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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
I wanted to love this book. Indeed, the narration was excellent, the prose poetic, and the setting called to life real places, some I've been to, some I now feel like I have. But for some reason, I could never read more than a chapter a day, and the narrative felt like it just went on and on, relentlessly — which may have been part of the point, but at the end of the day, I had to force myself to finish this.
“The most important places on a map are the places we haven’t been yet.”
The Map of Salt and Stars follows 12 year old Nour and her family as they are adjusting to life in Homs, Syria after moving back following their beloved father’s death. When the political unrest leads to their home being shelled, Nour, her mother and sisters begin an incredible journey from Homs to Ceuta, crossing seven countries.
Throughout their journey Nour often reflects on the tales of Rawiya, a young woman who left her home in Ceuta to go on an adventure and join legendary mapmaker al-Idrisi and traveled across the same stretch of land that Nour and her family are currently crossing.
Zeyn Joukhadar’s writing is gorgeous. I’m such a sucker for descriptive language. The beginning was slow for me, but once the dual storylines got moving, I didn’t want to put this book down. I don’t believe I’ve read any fiction about the Syrian refugee crisis and this story is heartbreaking and one that absolutely should be read by everyone. As devastating as it is at times, the book is ultimately full of hope and love of family, and that is universal.
I’m thankful that @acapricornreads and @mckenzie.reads picked this as their buddy read for the month, and for Arab American Heritage Month, as I don’t think I would have picked it up on my own!
The Map of Salt and Stars follows 12 year old Nour and her family as they are adjusting to life in Homs, Syria after moving back following their beloved father’s death. When the political unrest leads to their home being shelled, Nour, her mother and sisters begin an incredible journey from Homs to Ceuta, crossing seven countries.
Throughout their journey Nour often reflects on the tales of Rawiya, a young woman who left her home in Ceuta to go on an adventure and join legendary mapmaker al-Idrisi and traveled across the same stretch of land that Nour and her family are currently crossing.
Zeyn Joukhadar’s writing is gorgeous. I’m such a sucker for descriptive language. The beginning was slow for me, but once the dual storylines got moving, I didn’t want to put this book down. I don’t believe I’ve read any fiction about the Syrian refugee crisis and this story is heartbreaking and one that absolutely should be read by everyone. As devastating as it is at times, the book is ultimately full of hope and love of family, and that is universal.
I’m thankful that @acapricornreads and @mckenzie.reads picked this as their buddy read for the month, and for Arab American Heritage Month, as I don’t think I would have picked it up on my own!
A beautiful story about family and survival in Syria. The perspective of a personal or intimate journey of survival and expierance of doing anything it takes to stay together and ssurvie as a family.
Quotes and Snippets
Part 6: It used to make me wonder if the really important things we used to see in god are in each other
I wonder if almost can cost you as much as did. If the real wound is the moment you can understand you can do nothing.
Part 12: a person can be two things at the same time. The land where your parents where born will always be in you. Words survive. Borders are nothing to words and blood.
Colors used as descriptions for shapes and emotions.
Quotes and Snippets
Part 6: It used to make me wonder if the really important things we used to see in god are in each other
I wonder if almost can cost you as much as did. If the real wound is the moment you can understand you can do nothing.
Part 12: a person can be two things at the same time. The land where your parents where born will always be in you. Words survive. Borders are nothing to words and blood.
Colors used as descriptions for shapes and emotions.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
4.5 rounded up. It took me a little bit to get into it but I ended up quite enjoying it.
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
“Perhaps the story simply goes on and on. Time rises and falls like an ever-breathing lung. The road comes and goes and suffering with it. But the generations of men, some kind and some cruel, go on and on beneath the stars.”
★★★★★
5 out 5 Stars
The Map of Salt and Stars tells the story of two girls on parallel timelines. Young Nour has recently lost her father to cancer. Her family moves from New York City back to their home in Syria before the summer in 2011. Nour was born in America and speaks mainly English with only a little Arabic. She feels out of place in Syria and is struggling to find her place. One evening while her family is sitting down to dinner, a shell is dropped on their home and their country is at war. The family flees for their lives, travelling across countries, trying to make it to their uncle’s home.
