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khumble's review against another edition
4.0
What a privilege to read this story. It’s humbling to be able to read through details of someone’s story, and the loss, heartbreak, bravery, and persistence these sisters showed was/is remarkable.
The story jumps around quite a bit which was a little confusing and difficult to keep track of in the beginning (and I usually love books that do that), but by the end the writing (and I) settled into a better rhythm. I highly recommend this as a must read memoir.
The story jumps around quite a bit which was a little confusing and difficult to keep track of in the beginning (and I usually love books that do that), but by the end the writing (and I) settled into a better rhythm. I highly recommend this as a must read memoir.
thisotherbookaccount's review against another edition
3.0
Writers broadly fall into two categories, I think: there are writers who are concerned with external conflicts, as well as writers who are concerned with internal conflicts. A good writer, on the other hand, has a splash of both, and the difference is how much or how little of each he/she employs.
The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya falls squarely into the internal camp. You do get a very brief introduction and description of the Rwandan Genocide, as well as her journey across different countries as a refugee. However, majority of the book is about how she felt based on what she saw, where she stayed, whom she talked to, etc. The result is a book that's less about the event itself, but rather a commentary about the self. It is about how she wrestled with her life as a refugee, how to rediscover her identity and to put her life together all over again.
All of this sounds good, but Wamariya isn't exactly the most accessible person — and it does seem like she admits to this, too. Much of the memoir is concerned with her inner conflicts, and you are there as she tries to parse things apart and figure shit out. You see her reject care and concern from people who are genuinely trying to help, and she spent large parts of her young adulthood feeling disconnected from everything and everyone around her. And while these are experiences that perhaps only a refugee will understand, it also makes her a very difficult person to connect with. And since this is ultimately a memoir about her experiences, I felt like there was always a distance between her and me as a reader.
The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya falls squarely into the internal camp. You do get a very brief introduction and description of the Rwandan Genocide, as well as her journey across different countries as a refugee. However, majority of the book is about how she felt based on what she saw, where she stayed, whom she talked to, etc. The result is a book that's less about the event itself, but rather a commentary about the self. It is about how she wrestled with her life as a refugee, how to rediscover her identity and to put her life together all over again.
All of this sounds good, but Wamariya isn't exactly the most accessible person — and it does seem like she admits to this, too. Much of the memoir is concerned with her inner conflicts, and you are there as she tries to parse things apart and figure shit out. You see her reject care and concern from people who are genuinely trying to help, and she spent large parts of her young adulthood feeling disconnected from everything and everyone around her. And while these are experiences that perhaps only a refugee will understand, it also makes her a very difficult person to connect with. And since this is ultimately a memoir about her experiences, I felt like there was always a distance between her and me as a reader.
ava96's review against another edition
4.0
I found this book hard to put down. Great storytelling of a horrible subject. I didn't really know anything about what happened in Rwanda, and like the authors say, it is impossible to hold the suffering of each individual person when there are so many of them, but I appreciated the glimpse it gave me into what life was like. And definitely made me count my blessings.
evelynpinacolada's review against another edition
5.0
2020 is the year I realize I love nonfiction but have never given it a fair shot.
This book is so beautiful and heartbreaking and maddening I can’t wait to read others that make me feel the way this did.
This book is so beautiful and heartbreaking and maddening I can’t wait to read others that make me feel the way this did.
claudinereads's review against another edition
2.0
I wish I enjoyed this book more. Wamariya's experiences are haunting and tragic. However, I was unable to fully engage with the story. Clemantine alternates between a retelling of her journey throughout Africa and her experiences in the United States. I don't have an issue with the alternating storylines itself, but instead a problem with how it is done. Wamariya never leaves us wanting more, the skips in time are too disjointed. I did love how her emotions are so clear throughout the book, especially her anger. I think she deserves to be angry and sometimes that is the easiest emotion to feel after trauma. All in all, I just didn't like the writing style and story telling style. It is a short memoir, but I felt as though I was trudging in mud reading it.
lilirosemb's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0