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*EDITED after the Women's Prize for Fiction Long List (2020) announced in March 2020*
I'm surprised that this novel didn't receive the same sort of backlash that "American Dirt" has. I don't think that this was written in a way that connected to the reader to the protagonist or any of the girls abducted by Boko Haram. The protagonist felt distant and hard to relate to. Was her story traumatizing and heartbreaking? Absolutely, but it felt a lot like Ishmael Beah's narrative in "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" in that this was mostly plot and very little character insight/development. This could be a reflection of the protagonist's shock, disconnection to the trauma she experiences, an attempt for her to distance herself from her memories, etc...I would read another book written by O'Brien just to see if this is her writing style, but I have no idea what to read, so I'd appreciate a recommendation if anyone feels so inclined to offer one (please recommend one!).
Furthermore, I realize that O'Brien did a lot of research in preparation to write this story (so did Jeanine Cummins). However, it's not okay to write in a black woman's voice about trauma and then profit off of the sales of that story. I need to do more research about where the proceeds of this book are going. I would hope that O'Brien values her storytellers enough to reimburse them for taking their stories and then selling them as her own. I think that O'Brien could have done this differently with better results:
1. She could have written it in the third person (not first).
2. Her gratitude to the women that she interviewed as inspiration could have been placed at the beginning of the book, instead of the end (I don't care that this is where publishers place acknowledgements. The acknowledgement section is especially important in these circumstances, and the storytellers and readers need to know where O'Brien's account came from). I realize that that was the publisher's decision, but it wasn't a good one.
3.) She could have written this as nonfiction or a journalistic piece and thereby not potentially profit from other people's experiences and stories.
Honestly, I struggle with the fact that in 2019 this was shortlisted for an post Irish Book Awards. Now, it's been announced that it's included on the 2020 Women's Prize for Fiction long list. I don't care if a Caucasian person wants to write a story from the perspective of a coloured person, but if you're going to profit off of it and win big prize money, then I think that that's unethical given the disturbing history or slavery and racism in western countries. Maybe people should stick to writing what they know. In my humble opinion, those stories are the best ones!
Lastly, in terms of the synopsis on the book jacket, I don't appreciate that the questions posed aren't addressed in the novel: "How do we love in a world that has lost its moorings? How can we comprehend the barbarism of our enemies, and learn forgiveness? Edna O'Brien's new novel pierces to the heart of these questions...". No, it didn't. There's no conversation about forgiveness of those who have harmed Maryam, the protagonist. I'm not sure what publishers are trying to achieve other than get people to buy books, but writing outright lies in the synopsis on covers/jackets is irritating. It's also made me VERY happy that I've been borrowing books from the library and not purchasing them.
I don't recommend reading or purchasing this book.
For a full review, please visit: https://thetravellingeditor.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-silencing-of-girls-close-reading-of_27.html
[Borrowed from Irish National Library]
I'm surprised that this novel didn't receive the same sort of backlash that "American Dirt" has. I don't think that this was written in a way that connected to the reader to the protagonist or any of the girls abducted by Boko Haram. The protagonist felt distant and hard to relate to. Was her story traumatizing and heartbreaking? Absolutely, but it felt a lot like Ishmael Beah's narrative in "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" in that this was mostly plot and very little character insight/development. This could be a reflection of the protagonist's shock, disconnection to the trauma she experiences, an attempt for her to distance herself from her memories, etc...I would read another book written by O'Brien just to see if this is her writing style, but I have no idea what to read, so I'd appreciate a recommendation if anyone feels so inclined to offer one (please recommend one!).
Furthermore, I realize that O'Brien did a lot of research in preparation to write this story (so did Jeanine Cummins). However, it's not okay to write in a black woman's voice about trauma and then profit off of the sales of that story. I need to do more research about where the proceeds of this book are going. I would hope that O'Brien values her storytellers enough to reimburse them for taking their stories and then selling them as her own. I think that O'Brien could have done this differently with better results:
1. She could have written it in the third person (not first).
2. Her gratitude to the women that she interviewed as inspiration could have been placed at the beginning of the book, instead of the end (I don't care that this is where publishers place acknowledgements. The acknowledgement section is especially important in these circumstances, and the storytellers and readers need to know where O'Brien's account came from). I realize that that was the publisher's decision, but it wasn't a good one.
3.) She could have written this as nonfiction or a journalistic piece and thereby not potentially profit from other people's experiences and stories.
Honestly, I struggle with the fact that in 2019 this was shortlisted for an post Irish Book Awards. Now, it's been announced that it's included on the 2020 Women's Prize for Fiction long list. I don't care if a Caucasian person wants to write a story from the perspective of a coloured person, but if you're going to profit off of it and win big prize money, then I think that that's unethical given the disturbing history or slavery and racism in western countries. Maybe people should stick to writing what they know. In my humble opinion, those stories are the best ones!
Lastly, in terms of the synopsis on the book jacket, I don't appreciate that the questions posed aren't addressed in the novel: "How do we love in a world that has lost its moorings? How can we comprehend the barbarism of our enemies, and learn forgiveness? Edna O'Brien's new novel pierces to the heart of these questions...". No, it didn't. There's no conversation about forgiveness of those who have harmed Maryam, the protagonist. I'm not sure what publishers are trying to achieve other than get people to buy books, but writing outright lies in the synopsis on covers/jackets is irritating. It's also made me VERY happy that I've been borrowing books from the library and not purchasing them.
I don't recommend reading or purchasing this book.
For a full review, please visit: https://thetravellingeditor.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-silencing-of-girls-close-reading-of_27.html
[Borrowed from Irish National Library]