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matik70's review against another edition
4.0
"Volerò sopra il mare come un uccello imbattibile e non mi fermerò mai."
Un bambino che vive in un orfanatrofio desidera ardentemente ritrovare il padre che lo ha abbandonato alla nascita, inizia così per lui un'avventura per le strade di Bombay.
Scoprirà una città dove la povertà regna sovrana, fatta di bimbi che vivono per le strade facendo l'elemosina, vite costellate di disgrazie e infelicità, lotte religiose tra indu e musulmani, dove a rimetterci sono sempre i più deboli, una realtà cruda, pesante, che a tratti mi è risultata difficile da accettare.
"E' veramente possibile vivere così?", questa domanda mi ha danzato nella mente durante tutta la lettura del libro ed alla quale non ho trovato risposta, non sono riuscita a capire perchè ancor oggi esistano queste tristi realtà dove chi ne soffre maggiormente sono i bambini.
Chamdi sopravvive grazie alla sua grande forza di volontà e perchè sogna un mondo migliore dove non esistano persone cattive e dove si può trovare cibo senza difficoltà, dovrebbero leggerlo i ragazzi che vivono nelle nostre città che hanno tutto e che non si accontentano mai!
"Chamdi vorrebbe chiedergli di Bombay, del perchè non vi vedono colori, canzoni, facce sorridenti, effusioni. Ma poi si dice che è in città da troppo poco tempo. Prima o poi si imbatterà di certo in qualcosa che assomiglia al luogo della sua fantasia."
"Chamdi si chiede quante lingue esistano al mondo. Un giorno lui creerà la sua. E' un pensiero che gli mette allegria. Inventerà parole positive, che fanno solo bene e non feriscono mai anche se non è certo che sulla terra ci siano persone abbastanza forti da saper usare parole di bellezza. Creerà una lingua che non contempla il NO. Allora sì che le sue richieste di cibo sortiranno sempre l'effetto desiderato."
Un bambino che vive in un orfanatrofio desidera ardentemente ritrovare il padre che lo ha abbandonato alla nascita, inizia così per lui un'avventura per le strade di Bombay.
Scoprirà una città dove la povertà regna sovrana, fatta di bimbi che vivono per le strade facendo l'elemosina, vite costellate di disgrazie e infelicità, lotte religiose tra indu e musulmani, dove a rimetterci sono sempre i più deboli, una realtà cruda, pesante, che a tratti mi è risultata difficile da accettare.
"E' veramente possibile vivere così?", questa domanda mi ha danzato nella mente durante tutta la lettura del libro ed alla quale non ho trovato risposta, non sono riuscita a capire perchè ancor oggi esistano queste tristi realtà dove chi ne soffre maggiormente sono i bambini.
Chamdi sopravvive grazie alla sua grande forza di volontà e perchè sogna un mondo migliore dove non esistano persone cattive e dove si può trovare cibo senza difficoltà, dovrebbero leggerlo i ragazzi che vivono nelle nostre città che hanno tutto e che non si accontentano mai!
"Chamdi vorrebbe chiedergli di Bombay, del perchè non vi vedono colori, canzoni, facce sorridenti, effusioni. Ma poi si dice che è in città da troppo poco tempo. Prima o poi si imbatterà di certo in qualcosa che assomiglia al luogo della sua fantasia."
"Chamdi si chiede quante lingue esistano al mondo. Un giorno lui creerà la sua. E' un pensiero che gli mette allegria. Inventerà parole positive, che fanno solo bene e non feriscono mai anche se non è certo che sulla terra ci siano persone abbastanza forti da saper usare parole di bellezza. Creerà una lingua che non contempla il NO. Allora sì che le sue richieste di cibo sortiranno sempre l'effetto desiderato."
hilarybbb's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyed the book despite the depressing story. I was left feeling hollow and hopeless at the end even though there was a glimmer of comfort hidden in the ending. Well written.
sarahreadsaverylot's review against another edition
3.0
Blake would be proud. This was a lovely story about innocence and experience. (it even had the Tygers!)
