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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
4.5*
The Bone Sparrow tells the story of a young boy named Subhi who was born and has lived all his life in an asylum seekers detention centre.
The story is told from Subhi’s point of view, as he tells of his life in this place. The voice of a child brings a sense of innocence and tragedy to the story, as we see through his eyes how things are.
The story brings themes of friendship, family and found family, as well as displacement and injustice. An important story for all to read, especially as it’s all too easy to imagine things like this don’t go on in the modern world.
The Bone Sparrow tells the story of a young boy named Subhi who was born and has lived all his life in an asylum seekers detention centre.
The story is told from Subhi’s point of view, as he tells of his life in this place. The voice of a child brings a sense of innocence and tragedy to the story, as we see through his eyes how things are.
The story brings themes of friendship, family and found family, as well as displacement and injustice. An important story for all to read, especially as it’s all too easy to imagine things like this don’t go on in the modern world.
Wow! This book is such a powerful story! One that MUST be read by people of all ages. It has opened my eyes wide to the plight faced by refugees. This book has changed me. Humanity is such a disappointment sometimes.
This unexpectedly counted for the Asian readathon.
I understood why Subhi's speech was how it was, but I did not like it. I was really confused about the Night Sea. I didn't like the open-endedness of the ending.
I understood why Subhi's speech was how it was, but I did not like it. I was really confused about the Night Sea. I didn't like the open-endedness of the ending.
Trigger warnings: this book follows the story of refugees in a detention centre, so...PTSD, mistreatment by guards, murder, hunger strikes, self harm, and a multitude of other things.
This book was veeeeeeeeeeery slow to start for me. The first...50-75 pages was a serious struggle and it reminded me a lot of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, seeing as it was narrated from the perspective of a ten year old who had very little understanding of the broader situation going on around him.
But then, without even realising it had happened, I was COMPLETELY HOOKED and I sped through the rest of the book. This is so beautifully told while also being absolutely horrifying to read. Fraillon doesn't pull any punches about the way refugees are treated in Australian detention centres.
I loved the friendship that develops between Subhi and Jimmie. I loved the storytelling elements. I loved Subhi's friendship with Eli and the complexities of his relationship with Harvey. And I love that by making Subhi and his family Rohingya, Fraillon has made the story incredibly timely.
I teared up a bunch of times and I definitely didn't expect certain events that take place in the course of the story to happen. So I was hesitant through the first third or so, but ended up having my heart torn out and stomped on.
This book was veeeeeeeeeeery slow to start for me. The first...50-75 pages was a serious struggle and it reminded me a lot of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, seeing as it was narrated from the perspective of a ten year old who had very little understanding of the broader situation going on around him.
But then, without even realising it had happened, I was COMPLETELY HOOKED and I sped through the rest of the book. This is so beautifully told while also being absolutely horrifying to read. Fraillon doesn't pull any punches about the way refugees are treated in Australian detention centres.
I loved the friendship that develops between Subhi and Jimmie. I loved the storytelling elements. I loved Subhi's friendship with Eli and the complexities of his relationship with Harvey. And I love that by making Subhi and his family Rohingya, Fraillon has made the story incredibly timely.
I teared up a bunch of times and I definitely didn't expect certain events that take place in the course of the story to happen. So I was hesitant through the first third or so, but ended up having my heart torn out and stomped on.
Wow, I'll write a proper review once I get it all processed.
Very sad story about a young refugee boy living in an Australian detention centre
Such a sad story. Really makes you think about what you can do to possibly make a difference for people living in conditions like these. I found this an eye opening experience as I had heard about things like this but never really thought about it. I guess that’s me just being an ignorant person but I know a bit more now. Would highly recommend.
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from NetGalley, courtesy of Disney Book Group, in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Bone Sparrow tells a story about a Burmese refugee, Subhi, and his life in an Australian detention center for refugees as well as Jimmie, a girl lost after the death of her mother.
The Bone Sparrow isn’t a perfect novel. But it still tells an important story that I think everyone should read, especially in the world we live in today. It’s very eye-opening as it touches on subjects that many people don’t really talk/know about. It wonderfully challenges the world’s perception of refugees and how they should be treated.
The story is beautifully written and wonderfully illustrates what happens to many refugees who are seeking asylum in other countries. The Bone Sparrow manages to seamlessly weave two different points of view to create one story.
The Bone Sparrow is definitely more character driven than anything else. While the plot is interesting to read about, the story holds a lot more meaning coming from Subhi’s point of view.
Thankfully, I found it quite easy to connect to Subhi. It was really easy to sympathize with him and his innocence was endearing and ultimately, at the end, heartbreaking. Jimmie, the other narrator, on the other hand, I had trouble with. While I could understand her presence in The Bone Sparrow (her character serves a good purpose), she was much more difficult to connect and sometimes I wondered if her story (or the role her character serves) could have been delivered in another way or if another vehicle could have been used in her place.
In conclusion, The Bone Sparrow tells a story everyone should read. The story was well crafted and the two points of view were nicely woven together. However, while I liked Subhi, I was disappointed that I didn’t like Jimmie nearly as much.
For more reviews like this one, as well as other content like book related discussions, visit Paging Serenity.
The Bone Sparrow tells a story about a Burmese refugee, Subhi, and his life in an Australian detention center for refugees as well as Jimmie, a girl lost after the death of her mother.
The Bone Sparrow isn’t a perfect novel. But it still tells an important story that I think everyone should read, especially in the world we live in today. It’s very eye-opening as it touches on subjects that many people don’t really talk/know about. It wonderfully challenges the world’s perception of refugees and how they should be treated.
The story is beautifully written and wonderfully illustrates what happens to many refugees who are seeking asylum in other countries. The Bone Sparrow manages to seamlessly weave two different points of view to create one story.
The Bone Sparrow is definitely more character driven than anything else. While the plot is interesting to read about, the story holds a lot more meaning coming from Subhi’s point of view.
Thankfully, I found it quite easy to connect to Subhi. It was really easy to sympathize with him and his innocence was endearing and ultimately, at the end, heartbreaking. Jimmie, the other narrator, on the other hand, I had trouble with. While I could understand her presence in The Bone Sparrow (her character serves a good purpose), she was much more difficult to connect and sometimes I wondered if her story (or the role her character serves) could have been delivered in another way or if another vehicle could have been used in her place.
In conclusion, The Bone Sparrow tells a story everyone should read. The story was well crafted and the two points of view were nicely woven together. However, while I liked Subhi, I was disappointed that I didn’t like Jimmie nearly as much.
For more reviews like this one, as well as other content like book related discussions, visit Paging Serenity.