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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
I think I liked this book, but I'm still trying to work it out. It's a fascinating story, and I personally can't imagine having gone through what the Lost Boys survived, but I found myself strongly disliking the storyteller for reasons I can't quite put my finger on. Regardless, I'm glad I read it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
I wish that instead of using the mugging etc. as a means to tell V.A.Deng's story, he had just told the story. But it is an amazing story and well-told overall. I didn't want the book to end.
What an amazing journey these boys had! Definitely a good book to pick up to understand this conflict in the Sudan and the lives of these amazing young men.
I really love this book, mostly because of the story. My only complaint is that David Eggers' voice seeps through a bit too often. His descriptions are engaging and detailed, but hard to believe when coming from a child's viewpoint. But, it didn't keep me from plowing through the book and being deeply moved by it.
I don't know whether to call this a novel or not, and how much is "true" or not. As a novel, this a sweeping tale, full of casual cruelty, primitive warfare, and innocents lost. Deng emerges as a 20th Century Job, struggling to place the terror of his life in some broader, meaningful, spiritual context, while also trying to navigate the lesser confusions of our culture and time. Eggers captures a very distinct voice, telling a singular story, but one that echoes every great bildungsroman. By far his best book.
This book broke my heart. I was talking about it at the dinner table. I was reading stories about Sudan in newspapers. I was watching the main character/speaker of the book talk about the book on youtube. I had to read a long series of chic lit after I read this in order to calm down.
Even with the strange memoir/fiction (hmmm?) aspect of the book, it's far better to have this account in the world than not.
Even with the strange memoir/fiction (hmmm?) aspect of the book, it's far better to have this account in the world than not.
This was seriously great. I listened to this on audio book and the reader was AWESOME. my brother read the book, and others have said they didnt like reading it. But the story is so amazing. Try the audiobook. it is written in the voice of Valentino, so I can see that being tiring as a read, but it was so good to listen to it. I have been listening on my commute for a month now and I will miss it.
When a book makes you cry repeatedly, but also laugh, you know it's a keeper!