stories of people before they end up on national media -- before the drown child is found on the beach, before the capsizing of boats/rafts from too many refugees trying to escape, before the tent cities of refugee camps. This book will help you realize WHY they are fleeing to begin with.
Nothing changes if we don't know their sufferings. Ignorance is not an excuse.
"When I was held in captivity for three months, I wished for the world. The problem isn't that the world was going to end, but that it continues without any change." (Nadia, page 173)
I bumped up my rating to 4-star because it's important. These are the stories of people who have fled homes, lost family, been kidnapped, abused, sold, and so on by ISIS. It took me a bit to get into the book because, as horrifying as the stories are, the author doesn't put emotion into the retelling of them, so the delivery can be rather dry. I'm not sure if the emotion was lost in translation, cultural differences or on purpose, but I came to value it. By NOT riding on the coattails of the author's emotion, I had to read slower and let these stories enter my brain, really consider them, put myself into some of the stories, and then my heart was moved.
These are the stories of people before they end up on national media -- before the drown child is found on the beach, before the capsizing of boats/rafts from too many refugees trying to escape, before the tent cities of refugee camps. This book will help you realize WHY they are fleeing to begin with.
Nothing changes if we don't know their sufferings. Ignorance is not an excuse.
lb2022's review
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
An interesting book, but challenging, not my usual read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Trafficking, and Death
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence