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chandraleereads's review against another edition
3.0
This is not a book I typically would have selected for myself. However, I spent the whole time wanting to know who done it AND I was super intrigued by the concept of the book. A very unique story was told and managed to highlight topics of immigration, privilege, and culture in a clever way. Additionally, I now have a new favorite quote directly from this book: “Guilt, women’s middle name. Apology, their first.” This quote resonated deeply with me and I feel it will with many women. I am very appreciative that Natasha Tynes provided me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
theeditorreads's review against another edition
4.0
***e-ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review***
Genre: Speculative (Fiction)
Date of Publication: 11 June 2019
Synopsis:
They Called Me Wyatt tells the story of Siwar Salaiha, a girl from Jordan who found her calling, her freedom in the University of Maryland (USA's) Creative Writing Course. The book starts with her death on her twenty-fifth birthday, a mysterious death, the details to which she cannot remember. Her death was ruled as a suicide by the police but she denies it, adamantly. But, how is she denying it if she's already dead?
Siwar's consciousness has found its way into a baby boy from Seattle, Washington. A boy who goes by the name Wyatt Shepard. He was born on the exact day that Siwar died. What is this bizarre connection that years later, twenty-five years later to be precise, Wyatt is determined to find out as to what exactly happened to Siwar on that ill-fated day, without knowing what is it that drives him to do so?
Review:
My first read from this genre – speculative novel – where the epigraph itself pulled me in.
(from Robert Frost's The Witch of Coos)
Some strong opening lines, and bang on to the essence of the storyline, as everything in the story begins after Siwar's death – an intriguing afterlife in the body of a three-year-old toddler. The book is divided into two parts. The first part follows the events leading up to Siwar's death and her tough days as an adult brain in Wyatt's three-year-old 'speech-delayed and limited fine motor skills' body. The second part starts with a twenty-five-year-old Wyatt and is majorly told from his point-of-view with Siwar butting in a few times in-between. With the author highlighting the dates with the chapter numbers and often mentioning the years going forward and backwards throughout the story, the timeline of the story runs smoothly and there are no issues in following it.
The first part has a slow build-up and the book picks up steam only in the second part. But, it is totally worth every page. It's like enjoying the spicy flavours of a dish, slowly. Siwar's various exploits make for enjoyable reading.
The author writes a gripping narrative, with cross-cultural references, in a tight-knit story. It is a heart-warming blend of everything similar yet different. The author also goes in-depth in trying to break free of the prejudices against other cultures – prejudices which mostly arise from wrongful depictions in movies and popular media. And when one of my favourite dishes is mentioned, I love the book more for it.
It is quite an ingenious concept, though as intriguing as the story is, it did remind me of Stephenie Meyer's The Host.
On to the characters, Siwar is just your average girl, looking for an escape from the stifling boundaries of her country and society, dreaming of the free world overseas. She is such a relatable character.
(Another epigraph which resonates throughout the story. From Ijeoma Umebinyuo's Questions for Ada.)
Also integral to the story are Wyatt's as well as Siwar's respective families. The connection between their families through Wyatt's relationship with Hoda (the daughter of Siwar's older sister) may have been engineered by Siwar but provides quite the conflict to the story. At times, I even felt bad for Wyatt whose entire life seemed to be consumed by this one girl. Was anything even real in Wyatt's life? His relationship, his studies, etc.
With the introduction of Hoda in the second part, the story gets as eerie as it is exciting.
And the futuristic technology is also interesting, some things new while there are also good old few. After all, the story terminates in the year 2026.
The ending is something else, totally unexpected, out of the blue. It hits you and keeps you on edge. Siwar not only smiles but shines throughout. The case is finally closed. But, I have mixed feelings. Siwar and Wyatt's relationship is odd while his and Hoda's is confusing but, the story wasn't really about relationships so… Though Krista did provide a nice perspective on that. (Oh, I totally forgot to mention that she's one of my favourite characters – Wyatt's mother. While Ibtissam, Siwar's mother's intuitiveness had me spellbound. Mothers are of a different ilk, aren't they?)
