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sarahbowman101 's review for:
A Long Way Gone
by Ishmael Beah
I meant to read this book ages ago when it came out, but only recently checked it out. This book isn’t an easy read, and there are some nightmare inducing parts, but I am glad that I read the book. The book is written by Beah, who at the age of 13 was recruited by the army in the Sierra Leone as a soldier. Beah’s family has been killed by rebels, and he is wandering the country alone, or with other orphan boys. He feels he has no choice. The young recruits are fed a steady supply of marijuana and cocaine to sustain their unbelievable acts of mindless violence. Then the violence becomes a habit to maintain as well.
Beah writes about some of the violence with bloody descriptions, including slitting a man’s throat and ambushing the rebels. Glossed over is any mention of harm against villagers, including women and children which seem like a certainty. I wouldn’t want to remember it either. Beah ends up in a rehabilitation center, and with the help of extended family is able to come to the United States and attend college. The writing was plain and straightforward.
Beah writes about some of the violence with bloody descriptions, including slitting a man’s throat and ambushing the rebels. Glossed over is any mention of harm against villagers, including women and children which seem like a certainty. I wouldn’t want to remember it either. Beah ends up in a rehabilitation center, and with the help of extended family is able to come to the United States and attend college. The writing was plain and straightforward.