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das737's review against another edition
3.0
Described as a Rwandan war memoir, this memoir largely focuses on what happened to Wamariya after the war, including her time spent travelling across Sub-Saharan Africa in various refugee camps and eventually asylum in the United States. Notably, Wamariya ascended to prominence as a teen after being reuinted with her family on Oprah.
At times incisive, especially when Wamariya tears into her frustrations with the language used to describe "genocide" (scare quotes because she bristles against that very word, which I've avoided using in this review), too often, this book seems to be hiding an even more cutting book between the lines. Wamariya alludes to the discomfort, on an existential level, surrounding her Oprah appearance, including feelings of guilt, but does not delve too deeply into it, likely because the questioning this too extensively might reflect badly on Oprah and/or herself.
Worse yet, at times—perhaps because of, or worse, in spite of, her co-author—language that trivializes war creeps into the narrative: a messy, busy apartment is described as "a war zone," for instance, undercutting a powerful chapter about the effect of language in describing and potentially sanitizing violence. And while the memoir, like many others, engages with outside works—in this case, Toni Morrison, Elie Wiesel, and W.G. Sebald—the mentions of these authors are lip-service at best. In the case of Sebald, a facile reading undercuts the power and ambiguity of his work.
Most questionable of all was a brief nod towards Ayaan Hirsi Ali as writing formative work for her. Wamariya has every right to take solace in whatever she needs, and I can understand how she felt kinship in someone else who wrote about being the victim of misogynistic violence in Africa. But I'm not sure one can mention Hirsi Ali without noting her later allegiance with far-right, neo-fascist politicians and thinkers—the sort of people who, with too much power, could go on to perpetrate violence not unlike the violence that ravaged Wamariya's childhood, and whose actions have, one might argue, already exacerbated the refugee crisis.
At times incisive, especially when Wamariya tears into her frustrations with the language used to describe "genocide" (scare quotes because she bristles against that very word, which I've avoided using in this review), too often, this book seems to be hiding an even more cutting book between the lines. Wamariya alludes to the discomfort, on an existential level, surrounding her Oprah appearance, including feelings of guilt, but does not delve too deeply into it, likely because the questioning this too extensively might reflect badly on Oprah and/or herself.
Worse yet, at times—perhaps because of, or worse, in spite of, her co-author—language that trivializes war creeps into the narrative: a messy, busy apartment is described as "a war zone," for instance, undercutting a powerful chapter about the effect of language in describing and potentially sanitizing violence. And while the memoir, like many others, engages with outside works—in this case, Toni Morrison, Elie Wiesel, and W.G. Sebald—the mentions of these authors are lip-service at best. In the case of Sebald, a facile reading undercuts the power and ambiguity of his work.
Most questionable of all was a brief nod towards Ayaan Hirsi Ali as writing formative work for her. Wamariya has every right to take solace in whatever she needs, and I can understand how she felt kinship in someone else who wrote about being the victim of misogynistic violence in Africa. But I'm not sure one can mention Hirsi Ali without noting her later allegiance with far-right, neo-fascist politicians and thinkers—the sort of people who, with too much power, could go on to perpetrate violence not unlike the violence that ravaged Wamariya's childhood, and whose actions have, one might argue, already exacerbated the refugee crisis.
brogan7's review against another edition
4.5
Hard to find the words to say: what a book. What a life and what miles of misery live upon this earth.
But at the same time, I'm so glad I read it & I'm so glad she wrote it. She's still assembling her life's narrative and it's such a gift that she shared a piece of the journey in this way...
But at the same time, I'm so glad I read it & I'm so glad she wrote it. She's still assembling her life's narrative and it's such a gift that she shared a piece of the journey in this way...
natashac42's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
This book was originally for a class and I never got around to reading it. I'm glad I finally got to it because it was such a great read. It was really powerful, and the way Wamariya talked about her anger and her experiences was really insightful. I liked the format of going past and future. I think Wamariya's exploration of her relationships with her family and other people who tried to provide support whether sincerely or insincerely is where this really excelled.
sk888888's review against another edition
3.0
Read the audiobook. All the bouncing around, time-wise, was a little disconcerting (to me, at least). I thought the very best part of the book was Clementine herself - her speech at the end.
patty_kansascity's review against another edition
4.0
"There is an expression in Swahili, vita ni mwizi -- war is a thief."
In the midst of the genocide in Rwanda in the mid-1990s, Clemantine and sister, Claire, were sent away by their parents in hopes of their survival and future. For 7 years and through 7 countries, Clemantine & Claire, who were children, sought out safety, family and a new life -- all the while hoping to find their parents once again. Eventually, they were granted entry into the U.S. as refugees.
The beginning of this non-fiction book is in 2006 when Claire & Clemantine are on the Oprah Winfrey show and, after only having found out that their parents survived the war just years before, are shocked with a reunion with their parents (and siblings they had yet to meet) right on the Oprah stage for million viewers to see. Clemantine starts her book with the shock and happiness of that encounter and continues on with the next day when they awkwardly realize that no one is the same as they had remembered.
This book speaks into the trauma suffered by this refugee family: from the act of fleeing, the uncertainty of a future, near death experiences, acclimating to new cultures, to the reunion with family who have become strangers and trying to figure out where to go from there. It's a good book.
In the midst of the genocide in Rwanda in the mid-1990s, Clemantine and sister, Claire, were sent away by their parents in hopes of their survival and future. For 7 years and through 7 countries, Clemantine & Claire, who were children, sought out safety, family and a new life -- all the while hoping to find their parents once again. Eventually, they were granted entry into the U.S. as refugees.
The beginning of this non-fiction book is in 2006 when Claire & Clemantine are on the Oprah Winfrey show and, after only having found out that their parents survived the war just years before, are shocked with a reunion with their parents (and siblings they had yet to meet) right on the Oprah stage for million viewers to see. Clemantine starts her book with the shock and happiness of that encounter and continues on with the next day when they awkwardly realize that no one is the same as they had remembered.
This book speaks into the trauma suffered by this refugee family: from the act of fleeing, the uncertainty of a future, near death experiences, acclimating to new cultures, to the reunion with family who have become strangers and trying to figure out where to go from there. It's a good book.
adavisj02's review against another edition
2.0
I feel really bad giving this book 2 stars. It was a beautiful story and really made me rethink about my life but i did not enjoy it. I didn’t hate it, but it was not one of my favorites.