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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
I was drawn to this novel by the attractive colorful cover and the intriguing title. After finishing I will only say that it is not for the faint of heart. The collateral damage wrecked on the characters, their friends and loved ones over this course of the read is enormous. There is great sadness in these chapters and yet hope flickers through the pages as Saba pursues the trail his brother and father have left behind for him. The friendship that forms between Saba and Nodar is powerful and their alliance is a model for all of humanity as conflicts around the world destroy lives and force us to make decisions about the importance of supporting refugees and victims of war.
When Saba and his older brother, Sandro, were children, living in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, the loss of their sister to war violence and subsequent fears for their safety lead their parents to conclude that it was necessary to leave the country. Unfortunately, they did not have enough money for the entire family to leave, so their father, Irakli left with Saba and Sandro while their mother, Eka, stayed behind. They were all hopeful that after a time Irakli would be able to earn enough money to send for Eka, but try though he did, she was never able to join them in England. As the years passed Irakli lost hope little by little. One day a they were notified that Eka had passed away. When his sons became adults and could support themselves, Irakli left and returned to Georgia looking for traces of Eka’s life. When he later sent a cryptic message to his sons, Sandro left for Georgia hoping to find out what had happened to their father. When Sandro went missing, Saba followed in his footsteps and returned to his homeland. The novel encompasses his journey and search for his brother and father.
When Saba and his older brother, Sandro, were children, living in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, the loss of their sister to war violence and subsequent fears for their safety lead their parents to conclude that it was necessary to leave the country. Unfortunately, they did not have enough money for the entire family to leave, so their father, Irakli left with Saba and Sandro while their mother, Eka, stayed behind. They were all hopeful that after a time Irakli would be able to earn enough money to send for Eka, but try though he did, she was never able to join them in England. As the years passed Irakli lost hope little by little. One day a they were notified that Eka had passed away. When his sons became adults and could support themselves, Irakli left and returned to Georgia looking for traces of Eka’s life. When he later sent a cryptic message to his sons, Sandro left for Georgia hoping to find out what had happened to their father. When Sandro went missing, Saba followed in his footsteps and returned to his homeland. The novel encompasses his journey and search for his brother and father.
3.5 ⭐️ having recently travelled to Georgia I found it easier to connect with this book. It is a really unique way of describing grief in a war torn country. Unfortunately I felt lost at times and didn’t fully grasp everything happening.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
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:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-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
After escaping Georgia (the country, not the state), having to leave their mother behind, Eka, his brother and his father, Irakli, make a new but difficult life in England. When Saba’s mother dies back in Georgia, Irakli returns but must escape the twisted government he left to find freedom from all those years before. Eventually his sons stop hearing from him so Sandro goes. When Saba stops hearing from Sandro, he also goes on a quest to find their dad and the reason he went back in the first place. Saba takes an amazing journey, following in the footsteps of his brother, to find their father. Across mountains, through freezing waters, and narrowly escaping gunfire, will Saba be able to catch up with his father and brother and what will he have to sacrifice to get there?
adventurous
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes