Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

5 reviews

greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

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emotional informative fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0


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sassmistress's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative fast-paced

4.25

Set in 1999-ish Afghanistan, a girl watches the Taliban raid her home, beat her family, and drag away her father. The rest, all women and girls, cannot safely leave the one-room home without a male family member to escort them, so she is forced to cut her hair and pretend to be a boy, to earn money for the family to eat. We learn a lot about what their everyday world looks like, and a decent amount of culturally-specific vocabulary (with a glossary in the back). 

Personal opinion: This book is worth a read when the time is right, with parental caution advised. While it was written in 2000, it gives you a more on-the-ground look at the Afghan people suffering under Taliban rule--their history, national identity, and quiet acts of resistance. I didn't get the conclusive, satisfying ending I have come to expect as a reader of primarily sci-fi/fantasy, but that's real life--one chapter closes, and another one begins. It's an emotional read, and I stayed up too late to finish reading it in a few hours. 

This book obviously deals with some heavy topics and while it does not abandon hope, it does depict the realities of life under the thumb of the Taliban. The book is a work of fiction based on the experiences of real people. The main character is 11 years old, so I would use that for a guidance point, but suitability will be VERY dependent on the reader and your preferences as a family. As one character says, "in other parts of the country, girls your age are getting married and having babies" (paraphrased), so I don't think it necessarily needs to be restricted to teens and older. IMO This is a relatively safe place to be exposed to, and process, some things that are happening in our fallen world that may be new to most preteens. Despite the specific content I'll call out below, there is courage, hope, resilience, and resourcefulness. 


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gurnoor's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0


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heather_freshparchment's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-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? No

4.0


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freidakb's review against another edition

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0


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