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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
This is the account of life as a child soldier in Sierra Lione. 12 year old Ishmael Bleah was brought up in a close-knit family. After school he enjoyed American Hip-hop while coreographing dance routines with friends. He enjoyed shakespeare and public speaking until the civil war passed through his village. It wiped out all he had ever known and adopted him into the life of a child soldier.
His writing did not pull me in nor did the storyline at first. I felt as though there were too many coincidences for it to be all real. I must admit while reading this book my Westerized skepticism caught up with me. I found myself questioning the truth of his story. Having been raised in a safe environment and the only violence I was subject to was the knowledge of school shootings, gangs in the city and abusive drug addicts. Living on a battle field much less partake in the war was never on my radar until my teens. In order to accept his struggles I had to dismiss the reality I had always known and allow myself to accept that atrocities like this are prevalent today.
His writing did not pull me in nor did the storyline at first. I felt as though there were too many coincidences for it to be all real. I must admit while reading this book my Westerized skepticism caught up with me. I found myself questioning the truth of his story. Having been raised in a safe environment and the only violence I was subject to was the knowledge of school shootings, gangs in the city and abusive drug addicts. Living on a battle field much less partake in the war was never on my radar until my teens. In order to accept his struggles I had to dismiss the reality I had always known and allow myself to accept that atrocities like this are prevalent today.
Tayla G.: When I first picked up this book I thought it wouldn’t be good but as I read it, it caught my interest. It was a sad story at one point because he was a little boy when he was put into the army when he was a little boy. It was kill or be killed as I thought about it. I think if other people read this book it would inspire people because this little boy was only thirteen and he went into the army and it says that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. In addition, when I read this story I felt the pain he went through. From being a little kid to being picked up and traveling all around the world. There was a lot of pain in this story but the book had a happy ending.
Favorite quote: “One of the unsettling things about my journey, mentally, physically, and emotionally, was that I wasn’t sure when or where it was going to end.”(69)
Favorite quote: “One of the unsettling things about my journey, mentally, physically, and emotionally, was that I wasn’t sure when or where it was going to end.”(69)
dark
inspiring
medium-paced
dark
tense
fast-paced
very authentic, doesnt shy away from telling the truth. an important story that everyone should read atleast once. both heartbreaking and hopeful
Tragic and heart wrenching memoir…it would be hard to ever forget this story. The ending is so touching — his adoptive mothers work, coming to the US, his foundation on former child soldiers to integrate into society. It really inspires you that there are amazing people out these doing amazing things to help people who really need it.
Eloquent, often sad, ultimately a triumph of a strong (and lucky) spirit over tragedy. This young man's story is one case of a terrible problem being repeated tens of thousands of times every day around the world. No one's understanding of Third World wars and politics can be complete without including the factor of children forced into military service.
3.1 stars out of 5.0 stars
I had high expectations going into this book and I didn't like it as much as I hoped I would. It just didn't hit me in the sense of moving me or making me feel any different on the subject. Ishmael is an amazing human being and I commend him on all the struggles he made it through. The worst part of this book for me was the ending, it dropped off and left the reader to assume things. All and all it was an okay read.
I had high expectations going into this book and I didn't like it as much as I hoped I would. It just didn't hit me in the sense of moving me or making me feel any different on the subject. Ishmael is an amazing human being and I commend him on all the struggles he made it through. The worst part of this book for me was the ending, it dropped off and left the reader to assume things. All and all it was an okay read.
This is a harrowing story, and what makes it horrible is that it's real. I read in some other reviews that people wouldn't recommend this story to anyone because of the violence, but I actually think that's the reason people should read it. People actually have to live through this, and the author didn't flinch from telling us what happened to him and his country--it's not that hard for us sitting in our safe, comfortable living rooms to understand what's going on in the rest of the world. Maybe then we'll think a little bit differently about how we act in the world and have more empathy for people in difficult situations.
From a writing perspective, the book is OK. The 2nd part of the book had a more interesting style. I think the book ended too abruptly; I would have like to know the specifics of how he got to NY City.
From a writing perspective, the book is OK. The 2nd part of the book had a more interesting style. I think the book ended too abruptly; I would have like to know the specifics of how he got to NY City.
A Long Way Gone is a brilliant, harrowing depiction of life as a boy soldier. Beah writes purpose and wastes no time in depicting a pivotal point in his life. However, no matter how immersive A Long Way Gone is, it fails to leave a lasting impression.