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sssnoo's review against another edition
4.0
This is a book everyone should read. It tells the history of the Syrian conflict in a readable and succinct way. But that is just the backdrop to the story of this one woman’s (this is a true story) path as a refugee. This book gives the reader an understanding of why people leave their homes and the dangers and challenges they confront to do so. The real content of this book is in the last 25% of the text. The preceding pages give the background and the first years of being a refugee. That portion is solid, but the last 25% is harrowing. I have seen the news stories of people crossing the Mediterranean by boat, but this accounting left me shell shocked. I just sat and cried and I don’t do that very often when I read a book. I had to wait a day to even write this review and there is no way I can convey the horror of the Mediterranean crossing. It is an emotionally difficult book to read but one people should read.
I say it often, but books help me exercise my empathy muscles and this one - wow - I felt it.
I say it often, but books help me exercise my empathy muscles and this one - wow - I felt it.
sydneystein's review
3.0
Everyone who thinks refugees are terrorists should be forced to read this haunting account of what it means to truly run from your country. The story gets five stars, the writing gets two.
quirkyaquarian's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
justallison17's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
rebriley95's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.25
Really good book to get a better understanding of the situation in Syria. Doaa's strength is unbelievable and so inspirational. It is so difficult to image everything that she has endured and witnessed. I would recommend this book for people wanting to know more about the struggles refugees face.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Violence, Child death, Death, War, and Grief
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
givnuapeacesign's review
4.0
Powerful story of Doaa Al Zamel's struggle as a young woman in Syria during the Arab Spring time period. After protests in Tunisia appeared to be making a difference, activists took to the streests in Doaa's hometown of Daraa. Doaa and her siblings lived comfortably possessing a strong sense of justice. They joined in the protests which were mostly peaceful. Yet over time the government changed for the worse. Emergency law was abolished, many defected from the Syrian Army forming the Free Syrian Army, and soon the country was in all-out civil war.
After a time, Doaa's family fled to Egypt where they were welcomed for a while. Yet this soon ended as more and more Syrian refugees flooded the country. Resources became scarce as jobs became difficult to find. Prejudices surfaced, and it was no longer a safe place. Doaa fell in love, and she and her fiancee decided they must leave Egypt.
They gave their life savings to known smugglers for boat passage across the Mediterranean Sea. Doaa was terrified of water, never learning to swim. Ultimately she spent four days in the sea after her boat was sunk. Her amazing, heroic story will astound.
Four stars only because this reader feels there was too much prequel to the real story of Doaa. Many pages were given to her early years, her stubbornness, her unwillingness to get engaged, etc. This became tedious and could have been handled in lots fewer pages. The story of this amazing woman, however, is simply amazing. Her faith never wavered. Her devotion to family is a lesson to us all. The reader is left wondering why this had to happen and is still happening today. Millions are still being s=displaced as of this writing while over 400,000 have been killed in Syria. Why has the world allowed this to continue?
After a time, Doaa's family fled to Egypt where they were welcomed for a while. Yet this soon ended as more and more Syrian refugees flooded the country. Resources became scarce as jobs became difficult to find. Prejudices surfaced, and it was no longer a safe place. Doaa fell in love, and she and her fiancee decided they must leave Egypt.
They gave their life savings to known smugglers for boat passage across the Mediterranean Sea. Doaa was terrified of water, never learning to swim. Ultimately she spent four days in the sea after her boat was sunk. Her amazing, heroic story will astound.
Four stars only because this reader feels there was too much prequel to the real story of Doaa. Many pages were given to her early years, her stubbornness, her unwillingness to get engaged, etc. This became tedious and could have been handled in lots fewer pages. The story of this amazing woman, however, is simply amazing. Her faith never wavered. Her devotion to family is a lesson to us all. The reader is left wondering why this had to happen and is still happening today. Millions are still being s=displaced as of this writing while over 400,000 have been killed in Syria. Why has the world allowed this to continue?
nurultasneem's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0