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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
This was a fabulous, but sad, book. The story gave me glimpses into parts of the world and lifestyles I would never otherwise see. Love the writing, loved the story.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wouldn't normally pick up a book about basketball and refugees, because one doesn't interest me and the other tends to be too sad and horrific. But the library automatically reserves certain bestsellers for me, so I read it. And I'm very glad I did.
It is fiction, but the main characters were so well drawn that I wondered whether there was a real person behind Samuel. The tragedies and life of refugees were unfortunately based on real events, but not dwelt upon (unlike some others), so they also felt real but not like watching Hotel Rwanda. If you read this, you'll come away with a new understanding of African refugees, and possibly a new understanding of basketball.
It is fiction, but the main characters were so well drawn that I wondered whether there was a real person behind Samuel. The tragedies and life of refugees were unfortunately based on real events, but not dwelt upon (unlike some others), so they also felt real but not like watching Hotel Rwanda. If you read this, you'll come away with a new understanding of African refugees, and possibly a new understanding of basketball.
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Grisham’s writing clearly comes through, even in a non courtroom drama. The story is about a kid from a village is South Sudan who gets scouted for a college team and becomes a breakout star when he finally starts playing. I’m not a bit sports fan myself, and Grisham uses a lot of sports terms. It’s a testament to his writing that he’s able to commentate on multiple games while still keeping me interested.
The reason I’m giving it only 3 stars is because the twist in part III. It felt forced, like trying to get an emotional response, and then dragged on for the final chapters. There’s some resolve at the end, but there’s still open ended questions that don’t warrant a sequel.
The reason I’m giving it only 3 stars is because the twist in part III. It felt forced, like trying to get an emotional response, and then dragged on for the final chapters. There’s some resolve at the end, but there’s still open ended questions that don’t warrant a sequel.
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
I know that it has been said many times before, but John Grisham is a master storyteller. He has a way of bringing his characters to life with his words. Sooley is a very different type of book for Grisham, although I have now discovered it is not his first book about sport. His love of the game of basketball shines through in this emotional novel that will break your heart.
Samuel Sooleyman is 17 when his dream of playing basketball in America comes true. He leaves his family in Sudan and travels to the US to play in a showcase, where he needs to impress to earn a scholarship to stay. He is a very talented player, and can jump higher than most other players. But tragedy strikes his family while he is away. His village is ransacked and his father is murdered. His sister is taken by rebels and his mother escapes with his 2 younger brothers to a refugee camp. He immediately wants to go home but this is a chance of a lifetime and what could he do if he returns. So he stays and throws everything into his game, practicing whenever her can to be better, to be the best - for himself and to make his family proud.
You will fall in love with Sooley, I certainly did. He is a loveable, strong willed character and he knows what he wants. His family and basketball are the most important things to him. The US is like another planet to him and he struggles to find his way through a normal teenage lifestyle. He is not a character that I will forget.
Thanks to Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of this book to read.
Samuel Sooleyman is 17 when his dream of playing basketball in America comes true. He leaves his family in Sudan and travels to the US to play in a showcase, where he needs to impress to earn a scholarship to stay. He is a very talented player, and can jump higher than most other players. But tragedy strikes his family while he is away. His village is ransacked and his father is murdered. His sister is taken by rebels and his mother escapes with his 2 younger brothers to a refugee camp. He immediately wants to go home but this is a chance of a lifetime and what could he do if he returns. So he stays and throws everything into his game, practicing whenever her can to be better, to be the best - for himself and to make his family proud.
You will fall in love with Sooley, I certainly did. He is a loveable, strong willed character and he knows what he wants. His family and basketball are the most important things to him. The US is like another planet to him and he struggles to find his way through a normal teenage lifestyle. He is not a character that I will forget.
Thanks to Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of this book to read.
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
John Grisham is one of my favorite authors and I will continue to read his new books. This was a nice break from the courtroom. He doesn’t dive deep into trauma of his characters- everything is a bit surface. But that is his style and he is consistent. I enjoyed it.