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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
This book was on my Holds shelf for nearly a year (seriously) so maybe there is some built-in overhype just by the nature of this. I LOVED the main story line but I could not get into or follow the fairy tale portion. I'm grateful for the nature of this book, and the raw look at war-torn Syria (for those who remain interested, I recommend Girl at War by Sara Novic), but overall this didn't leave a strong impression with me.
3.5 stars - A little hard to follow the two stories at first. I ended up listening on audio, as reading all the names and places was confusing at first. A good story.
adventurous
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4/5. Enjoyed the story overall. The shifting plots were well done and sort of reminded me of the film Little Princess where her story is intertwined with the "real world" plot and told alternatingly. Only the last part of the journey felt very rushed and closed too cleanly with a bow in my mind;
Complete summary and review posted at : https://thepageandpassport.com/2019/04/21/the-map-of-salt-and-stars-jennifer-zeynab-joukhadar/
The see-saw parallel narratives made The Map of Salt and Stars very readable. Each chapter starts with Rawiya's adventures and transitions neatly into Nour's story. It's easy to fall into a rhythm of reading, as each chapter ends in a way that makes the reader want to go on. I was pretty invested in Nour and Rawiya's stories, and I loved how they intersected.
Nour grows up in the most difficult of circumstances. She is a sweet young girl, grieving the loss of her beloved father, adjusting to her new life in Syria. She was born in America and has the strongest connection to her old life, often reminiscing about times she and her father walked in NYC. When the civil war in Syria comes too close to home, she, her mother, sisters, and father's old friend must forge a rough path out of the country and find a place that is safe for them. This is no easy feat, and the dangers, fear, and worry is in every step. The reader can feel the fear. It's that tangible. It is the refugee experience in raw, unflinching detail ... and Nour tries to make sense of it all in her child-like thinking that grows less and less childish with every chapter. It's heartbreaking to see how she is forced to grow up so quickly ... but also celebrate with her when she finally develops into young womanhood.
Rawiya's tale is no less compelling. Based on Middle Eastern myths and legends, fraught with beautiful religious detail and mixed with the stories of old, the reader also watches as she too grows in knowledge, courage, love and worldly experience. In order to apprentice with the mapmaker, she must pretend to be a boy, and she is able to keep her secret well whilst still developing her personality and identity. Her tale is a perfect match for Nour's.
The Map of Salt and Stars is a beautiful story that weaves fantasy, legend, and modern day crises in a way that isn't dreary or overbearing. The two narratives are equally important to the book's plot and keep the reader going from chapter to chapter. The writing is laced with gorgeous descriptions, heartbreaking moments of loss, and color that sets the reader right into the setting. The concrete poems that begin each section are rich, well-written, and capture the emotion of the coming section. Nour's story is one of love and loss, fear and bravery, resourcefulness and strength. She is not so easily forgotten when the last page is turned.
The see-saw parallel narratives made The Map of Salt and Stars very readable. Each chapter starts with Rawiya's adventures and transitions neatly into Nour's story. It's easy to fall into a rhythm of reading, as each chapter ends in a way that makes the reader want to go on. I was pretty invested in Nour and Rawiya's stories, and I loved how they intersected.
Nour grows up in the most difficult of circumstances. She is a sweet young girl, grieving the loss of her beloved father, adjusting to her new life in Syria. She was born in America and has the strongest connection to her old life, often reminiscing about times she and her father walked in NYC. When the civil war in Syria comes too close to home, she, her mother, sisters, and father's old friend must forge a rough path out of the country and find a place that is safe for them. This is no easy feat, and the dangers, fear, and worry is in every step. The reader can feel the fear. It's that tangible. It is the refugee experience in raw, unflinching detail ... and Nour tries to make sense of it all in her child-like thinking that grows less and less childish with every chapter. It's heartbreaking to see how she is forced to grow up so quickly ... but also celebrate with her when she finally develops into young womanhood.
Rawiya's tale is no less compelling. Based on Middle Eastern myths and legends, fraught with beautiful religious detail and mixed with the stories of old, the reader also watches as she too grows in knowledge, courage, love and worldly experience. In order to apprentice with the mapmaker, she must pretend to be a boy, and she is able to keep her secret well whilst still developing her personality and identity. Her tale is a perfect match for Nour's.
The Map of Salt and Stars is a beautiful story that weaves fantasy, legend, and modern day crises in a way that isn't dreary or overbearing. The two narratives are equally important to the book's plot and keep the reader going from chapter to chapter. The writing is laced with gorgeous descriptions, heartbreaking moments of loss, and color that sets the reader right into the setting. The concrete poems that begin each section are rich, well-written, and capture the emotion of the coming section. Nour's story is one of love and loss, fear and bravery, resourcefulness and strength. She is not so easily forgotten when the last page is turned.
Beautiful, sad story about a Syrian family forced to flee their home in search of safety that caused me to reflect upon the reality of living in a world I know little about.
5/10
This has been on my tbr for a long time but I convinced a friend to read it with me and that got me to finally pick it up. Overall I was disappointed. This book had so much potential but I was bored almost the entire time and never wanted to pick the book up to keep reading. I'm not sure how a book with such an interesting and heartbreaking story could be so bland but there I said it. Really bummed out with this one.
TW: bombings, attempted rape, violence related to war, death by drowning
This has been on my tbr for a long time but I convinced a friend to read it with me and that got me to finally pick it up. Overall I was disappointed. This book had so much potential but I was bored almost the entire time and never wanted to pick the book up to keep reading. I'm not sure how a book with such an interesting and heartbreaking story could be so bland but there I said it. Really bummed out with this one.
TW: bombings, attempted rape, violence related to war, death by drowning
adventurous
emotional
reflective
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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Trafficking, Death of parent, War
Minor: Rape
FINALLY! I shockingly haven't rated a book five stars since July of last year. I was really starting to think the problem was me (and maybe it was), but this book honestly felt like a five star read from the first chapter, so maybe I just haven't been picking up the right books. I was immediately engaged by the writing and it only got better from there, which came as a pleasant surprise considering I couldn't really connect with Joukhadar's second book, Thirty Names of Night. This novel is beautiful but devastating, unrelenting but ultimately hopeful. Nour and Rawiya's parallel stories complemented each other so perfectly. I loved how the poems that opened each section eventually connected to the narrative. I'll forever be crying over Abu Sayeed. What a special book this turned out to be!
I wanted to love this, but struggled. I think the narrative voice was off for me- the 12 year old narrator was alternated between too wise and too naive to feel like an authentic person. The parade of horrors the contemporary characters faced felt a lot like a Hosseini book.
I cannot say enough good things about this book. The writing is fantastic, the characters are well-developed, the story wraps you up and does not let go. I love the way that the two stories parallel each other, and I think this is an important read for anyone, especially those of us in the West who have the opportunity to provide a refuge and a listening ear.