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kdurham2's review
4.0
Check out the full review on Kritters Ramblings
A heartwrenching story that went to a place that I did not expect. From page one the reader falls in love with Nicky, a young married woman who is trying all the possible ways to conceive a child with her husband. With a twist of fate she is pregnant and tragedy strikes. When it has become unbearable to pick up the pieces she takes herself across the globe to Kenya to work in an orphanage as a teacher. A story that begins with a couple trying to have a child and ends with a woman who is surrounded by many children who need the basics.
A heartwrenching story that went to a place that I did not expect. From page one the reader falls in love with Nicky, a young married woman who is trying all the possible ways to conceive a child with her husband. With a twist of fate she is pregnant and tragedy strikes. When it has become unbearable to pick up the pieces she takes herself across the globe to Kenya to work in an orphanage as a teacher. A story that begins with a couple trying to have a child and ends with a woman who is surrounded by many children who need the basics.
denabobena's review
4.0
Loved it! I think the author did a wonderful job of capturing the heartache of infertility, loss and healing. I enjoyed listening to it (narrated by Robin Miles).
megan_prairierose's review
3.0
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I was expecting a knock off version of Eat, Pray Love. It is that to an extent. However, the storyline of the orphanage in Kenya will stay with me for some time. It was heartbreaking and I'm sorry to think probably not that far off from how a lot of children are living their lives. A book that makes you want to reach out and help someone after reading it.
gr33nb00ks's review
4.0
Wow what a story! Most of this book in incredibly sad- but I couldn't stop thinking about it whenever I was forced to put it down. I randomly picked it off of the library shelves, despite the massive TBR pile on my bookshelf, and I'm so glad I did! Bonus that Clark is a Canadian author as well ;)
liralen's review
2.0
Disappointing, I'm afraid. The story of a woman who, after loss and subsequent separation from her husband, decides to go voluntour in Kenya.
I was more or less on board for the first while, although frankly Part I of the book—when Nicky and her husband are struggling to conceive and then facing the aftermath of loss—felt like overdramatic backstory. I don't mean to trivialise what she went through, because I know it's a real experience and painful for many...but it didn't make me sympathise with Nicky in the way it was meant to, and it felt like a prelude to the real story.
Except then...Nicky goes off to Kenya to volunteer as a teacher in an orphanage. She has a homestay family, who are kind and loving and provide Nicky with life lessons as needed, all the while getting zero character development of their own. They don't mind when Nicky expresses surprise that they have a television and cell phones; they don't mind when she points out their lack of screens in the windows; they don't mind when she tells the minister how glad she is to hear that he speaks English. Or when she expresses shock and sorrow, repeatedly, at how violent Kenya is. Instead they just love her—love how wonderful she is with the children; love how she overhauls the curriculum in a day(!) despite having no experience with multi-level education (i.e., multiple grades of students in a classroom); love how she.
Oh, I don't know. I'm probably not being fair. It's just...I don't know. Nicky berates her husband for not grieving in the way she wants him to, for not talking through things with her, and then when the going gets tough in Kenya she cuts off their delicate, freshly renewed contact. I'm not sure she ever really realises that she's in a pot-kettle-black situation. It's really frustrating to see her waltz into a situation, criticise, sop up praise for being white and educated, and then leave when it's convenient. Possibly more realistic (see above re: not being fair), but...if I give it a pass on that level, do I have to give it a pass for it being realistic that a Western character temporarily in a different country/culture might be oblivious to the lives of those around her? To their character arcs? Only Jebet gets much of an arc, and that's all backstory to explain why she's so abusive.
So...normally books set in Africa end up sticking around for a long time on my shelves, even if I find parts problematic, but, well. I've run out of space. This one just might have to get the boot.
I was more or less on board for the first while, although frankly Part I of the book—when Nicky and her husband are struggling to conceive and then facing the aftermath of loss—felt like overdramatic backstory. I don't mean to trivialise what she went through, because I know it's a real experience and painful for many...but it didn't make me sympathise with Nicky in the way it was meant to, and it felt like a prelude to the real story.
Except then...Nicky goes off to Kenya to volunteer as a teacher in an orphanage. She has a homestay family, who are kind and loving and provide Nicky with life lessons as needed, all the while getting zero character development of their own. They don't mind when Nicky expresses surprise that they have a television and cell phones; they don't mind when she points out their lack of screens in the windows; they don't mind when she tells the minister how glad she is to hear that he speaks English. Or when she expresses shock and sorrow, repeatedly, at how violent Kenya is. Instead they just love her—love how wonderful she is with the children; love how she overhauls the curriculum in a day(!) despite having no experience with multi-level education (i.e., multiple grades of students in a classroom); love how she
Spoiler
helps eject the abusive orphanage director, then steps in to take her role, then immediately reconciles with her husband and decides to throw money at the problem insteadOh, I don't know. I'm probably not being fair. It's just...I don't know. Nicky berates her husband for not grieving in the way she wants him to, for not talking through things with her, and then when the going gets tough in Kenya she cuts off their delicate, freshly renewed contact. I'm not sure she ever really realises that she's in a pot-kettle-black situation. It's really frustrating to see her waltz into a situation, criticise, sop up praise for being white and educated, and then leave when it's convenient. Possibly more realistic (see above re: not being fair), but...if I give it a pass on that level, do I have to give it a pass for it being realistic that a Western character temporarily in a different country/culture might be oblivious to the lives of those around her? To their character arcs? Only Jebet gets much of an arc, and that's all backstory to explain why she's so abusive.
So...normally books set in Africa end up sticking around for a long time on my shelves, even if I find parts problematic, but, well. I've run out of space. This one just might have to get the boot.
kelseyat's review
2.0
I picked up this book based pretty much solely on the title, thinking it looked like a relaxing read for summer. While I liked the concept, the execution wasn't there for me--dialogue and characters that felt flat. Nonetheless it was a quick read that others seem to have really enjoyed.
chantale's review
4.0
Nicky and her husband are at their last chance to get pregnant and something happens to cause them to seperate. Nicky travels to Kenya and teaches as a volunteer at an orphanage. She becomes close to the mother of her host family and identifies abuse at the orphanage. Setting out to do what is best for the kids Nicky discovers her true calling.
How Nicky teaches these children is very interesting. The pacing in the second half of the book is better what hooked me were some of the details about Kenyan life and Nicky's quest to save the children.
How Nicky teaches these children is very interesting. The pacing in the second half of the book is better what hooked me were some of the details about Kenyan life and Nicky's quest to save the children.
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