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kathrun006's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I am not the target audience but I still enjoyed it.
It is worth mentioning that this is a story about an African girl set in Africa by a white author. While the author seems to know the culture, you can see some.of her biases as an outsider. If you are looking for a cool exciting story, this book is great but if you are looking for representation of the peoples of Mozambique, I don't recomend. If that is what you are after, find something by a member of that culture. They can represent their own culture better than any outsider.
It is worth mentioning that this is a story about an African girl set in Africa by a white author. While the author seems to know the culture, you can see some.of her biases as an outsider. If you are looking for a cool exciting story, this book is great but if you are looking for representation of the peoples of Mozambique, I don't recomend. If that is what you are after, find something by a member of that culture. They can represent their own culture better than any outsider.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Colonisation
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Contains a witch huntpeachmoni's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-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
3.5
I always wonder what white people's goal is when they write about Africa. For this author, I hope she wrote this and other books set in Zimbabwe because she wanted to give representation to African girls. However, I imagine that there would be a lot of implicit and explicit bias to overcome in writing this story.
I learned that the author lived in Zimbabwe for some time, and I think it's clear she did her research to write this book. I also can imagine that, in the 90s, this was probably one of the few books about an African girl set in Africa... but I still feel a little uncomfortable.
(That said, I did enjoy the book for the most part.)
I learned that the author lived in Zimbabwe for some time, and I think it's clear she did her research to write this book. I also can imagine that, in the 90s, this was probably one of the few books about an African girl set in Africa... but I still feel a little uncomfortable.
(That said, I did enjoy the book for the most part.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, and War
the_ice_berg's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
2.0
onetrooluff's review against another edition
3.0
Another Newbery Honor title (1997).
I have to say, it took me quite a while to really get into this one. I think it could have been edited down to be a bit shorter. I did enjoy it, though; it's a really interesting survival story and would pair well with something like Island of the Blue Dolphins. Nhamo is a very impressive character. She certainly knows a ton about her environment and how to do all kinds of things.
The setting here felt rather nebulous; there are several mentions of there having been a civil war in Zimbabwe, but since I didn't know when that war took place, it didn't really help with the time frame. It wasn't until I read the notes at the end that I learned it was set in 1981.
I definitely learned a lot about the area and the various cultures and live there, which I appreciated.
I have to say, it took me quite a while to really get into this one. I think it could have been edited down to be a bit shorter. I did enjoy it, though; it's a really interesting survival story and would pair well with something like Island of the Blue Dolphins. Nhamo is a very impressive character. She certainly knows a ton about her environment and how to do all kinds of things.
The setting here felt rather nebulous; there are several mentions of there having been a civil war in Zimbabwe, but since I didn't know when that war took place, it didn't really help with the time frame. It wasn't until I read the notes at the end that I learned it was set in 1981.
I definitely learned a lot about the area and the various cultures and live there, which I appreciated.
sapphirestars's review against another edition
4.0
I remember REALLY liking this...read it a few times. So I'll have to revisit it.
madtattler's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
madtattler's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
wardo2700's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the adventure portion of this book but gave it only 3 stars because I felt the author added too many details that got in the way of my truly enjoying it. Also some of the stories the main character told were interesting but most didn't add to advancing the main plot line. I certainly learned a lot about the culture of Zimbabwean tribal life which I'm sure was well researched. I'd recommend this book to readers 10 and older that appreciate a good adventure.
aggielexi's review against another edition
It's well written for a middle school aged individual. I have too many books I want to read to not be very interested in the journey here.
abbyjennhm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0