There was so much potential for poetry and depth, but it felt a bit like young wine--immature and a touch too sweet. It needs to ripen a bit more to achieve a real kick. If I had to identify a specific fault, I would say the psychology was weak, but the characters were endearing and the motif of circularly perpetuated violence was effective. I would recommend this to people who don't have the patience to read [a:Rohinton Mistry|3539|Rohinton Mistry|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1238081582p2/3539.jpg].
There was so much potential for poetry and depth, but it felt a bit like young wine--immature and a touch too sweet. It needs to ripen a bit more to achieve a real kick. If I had to identify a specific fault, I would say the psychology was weak, but the characters were endearing and the motif of circularly perpetuated violence was effective. I would recommend this to people who don't have the patience to read [a:Rohinton Mistry|3539|Rohinton Mistry|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1238081582p2/3539.jpg].
jcbyrne71's review against another edition
3.0
This book was like the movie Slumdog millionaire - without the "millionaire". A good book but very realistic and some of the reality was a harsh - as reality tends to be.
ronaldhadrian's review against another edition
4.0
It is a brilliant book. Charles Dickens of India in a way. This novel is just like Oliver Twist but happens to be in Bombay. Poignant, and natural. One of the most underrated Indo-Canadian authors.
sarabenini1998's review
adventurous
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
stargrace's review against another edition
4.0
You can read this review and others like it over at The Nomadic Reader.
A friend was giving away some of his books because he’s running out of room, and of course being the book lover I am, I decided to pick out a few to add to my own collection. One of them was this Canada Reads book from 2007 that I had never heard of.
The Song of Kahunsha is about a 10 year old orphan boy who lives in Bombay. One day he learns that the orphanage is going to be shut down, and instead of going that rout he decides to take his fate in his own hands, and sets out to find his birth father who left him on the steps so long ago.
One of the great things about this book is the innocence that Chamdi has, no matter how many hardships he faces. This comes across as a child’s method of coping, and it’s written in a magical way that pulls the reader through his world. His world is one of heartache, pain, and violence but also one of incredibly colours, hope, and belief. He learns that the world is rough, and even though he meets up with two children around his own age, Sumdi and Guddi, things are going to get a lot harder. Together they start collecting money for Anand Bhai, who “turns people into boxes”. Chamdi’s world is further shaken when on the day he is supposed to steal from a local temple, something terrible happens (as if enough had not already happened).
Still, Chamdi finds beauty. He sees things with the eyes of a child and he’s unable to completely give up his child-like ways, even though he sees evils all around him, evils that the reader understands but that the 10 year old Chamdi cannot.
This isn’t a happy ending book but sometimes you need something deeply emotional to shake you up a little and get you out of a reading rut.
4/5 Stars
A friend was giving away some of his books because he’s running out of room, and of course being the book lover I am, I decided to pick out a few to add to my own collection. One of them was this Canada Reads book from 2007 that I had never heard of.
The Song of Kahunsha is about a 10 year old orphan boy who lives in Bombay. One day he learns that the orphanage is going to be shut down, and instead of going that rout he decides to take his fate in his own hands, and sets out to find his birth father who left him on the steps so long ago.
One of the great things about this book is the innocence that Chamdi has, no matter how many hardships he faces. This comes across as a child’s method of coping, and it’s written in a magical way that pulls the reader through his world. His world is one of heartache, pain, and violence but also one of incredibly colours, hope, and belief. He learns that the world is rough, and even though he meets up with two children around his own age, Sumdi and Guddi, things are going to get a lot harder. Together they start collecting money for Anand Bhai, who “turns people into boxes”. Chamdi’s world is further shaken when on the day he is supposed to steal from a local temple, something terrible happens (as if enough had not already happened).
Still, Chamdi finds beauty. He sees things with the eyes of a child and he’s unable to completely give up his child-like ways, even though he sees evils all around him, evils that the reader understands but that the 10 year old Chamdi cannot.
This isn’t a happy ending book but sometimes you need something deeply emotional to shake you up a little and get you out of a reading rut.
4/5 Stars