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ajam2000's review against another edition
4.0
There is no way to truly understand or absorb Clemantine Wamariya's account of fleeing Rwanda to escape genocide. But, this memoir gives a terrifying and remarkable glimpse into what war and displacement takes from refugees.
energyrae's review against another edition
5.0
The Girl Who Smiled Beads is a beautifully written, heart-wrenching story of Clementine's life. Living in war-torn Rwanda, she is sent away at the age of 6 with her sister Claire, 9 years her senior, destined to spend years as refugees. Even when she and Claire are brought to America to start their life over, she has trouble acclimating to the way of life. She wants to still be a child in a place that expects her to grow up. Her scars of the past run deep and her years as a refugee has hardened her, closed her off from true human interaction.
She cannot fit in, so she tries desperately to emulate those around her. To be the person people expect her to be, rather than finding a sense of self. But her sense of self is rooted in tragedy, and people are growing weary of her way of expressing it. She spends so many years trying to reconcile her feelings about the mass genocide, of why no one stepped in.
While she is eventually reunited with her parents after 12 years of separation, it is stilted. No one wants to talk about the past, they want to keep it buried. Clementine cannot fathom why they do not want to compare stories, to talk about the years they were separated. She cannot connect with her parents, with these siblings she does not know. So she distances herself, furthers her education to be the best person she can.
Her story is honest, heart-breaking, yet beautiful. She has come so far in life, she writes eloquently, and The Girl Who Smiled Beads is a must read.
She cannot fit in, so she tries desperately to emulate those around her. To be the person people expect her to be, rather than finding a sense of self. But her sense of self is rooted in tragedy, and people are growing weary of her way of expressing it. She spends so many years trying to reconcile her feelings about the mass genocide, of why no one stepped in.
While she is eventually reunited with her parents after 12 years of separation, it is stilted. No one wants to talk about the past, they want to keep it buried. Clementine cannot fathom why they do not want to compare stories, to talk about the years they were separated. She cannot connect with her parents, with these siblings she does not know. So she distances herself, furthers her education to be the best person she can.
Her story is honest, heart-breaking, yet beautiful. She has come so far in life, she writes eloquently, and The Girl Who Smiled Beads is a must read.
17jw_aggie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
4.0
librarypatronus's review against another edition
5.0
This was so wonderfully written, educational, and compelling. I wanted so badly to know what happened, how her life would turn out, and to see her succeed, but also it just made me think so much - especially when she talked about her biological family. I thought she did a great job of critically looking at herself and the not so perfect part of herself.
jackiekeating's review against another edition
3.0
I found the way that the timeline jumped around pretty hard to follow
jjlim1996's review against another edition
4.0
As naked as a story could be, and I'm not going to complain because this story doesn't have to be a feel-good story.
gigivu's review against another edition
5.0
Immensely grateful for this writing. Eye opener that every person should read at least once, a chance to dive deeper into the comprehension of individual pain in a mass of hurt.
caaaaaaaaaaassie's review against another edition
4.0
This was very powerful. This quote in particular has lingered with me after: "Everything is yours, everything is not yours. The world owes you nothing; nobody deserves more or less than the next person."
megan_dayton's review against another edition
5.0
“ Experience is the scars on my legs. My story is that they’re proof that I’m alive. Your story, the meaning you choose to take when you listen to me, might be different. Your story might be that my scars are my fault and I should feel shame.“
“Let others live their lives on their terms, and interrogate how you live your own. Insist on knowing the backstory to your gifts and your pain. Ask yourself how you came to have all the things you carry: your privilege, your philosophy, your nightmares, your faith, your sense of order and peace in the world.”
“Let others live their lives on their terms, and interrogate how you live your own. Insist on knowing the backstory to your gifts and your pain. Ask yourself how you came to have all the things you carry: your privilege, your philosophy, your nightmares, your faith, your sense of order and peace in the world.”