Highly recommended!
P.S. I wish I could read Siwar's entire journal, like Wyatt had the chance to read it.
Kudos to the author for giving such a strong voice to Siwar.
(I am saving her journal entries for re-reading, for every time and always both – On Belonging and On Death.)
It would have been a 5/5 and 'all the stars in the world' read for me if not for the ton of grammatical mistakes, incorrect tenses, repetitions, misspellings and missing words.
Also, I sometimes feel that I am different too and I have felt so for quite a long time. And I have a birthmark too (nope, not saying where it is!). Does that mean I have a previous life which I don’t remember? (grins and winks)
Originally posted on:
https://sassyshaina.wordpress.com/2019/04/19/they-called-me-wyatt-by-natasha-tynes/
Genre: Speculative (Fiction)
Date of Publication: 11 June 2019
Synopsis:
They Called Me Wyatt tells the story of Siwar Salaiha, a girl from Jordan who found her calling, her freedom in the University of Maryland (USA's) Creative Writing Course. The book starts with her death on her twenty-fifth birthday, a mysterious death, the details to which she cannot remember. Her death was ruled as a suicide by the police but she denies it, adamantly. But, how is she denying it if she's already dead?
Siwar's consciousness has found its way into a baby boy from Seattle, Washington. A boy who goes by the name Wyatt Shepard. He was born on the exact day that Siwar died. What is this bizarre connection that years later, twenty-five years later to be precise, Wyatt is determined to find out as to what exactly happened to Siwar on that ill-fated day, without knowing what is it that drives him to do so?
Review:
My first read from this genre – speculative novel – where the epigraph itself pulled me in.
Yes, there's something the dead are keeping back.
(from Robert Frost's The Witch of Coos)
Dying was not the worst part. It was what came after dying.
Some strong opening lines, and bang on to the essence of the storyline, as everything in the story begins after Siwar's death – an intriguing afterlife in the body of a three-year-old toddler. The book is divided into two parts. The first part follows the events leading up to Siwar's death and her tough days as an adult brain in Wyatt's three-year-old 'speech-delayed and limited fine motor skills' body. The second part starts with a twenty-five-year-old Wyatt and is majorly told from his point-of-view with Siwar butting in a few times in-between. With the author highlighting the dates with the chapter numbers and often mentioning the years going forward and backwards throughout the story, the timeline of the story runs smoothly and there are no issues in following it.
The first part has a slow build-up and the book picks up steam only in the second part. But, it is totally worth every page. It's like enjoying the spicy flavours of a dish, slowly. Siwar's various exploits make for enjoyable reading.
The author writes a gripping narrative, with cross-cultural references, in a tight-knit story. It is a heart-warming blend of everything similar yet different. The author also goes in-depth in trying to break free of the prejudices against other cultures – prejudices which mostly arise from wrongful depictions in movies and popular media. And when one of my favourite dishes is mentioned, I love the book more for it.
We chatted for a bit then she invited me to breakfast. She made me Shakshuka, a tomato egg dish that was brought to Israel by Tunisian Jews.
It is quite an ingenious concept, though as intriguing as the story is, it did remind me of Stephenie Meyer's The Host.
On to the characters, Siwar is just your average girl, looking for an escape from the stifling boundaries of her country and society, dreaming of the free world overseas. She is such a relatable character.
They keep saying that I'm good at school and that I shouldn't waste my time on novels.
So, here you are
too foreign for home
too foreign for here.
Never enough for both.
(Another epigraph which resonates throughout the story. From Ijeoma Umebinyuo's Questions for Ada.)
Also integral to the story are Wyatt's as well as Siwar's respective families. The connection between their families through Wyatt's relationship with Hoda (the daughter of Siwar's older sister) may have been engineered by Siwar but provides quite the conflict to the story. At times, I even felt bad for Wyatt whose entire life seemed to be consumed by this one girl. Was anything even real in Wyatt's life? His relationship, his studies, etc.
