Scan barcode
_b_a_l_'s review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.5
Quite beautiful
marinaraclara's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
4.0
sleepiebear's review
3.0
interesting. i got the recommendation as sci fi / fantasie, and I accept, still not my normal thing. and maybe a bit too real.
kathrynjl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
On Fragile Waves is a moving, poetic novel that follows a family as they flee from Afghanistan and immigrate to Australia. This is a beautifully crafted and solemn story. I enjoyed the lyrical writing style but did find it harder to develop a deep understanding of the characters as people rather than a storytelling device through which to advance the narrative.
lizaroo71's review
4.0
This story follows siblings Firuzeh and Nour. Their family flees Afghanistan and makes their way to Australia by way of Indonesia.
Firuzeh tries to keep focused on the positive by telling stories steeped in folklore. It works only for so long before the magic wears off.
This shines a light on the life of refugees not only while trekking to a new destination, but life in a camp and the highs and lows of assimilating into a new life.
Firuzeh tries to keep focused on the positive by telling stories steeped in folklore. It works only for so long before the magic wears off.
This shines a light on the life of refugees not only while trekking to a new destination, but life in a camp and the highs and lows of assimilating into a new life.
loreleifae's review
1.0
I couldn't finish it to be honest. I wanted to like it but I just found the prose awful. It felt more like forced poetic than organic beautiful prose. For example, the book never used quotation marks to indicate dialogue, despite having copious amounts of it. This isn't the only book I've seen to do that as a literary devise, but it almost never works for me.
achda's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mchao666's review
4.0
And they stayed on that side of the water, and we on this.
Evoking at times the prose of a folktale, I could see where the story would end but still read on anyways.
Evoking at times the prose of a folktale, I could see where the story would end but still read on anyways.
vikreads's review
4.5
This story is told in a very lyrical way - following a young girl and her family as they flee Afghanistan in search of peace.
The story is very well thought out. The characters are ones you truly root for. There are some parts of the book that read like a poem. There are others that feel like a well written novel and it all feels so connected somehow. However, there were also areas of the book where the style shifted from much of the other chapters and it did feel a bit disconnected. The point of view would randomly change and it didn't seem fully thought out. But despite that, the story and the way it is told overall is redeeming.
Trigger warning: sexual assault, war, suicide
The story is very well thought out. The characters are ones you truly root for. There are some parts of the book that read like a poem. There are others that feel like a well written novel and it all feels so connected somehow. However, there were also areas of the book where the style shifted from much of the other chapters and it did feel a bit disconnected. The point of view would randomly change and it didn't seem fully thought out. But despite that, the story and the way it is told overall is redeeming.
Trigger warning: sexual assault, war, suicide