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bookreviewswithkb's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
this is a beautiful novel of a young girl’s life during the war in Lebanon ignited by the Israeli invasion in the 1980s. it’s about the ways we move through grief and heartache, how we have no choice but to break under the weight of unimaginable atrocities. how we can pick each other up, how we can make space for love and care even when all seems lost
“but war isn’t only in the soldier’s heart[]. that’s what most people don’t see. it’s in the heart of the man in the suit - the man with the fat wallet, the smiling mouth and the sweet tongue - in his heart maybe most of all. perhaps he pulls more triggers than anyone, even though his finger never once touches a gun.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Injury/Injury detail
sebastianrutter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
isabelolsen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I enjoyed this! I liked the writing style and loved that the narrator is a child; although Ruba doesn’t understand everything going on, especially around the politics, it was nice to read from a child’s perspective. I think the characters who weren’t part of the main family wasn’t explained that well, but that could be intentional because of the child narrator. The writing is lovely, and quite poetic at times, for example “Uncle said there's no such thing as silence. He said that every silence says something: the silences between words, between notes in music and between people.” I also know very little about Lebanon and its history, and this definitely gives insight into what happened in Lebanon in the 1980s. Overall, a really good book.
pattydsf's review against another edition
2.0
This book was written with feeling and the desire to tell the world about her homeland. Abi-Ezzi obviously was deeply affected by the war in Lebanon.
Unfortunately she was not able to make me feel her emotions and experiences. I could not find a connection to her characters. I am sure that there are readers who will find this book fascinating. I had hoped to be one of them.
Unfortunately she was not able to make me feel her emotions and experiences. I could not find a connection to her characters. I am sure that there are readers who will find this book fascinating. I had hoped to be one of them.
whats_amelia_reading's review against another edition
3.0
this was an interesting read. it follows an eight-year-old girl growing up in 1980s lebanon. i found it gripping how the story starts at a time of relative peace and slowly the situation worsens. it was very effective, particularly because with the open-ended conclusion.
i also liked that even though the narrator was eight years old, the writing never came across as childish.
it took me a while to get into the book but once i did i enjoyed it. there were a few times where i was confused about who some of the side characters were - i feel like they weren't really explained and it took me a few pages of reading to figure out who they were lol
i also liked that even though the narrator was eight years old, the writing never came across as childish.
it took me a while to get into the book but once i did i enjoyed it. there were a few times where i was confused about who some of the side characters were - i feel like they weren't really explained and it took me a few pages of reading to figure out who they were lol
goodcook07's review against another edition
5.0
This book needed to be read. It changed a lot of my thinking.
marinazala's review against another edition
3.0
* books 95 - 2014 *
buku ini saya berikan rating 2,7 dari 5 bintang.. tema yg diangkat sevenarnya menarik mengenai kisah suatu keluarga yg bertahan hidup di era 1980an dimana Beirut dilanda perang..
cuma sayang alurnya terlalu lama dan membuat cepat bosan membacanya.. apalagi ini diambil dari sudut pandang ruba, gadis kecil berusia 8 tahun yg harus hidup di jaman ini..
buku ini saya berikan rating 2,7 dari 5 bintang.. tema yg diangkat sevenarnya menarik mengenai kisah suatu keluarga yg bertahan hidup di era 1980an dimana Beirut dilanda perang..
cuma sayang alurnya terlalu lama dan membuat cepat bosan membacanya.. apalagi ini diambil dari sudut pandang ruba, gadis kecil berusia 8 tahun yg harus hidup di jaman ini..
octavia_cade's review against another edition
2.0
This is very much a book of two halves. The first half was nicely written, atmospheric in the threat and conflict of burgeoning war, but slow as a wet week. Then at about the halfway point, a plot appeared! Actually giving the characters something to do made such a difference.
Look, I'm all for atmosphere, but a book can't survive on that alone. And when you're padding out the intro to the midway point, you've rambled on for far too long. It should have moved beyond the molasses of minutiae a good hundred pages earlier - especially as the effects of war were shown so much more clearly in the second half than in the first, which pretty much negates the reason for the whole sad drag to begin with.
Look, I'm all for atmosphere, but a book can't survive on that alone. And when you're padding out the intro to the midway point, you've rambled on for far too long. It should have moved beyond the molasses of minutiae a good hundred pages earlier - especially as the effects of war were shown so much more clearly in the second half than in the first, which pretty much negates the reason for the whole sad drag to begin with.
suraya_hamiye's review against another edition
4.0
the writing is so simple yet profound at times, and the story just sucks you in, and you find yourself reading and reading and not wanting stop. its the most curious feeling. and i love love love the fact that this story is told from ruba's pov because the world through a child's eyes is incredible to read about. definitely recommended.
tealrose81's review against another edition
3.0
This book had great language and an interesting premise, but I felt it only touched the surface of what it could have about the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. I felt the narrator understood little of what was going on and as a reader I then felt I understood little.