With the introduction of Hoda in the second part, the story gets as eerie as it is exciting.
"You know what they say about birthmarks?"
"No, I don't."
"They are the wounds of your previous lives."
And the futuristic technology is also interesting, some things new while there are also good old few. After all, the story terminates in the year 2026.
The ending is something else, totally unexpected, out of the blue. It hits you and keeps you on edge. Siwar not only smiles but shines throughout. The case is finally closed. But, I have mixed feelings. Siwar and Wyatt's relationship is odd while his and Hoda's is confusing but, the story wasn't really about relationships so… Though Krista did provide a nice perspective on that. (Oh, I totally forgot to mention that she's one of my favourite characters – Wyatt's mother. While Ibtissam, Siwar's mother's intuitiveness had me spellbound. Mothers are of a different ilk, aren't they?)
Highly recommended!
P.S. I wish I could read Siwar's entire journal, like Wyatt had the chance to read it.
Guilt, women's middle name. Apology, their first.
Kudos to the author for giving such a strong voice to Siwar.
(I am saving her journal entries for re-reading, for every time and always both – On Belonging and On Death.)
It would have been a 5/5 and 'all the stars in the world' read for me if not for the ton of grammatical mistakes, incorrect tenses, repetitions, misspellings and missing words.
Also, I sometimes feel that I am different too and I have felt so for quite a long time. And I have a birthmark too (nope, not saying where it is!). Does that mean I have a previous life which I don’t remember? (grins and winks)
Originally posted on:
https://sassyshaina.wordpress.com/2019/04/19/they-called-me-wyatt-by-natasha-tynes/
angry_bun's review against another edition
3.0
«no matter how many friends you make during your life journey, your family is your backbone.»
First of all, I wanted to thank the author for the opportunity to read and review her debut novel.
The book is centred around the mystery of unsolved murder of a twenty-five-year-old Jordanian student, Siwar, whose soul was transferred into a body of a newly born boy, Wyatt. Twenty-five years later, together they finally get the chance to figure out what exactly happened on that unfortunate night.
THEY CALLED ME WYATT is unlike anything I've read before. The first part of the story was a bit difficult to get through, narrator jumped from one topic to another erratically, and it actually reminded me of a muddled stream of consciousness, which it essentially was, and the main character, Siwar, was constantly angry and frustrated, which is quite understandable. Honestly, who would enjoy being murdered and then being locked inside of a three-year-old child. Nevertheless, i was hooked up from the very beginning. The second part was much easier to read, Wyatt and Siwar’s voices were easily distinguished, and the twist was completely unexpected.
THEY CALLED ME WYATT is coming out 11 June, so if you're a fan of crime stories, and you are looking for something new and original, you should definitely check this book out!
First of all, I wanted to thank the author for the opportunity to read and review her debut novel.
The book is centred around the mystery of unsolved murder of a twenty-five-year-old Jordanian student, Siwar, whose soul was transferred into a body of a newly born boy, Wyatt. Twenty-five years later, together they finally get the chance to figure out what exactly happened on that unfortunate night.
THEY CALLED ME WYATT is unlike anything I've read before. The first part of the story was a bit difficult to get through, narrator jumped from one topic to another erratically, and it actually reminded me of a muddled stream of consciousness, which it essentially was, and the main character, Siwar, was constantly angry and frustrated, which is quite understandable. Honestly, who would enjoy being murdered and then being locked inside of a three-year-old child. Nevertheless, i was hooked up from the very beginning. The second part was much easier to read, Wyatt and Siwar’s voices were easily distinguished, and the twist was completely unexpected.
THEY CALLED ME WYATT is coming out 11 June, so if you're a fan of crime stories, and you are looking for something new and original, you should definitely check this book out!
yasmine_guiga's review against another edition
4.0
THEY CALLED ME WYATT
“In America, I fit but I do not belong, In Lebanon, I belong but I do not fit.”