Rawiya has been living alone with her mother. Her father has passed and her brother is lost at sea. One day she leaves for the market to meet with a mapmaker and disguising herself as a young boy, she convinces him to take her on his voyage, while he charts the lands around them. They face a great many enemies on their journey, including mystical creatures.
Both girls face horrific obstacles, constantly fighting to survive. They come to realize their own strength and bravery as they discover the people they are meant to be. This story is heartbreaking, inspiring, and imaginative. Rawiya’s story is a mythical legend, while Nour’s story sheds light on the heartbreaking reality of many Syrian and refugee families that have been forced to flee and fight for their lives while their countries are torn apart.
“When I turn back again, the storyteller is still watching us, his words still in my head. It’s living that hurts us.”
Find me on ->
Instagram: @firefly.lane
Facebook: @fireflylaneblog
★★★★★
5 out 5 Stars
The Map of Salt and Stars tells the story of two girls on parallel timelines. Young Nour has recently lost her father to cancer. Her family moves from New York City back to their home in Syria before the summer in 2011. Nour was born in America and speaks mainly English with only a little Arabic. She feels out of place in Syria and is struggling to find her place. One evening while her family is sitting down to dinner, a shell is dropped on their home and their country is at war. The family flees for their lives, travelling across countries, trying to make it to their uncle’s home.
Rawiya has been living alone with her mother. Her father has passed and her brother is lost at sea. One day she leaves for the market to meet with a mapmaker and disguising herself as a young boy, she convinces him to take her on his voyage, while he charts the lands around them. They face a great many enemies on their journey, including mystical creatures.
Both girls face horrific obstacles, constantly fighting to survive. They come to realize their own strength and bravery as they discover the people they are meant to be. This story is heartbreaking, inspiring, and imaginative. Rawiya’s story is a mythical legend, while Nour’s story sheds light on the heartbreaking reality of many Syrian and refugee families that have been forced to flee and fight for their lives while their countries are torn apart.
“When I turn back again, the storyteller is still watching us, his words still in my head. It’s living that hurts us.”
Find me on ->
Instagram: @firefly.lane
Facebook: @fireflylaneblog
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
The writing is so elite in this book that even if the plot was shitty ( which it was not, infact the story came together in quite a satisfactory way) I would've given it 5 stars! It's unbelievable that it's a debut book because the writing is unlike anything I've ever read! It full of purple prose so maybe it's not a book for everyone. All the people who love whimsical and lyrical writing and prose that do not really make sense everytime will adore this book.
Apart from the writing, it's also a fantastic story about love and grief. The story perfectly depicted the paradoxical nature of humanity, showing the disgusting and horrifying acts done by humans while also showing how the love people have for each other shines through and overall at the end defeats the darkness. I loved both of our main girls and even though their characters are poles apart i find parts of myself in both. The tragic, authentic depiction of the refugee experience is so heartwrenching to read about. It horrifies me that people in such wartorn countries actually have to go through such devastating situations.
Jennifer's writing is such that she will describe the worst of the atrocities with gorgeous writing and metaphors. The reading experience is unlike anything. It is 'sad beautiful and tragic'.
Apart from the writing, it's also a fantastic story about love and grief. The story perfectly depicted the paradoxical nature of humanity, showing the disgusting and horrifying acts done by humans while also showing how the love people have for each other shines through and overall at the end defeats the darkness. I loved both of our main girls and even though their characters are poles apart i find parts of myself in both. The tragic, authentic depiction of the refugee experience is so heartwrenching to read about. It horrifies me that people in such wartorn countries actually have to go through such devastating situations.
Jennifer's writing is such that she will describe the worst of the atrocities with gorgeous writing and metaphors. The reading experience is unlike anything. It is 'sad beautiful and tragic'.