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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
Oh my. A very tough read. A great read too. This is the true story of Ishmael Beah, who was a pre-teen at the beginning of the war in Sierra Leone. After a long period spent escaping the violence, he became a child soldier. This is not an easy read because there are descriptions of atrocities. I have the impression that Beah held back on those descriptions and didn't say everything, which is just as well. He says enough to drive the point home. I thought the ending was too short: I would have liked to know more about how he ended up in the States and how he adapted. I didn't know anything about the conflict in Sierra Leone before reading this book. I now know a little bit more and want to find out much more.
Sierra Leone is just one country north of Liberia - the setting of the last book I read. And I love memoirs (though how do people this young have so much to write about and I can't think of anything I would say about me?!). I was almost glad he glossed quickly over the horrors of war. It agreed with his description of that life as feeling so separate - the drugs, the orders, just surviving. Well written and very moving.
medium-paced
Perhaps I was not in the mood for a memoir, or perhaps it's just not as emotionally potent as it could be, but this story would be more effective as an essay.
This is such an immensely important book that everyone should read it.
The simplistic storytelling method truly makes it feel like you are watching these events unfold through Ishmael’s eyes, as uncomfortable as that can sometimes be. I sometimes had to put the book down for a couple hours as things got too awful for me - but that means that it was incredibly immersive and important, since these events are all true.
I had been aware of child soldiers before this book, but now I truly understand the mentality and horrible lives of these children, some as young as seven years old. If I had my way, everyone would read this book.
The simplistic storytelling method truly makes it feel like you are watching these events unfold through Ishmael’s eyes, as uncomfortable as that can sometimes be. I sometimes had to put the book down for a couple hours as things got too awful for me - but that means that it was incredibly immersive and important, since these events are all true.
I had been aware of child soldiers before this book, but now I truly understand the mentality and horrible lives of these children, some as young as seven years old. If I had my way, everyone would read this book.
This book is amazing. I wonder if there is a sequel, because I am so curious to find out what happened next in this man's life. His ability to persevere in the midst of such adversity is inspiring.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
*Sierra Leone
A first-person account of a 26-year-old who fought in the war in Sierra Leone as a 12-year-old boy soldier. Ishmael Beah tells a shocking story: how at the age of twelve in Sierra Leone, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he'd been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found he was capable of truly terrible acts.
This is a rare, harrowing account told with heartbreaking honesty. The author allows us to imagine the reality behind the statistic that over 300, 000 child soldiers are fighting in conflicts, exposing the brutalisation of children. Truly shocking.
A first-person account of a 26-year-old who fought in the war in Sierra Leone as a 12-year-old boy soldier. Ishmael Beah tells a shocking story: how at the age of twelve in Sierra Leone, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he'd been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found he was capable of truly terrible acts.
This is a rare, harrowing account told with heartbreaking honesty. The author allows us to imagine the reality behind the statistic that over 300, 000 child soldiers are fighting in conflicts, exposing the brutalisation of children. Truly shocking.
The writing is simple and raw, evoking so many emotions in the reader, from guilt and shame and anger, to curiousity and understanding and hope.
It's so easy to forget that this is a true story because what's happening seems so far removed from my reality that it's almost unbelievable.
One of the hardest books I've read, but also important and not a topic that can be ignored. I couldn't keep from thinking, "He was Zac's age (13) when all this happened to him!" It is amazing to read about and celebrate the resilience of the author's spirit, and I love that he has persevered in his mission to keep this story from becoming that of other boys around the world. But I couldn't help wondering about all those boys who never healed from their time as boy soldiers, or never survived it.