Technically, this quote isn’t from the book. It’s in it, but it’s from another author. However, I had to use it as my introduction. Because for me, not only does it explain what the protagonist, Siwar has been through, but what all Arab women go through.
They Called Me Wyatt by Natasha Tynes is a thriller/mystery novel, a mirror of the Arab society and an in-depth reflection about immigration issues. It’s a quick and enjoyable read that will push you to question the world we live in, no matter where you’re from, what your gender is, or what language you speak.
As a young, Tunisian woman, I can’t help but relate to the heroine in so many ways. Siwar’s thoughts, words, views on the society we live in, hopes, dreams, feelings, everything in her found its echo in me. Because you see, although Tunisia may be the “best” country in the Arab world in terms of women’s rights and man/woman equality, homosexuality is still illegal, women are still fighting for their right to equal inheritance, only girls in public high schools have to wear uniforms and you can get put in jail for as much as kissing someone in public. So yeah, we still have a lot of progress to do in that field.
Now, I don’t mean to scare or shock anyone. Because the media don’t necessarily reflect the real situation of Arab societies. I didn’t grow up in a conservative family. I was always free to wear whatever I want, be with whoever ever I choose and think however I please. But you see, if my family never prevented me from living my life, society’s judgement was still there, and that’s the biggest struggle that we, Arab women have to face. It’s a daily challenge: you’re free to wear that new skirt you just bought, if you’re ready to face the nasty looks, muttered insults and disgusting whistles.
You don’t want to wait until after your married before having sex, because you’re a woman and you have needs? Fine, but good luck finding someone who’ll want to marry you after “your honor has been sullied.” It’s all about reputation.
Do you understand what I’m trying to say? Being an Arab woman is hard, because you’re constantly in search of your identity. Always questioning yourself. Always trying to balance your wants and needs and society’s horrible standards.
And even if you rebel and free yourself from all that ties you to a society you despise. Truth is, you’ll never be completely free of what you’ve always been running from.
And that’s why I love this book so much. Because Natasha managed to grasp all of that and convey it through her words.
I can’t wait for you guys to read it.
“In America, I fit but I do not belong, In Lebanon, I belong but I do not fit.”
Technically, this quote isn’t from the book. It’s in it, but it’s from another author. However, I had to use it as my introduction. Because for me, not only does it explain what the protagonist, Siwar has been through, but what all Arab women go through.
They Called Me Wyatt by Natasha Tynes is a thriller/mystery novel, a mirror of the Arab society and an in-depth reflection about immigration issues. It’s a quick and enjoyable read that will push you to question the world we live in, no matter where you’re from, what your gender is, or what language you speak.
As a young, Tunisian woman, I can’t help but relate to the heroine in so many ways. Siwar’s thoughts, words, views on the society we live in, hopes, dreams, feelings, everything in her found its echo in me. Because you see, although Tunisia may be the “best” country in the Arab world in terms of women’s rights and man/woman equality, homosexuality is still illegal, women are still fighting for their right to equal inheritance, only girls in public high schools have to wear uniforms and you can get put in jail for as much as kissing someone in public. So yeah, we still have a lot of progress to do in that field.
Now, I don’t mean to scare or shock anyone. Because the media don’t necessarily reflect the real situation of Arab societies. I didn’t grow up in a conservative family. I was always free to wear whatever I want, be with whoever ever I choose and think however I please. But you see, if my family never prevented me from living my life, society’s judgement was still there, and that’s the biggest struggle that we, Arab women have to face. It’s a daily challenge: you’re free to wear that new skirt you just bought, if you’re ready to face the nasty looks, muttered insults and disgusting whistles.
You don’t want to wait until after your married before having sex, because you’re a woman and you have needs? Fine, but good luck finding someone who’ll want to marry you after “your honor has been sullied.” It’s all about reputation.
Do you understand what I’m trying to say? Being an Arab woman is hard, because you’re constantly in search of your identity. Always questioning yourself. Always trying to balance your wants and needs and society’s horrible standards.
And even if you rebel and free yourself from all that ties you to a society you despise. Truth is, you’ll never be completely free of what you’ve always been running from.
And that’s why I love this book so much. Because Natasha managed to grasp all of that and convey it through her words.
I can’t wait for you guys to read it.
thereadingchemist's review
1.0
I'm pulling all support from this author following her recent actions against a subway employee who may lose their job because this author felt entitled. This is abhorrent behavior as a human being, and I will NOT support anyone who publicly humiliates an employee for EATING on a subway.
Edit: I understand that the employee was breaking a rule, but there are proper channels with dealing with these issues before firing off heated tweets that can influences thousands of people.
End rant.
Edit: I understand that the employee was breaking a rule, but there are proper channels with dealing with these issues before firing off heated tweets that can influences thousands of people.
End rant.
bezareader's review
1.0
Haven’t read it but being anti-black, especially in 2019, will never fly anymore.
bookswithshayydeniece's review
2.0
**I would like to state that a free review copy was provided to me by the author for an honest review.
I really enjoyed part 1 of this book. I loved the flashbacks into Siwars life is Jordan and in college. I loved seeing how her upbring/culture affected her decision in America even after she left her home country. However I wasn't a huge fan of the baby Wyatt POVs and I kinda of skimmed through them. Part 2 started out really good but in my opinion, lost it's momentum. Around the 60-70% mark I was just wanting to finish it and kind of skimmed from there. When I finally finished the end left me feeling unsatisfied and I'm not sure why. Everything was wrapped up real nice in the end and I like the over all plot and idea of They Called Me Wyatt but the pacing of the story was a little slow for me. I would compare the pacing of this book to an Agatha Christie novel in the sense that it is kind of a slow burn mystery. If you're a fan of Agatha Christie type novels or cozy mysteries definitely check this book out. This book is definitely not for me but I can appreciate it just like Agatha Christie novels because her novels are widely loved but again not my taste. I am more of a fast pace thriller type of gal, so bare that in mind when reading this review because it is a good book overall, just a little slow for my tastes.
I really enjoyed part 1 of this book. I loved the flashbacks into Siwars life is Jordan and in college. I loved seeing how her upbring/culture affected her decision in America even after she left her home country. However I wasn't a huge fan of the baby Wyatt POVs and I kinda of skimmed through them. Part 2 started out really good but in my opinion, lost it's momentum. Around the 60-70% mark I was just wanting to finish it and kind of skimmed from there. When I finally finished the end left me feeling unsatisfied and I'm not sure why. Everything was wrapped up real nice in the end and I like the over all plot and idea of They Called Me Wyatt but the pacing of the story was a little slow for me. I would compare the pacing of this book to an Agatha Christie novel in the sense that it is kind of a slow burn mystery. If you're a fan of Agatha Christie type novels or cozy mysteries definitely check this book out. This book is definitely not for me but I can appreciate it just like Agatha Christie novels because her novels are widely loved but again not my taste. I am more of a fast pace thriller type of gal, so bare that in mind when reading this review because it is a good book overall, just a little slow for my tastes.
southafricanfangirl's review
The book kept me entertained, intrigued and it enlightened me to some of the struggles that women faced and continue to face in eastern countries. I am not usually a fan of books that include spiritual themes, because I don't agree with a lot of things related to it. However, in this book, I didn't mind it.
The only thing I had a bit of a problem with is the way the book dealt with Sara's depression. However, given the theme period, it's kind of understandable. The rest of the themes, namely: sexism, spiritual beings, etc. was done great! My full review will be up on my blog.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The only thing I had a bit of a problem with is the way the book dealt with Sara's depression. However, given the theme period, it's kind of understandable. The rest of the themes, namely: sexism, spiritual beings, etc. was done great! My full review will be up on my blog.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.