You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.62 AVERAGE
4.62 AVERAGE
Truly, this novel should be mandatory reading. It is beautifully written and absolutely perspective-shattering. It is one I will recommend to friends time and time again.
Audio. And the audio was So. Well. Done. with the various voice actors and their true-to-the-area accents. That made it an even better listening experience.
Stunning and also difficult. These vignettes together paint a picture of the heartbreak and resilience of the Syrian people in the last decade or two. It is achingly hopeful.
Also, what a time to read this book (the week before America’s 2020 presidential elections) because it tells the story of how a people can be so broken by leadership regimes.
Perhaps the most haunting concept for me: most kids focus on school to get good jobs. Our kids are focused on getting a job so they can finish their education. It shouldn’t be this way.
Stunning and also difficult. These vignettes together paint a picture of the heartbreak and resilience of the Syrian people in the last decade or two. It is achingly hopeful.
Also, what a time to read this book (the week before America’s 2020 presidential elections) because it tells the story of how a people can be so broken by leadership regimes.
Perhaps the most haunting concept for me: most kids focus on school to get good jobs. Our kids are focused on getting a job so they can finish their education. It shouldn’t be this way.
This is a tremendous and tragic collection of voices. So much contained in excerpts of personal accounts of atrocity, terror, fear, savagery and somehow glimmers of hope. It seems unfathomable to me, yet...here it is, first hand.
I found the organization of the sections helpful in understanding the arc of events. Some voices recur in each section as that part of their story fits most appropriately.
Sadly, I doubt the Syrian experience is unique. It seems nothing will satisfy to stop the violence other than the complete devastation of Syria and its people, leaving a burnt out wasteland in the aftermath.
But, I sincerely hope and pray another way may be found
I found the organization of the sections helpful in understanding the arc of events. Some voices recur in each section as that part of their story fits most appropriately.
Sadly, I doubt the Syrian experience is unique. It seems nothing will satisfy to stop the violence other than the complete devastation of Syria and its people, leaving a burnt out wasteland in the aftermath.
But, I sincerely hope and pray another way may be found
This book flawlessly executed its goal of giving a voice to Syrians that we don’t often get a chance to hear. It was very powerful and I really enjoyed reading it.
Facineating stories. Well said, written. important to know and concise.
This book, for all the interviews, has the name, occupation and home of the individual. I like having this because it solidifies that these are everyday people experiencing the hardships of a revolution and war. As the book is broken up into parts, you can clearly see through the accounts of these people, the spiraling situation that Syrians were heading in with their government. As someone living in America, It is easy to detach yourself from a situation that has or is happening across the sea and then some. But this book has the horrific accounts that everyday citizens had to live through. It may not be a conventional biography or autobiography, but I think that it is better in this situation. Having so many voices, allows for a greater narrative of the Syrian conflict and its diverse cast. As an American that has only had media tell me what is going on in and with Syria, this book sheds light on what has happened as described by Syrians who have and are facing this. This was impactful for me to hear those that are similar to the people around me have to deal with a government and situation as terrible as theirs. Reading these accounts are perfect for becoming a more active participant in the world and learning to have sympathy for your fellow human.
We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled is a collection of real life stories written by Syrians and their experiences in Syria. There are so many stories of what it's like to be under the regime and the sacrifices made to survive and leave their country.
I'm giving this book four stars at the moment but I might change it to three stars depending on how I fell later.
This book is really important and I think more people should be reading it. Hearing stories from Syrians and what they had to go through was heartbreaking and made me more aware than I think I would have ever been.
Despite this, I wasn't the biggest fan of the way this book was written. This book does tell the stories of Syrians, but each story is usually around a paragraph to 3 pages long. While I understand why this done, I just really wished these stories were longer. So many times when I was reading these stories I wanted to know so much more about these people's lives but they ended too quickly. I would've loved this so much more if we got more background on each person's story.
I'm giving this book four stars at the moment but I might change it to three stars depending on how I fell later.
This book is really important and I think more people should be reading it. Hearing stories from Syrians and what they had to go through was heartbreaking and made me more aware than I think I would have ever been.
Despite this, I wasn't the biggest fan of the way this book was written. This book does tell the stories of Syrians, but each story is usually around a paragraph to 3 pages long. While I understand why this done, I just really wished these stories were longer. So many times when I was reading these stories I wanted to know so much more about these people's lives but they ended too quickly. I would've loved this so much more if we got more background on each person's story.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I'm not sure how I feel about the structure of the book- the voices felt like a bit of a faceless chorus; but I could see an argument for that. It was a powerful read- startling at times for revealing how ignorant I was of the events and for the spiraling out of control that they soon began. Could be read by middle school and up, probably- should be read if one feels they don't understand how "Syria" began or got to be what is happening today. More heartbreaking than hopeful, though, to me.
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced