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mcquaden's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
5.0
There are so many things that I want to say about this book, but first of all:
Holy shit.
This was an incredible read. I never heard about women warriors in the fight against ISIS (wonder why 🙃) but it was incredibly inspiring to hear their courage, determination, and unwavering belief in themselves and their comrades to defeat ISIS. Without their leadership and expertise, Kobani would have fallen.
I feel that there is so much misinformation/omission of information about the Middle East. I took forward to reading more books written about and by people who have actually lived in these places, hopefully without too much bias from either liberal or republican sources.
Holy shit.
This was an incredible read. I never heard about women warriors in the fight against ISIS (wonder why 🙃) but it was incredibly inspiring to hear their courage, determination, and unwavering belief in themselves and their comrades to defeat ISIS. Without their leadership and expertise, Kobani would have fallen.
I feel that there is so much misinformation/omission of information about the Middle East. I took forward to reading more books written about and by people who have actually lived in these places, hopefully without too much bias from either liberal or republican sources.
dale_kooyenga's review
5.0
Every military Officer should read this book. It's a great example of how the US can play an effective role in assisting worthy allies with minimal boots on the ground. It's also a great story of how young women have become an efficient and needed force in protection of the Kurds interest. These young women are to be honored and it's a beautiful story of Kurdish women, along side their allies, freeing other women that were sexual slaves to ISIS. The book leaves little doubt that a women that is well trained can be a proficient front line warrior and Commander in combat. (I knew this before the book, but the book makes the argument stronger)
It's remarkable we don't hear more about the Kurds fight. The largest ethic group in world without their own nation, the Kurds have been targeted by Turkey, Syria, Iran and a host of radical groups like ISIS. Although traditionally more communist in their ideology, their vision of effective government also includes equality and principles of democracy.
Well written and researched. Books does history and the fight for equality, justice and freedom a significant service.
It's remarkable we don't hear more about the Kurds fight. The largest ethic group in world without their own nation, the Kurds have been targeted by Turkey, Syria, Iran and a host of radical groups like ISIS. Although traditionally more communist in their ideology, their vision of effective government also includes equality and principles of democracy.
Well written and researched. Books does history and the fight for equality, justice and freedom a significant service.
zoot's review
5.0
I won't admit how little I knew about the history of this region before, but let's just say you can go in completely blind if you need and you'll be fine. I learned so much with this book, pulled up maps to orient myself in the story, looked up photos, I felt really connected to everyone in this book by the time it was over. I will hold the stories of these women in my heart forever.
NOTE: I listened to the audiobook which I *highly* recommend if you struggle reading historical non-fictions like I do. My ADHD make it so I struggle a bit with non-linear storytelling which you can't really do with a historical non-fiction because you have to cover so many different facets of a story. The audiobooks tend to help me keep track/focus and this one was no exception.
NOTE: I listened to the audiobook which I *highly* recommend if you struggle reading historical non-fictions like I do. My ADHD make it so I struggle a bit with non-linear storytelling which you can't really do with a historical non-fiction because you have to cover so many different facets of a story. The audiobooks tend to help me keep track/focus and this one was no exception.
saaraa96's review
4.0
اولش که اومدم شروعش کردم فکر میکردم منظورش از مبارزه خانم ها به فرم ایدئولوژیک و تغییر تو ساختار و نگرش به خانم و یه جورایی فمنیست طور باشه ، ولی این آدم ها لیترالی تفنگ به دست وسط جنگ بودند.
باعث شد بفهمم یکی از چیزهایی که فکر میکردم از دنیای این طرف ما دور باشه ، زیاد هم دور نیست و رخ میده.
دمشون گرم؛ آدم های خفنی بودن.
حقیقتش کتاب این مدلی زیاد نخوندم نمیتونم بگم نویسنده مدل روایتش چطور بود، ولی من دوستش داشتم.(البته اودیوبوک گوش دادم ، و حالا خیلی هم ریز نشدم برا قسمت هاش.)
باعث شد بفهمم یکی از چیزهایی که فکر میکردم از دنیای این طرف ما دور باشه ، زیاد هم دور نیست و رخ میده.
دمشون گرم؛ آدم های خفنی بودن.
حقیقتش کتاب این مدلی زیاد نخوندم نمیتونم بگم نویسنده مدل روایتش چطور بود، ولی من دوستش داشتم.(البته اودیوبوک گوش دادم ، و حالا خیلی هم ریز نشدم برا قسمت هاش.)
j_lange's review
4.0
It's hard to write about a post-9/11 world. This book focuses on the YPJ/YPG fighters of northern Syria from 2004-current day, and it is not meant to be a comprehensive guide to- well, anything. It's a book that focuses on a handful of significant battles and the women who fought in them. I think Lemmon does a good job to give appropriate background without bogging down the pacing. I enjoyed hearing the stories of individual fighters. However, I had the distinct feeling that I needed more context in the last 25% of this book as various countries stepped into more recent history. So, I think if anything- I felt like the scope of the book needed tweaked.
aidaninasia's review
5.0
Excellent read, tragic yet beautiful eye opener as to what so many people are facing in the 21st century.
awhittz's review against another edition
3.75
Wow - what an interesting and inspiring book, who knew there was a female militia going head to head with ISIS to defend Syria?! Incredible bravery, rewriting women’s roles in wartime.