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A review by spacerkip
The Eleventh Trade by Alyssa Hollingsworth
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I don't know if I have the words to say how beautiful this book was.
At it's core, it's a simple story, really, about a boy who wants to get back something that was stolen from him, and ends up reaching more people than he could have hoped. But the realness of Sami and his grandfather, the tragedy of his story, the sincerity of his friends, and absolute humanity of it all really made it unforgettable. It was a quick read for me, but even though it was Middle Grade it didn't really read like it. The story showed respect to its readers and presented hard, emotionally charged topics in a way that was easy to understand, yet still beautifully subtle. The story (at least in my opinion) remains age-appropriate, but it doesn't pull any punches.
Emotion runs strong in this book. It connected me to Sami, Sami to his grandfather and his friends, and all the characters to the words on the page. There are so many moments of absolute, simple heartbreak contained in a single word or line. (The constant recall to the word "friend" and how the kids from the rec center use it about Sami come to mind.) Every mention of Sami's past and his trauma as a refugee felt authentic and real, drawing empathy rather than pity. He is given the same respect as the readers are to listen to and understand his story without needing to be explicitly told. Emotion removes the politics of a complicated situation and lays out the heart of what this story is really about: someone who has lost everything, and must find the strength within themselves and the people around them to keep going.
An excellent book, I'm expecting to reread my copy until the cover is worn out.
At it's core, it's a simple story, really, about a boy who wants to get back something that was stolen from him, and ends up reaching more people than he could have hoped. But the realness of Sami and his grandfather, the tragedy of his story, the sincerity of his friends, and absolute humanity of it all really made it unforgettable. It was a quick read for me, but even though it was Middle Grade it didn't really read like it. The story showed respect to its readers and presented hard, emotionally charged topics in a way that was easy to understand, yet still beautifully subtle. The story (at least in my opinion) remains age-appropriate, but it doesn't pull any punches.
Emotion runs strong in this book. It connected me to Sami, Sami to his grandfather and his friends, and all the characters to the words on the page. There are so many moments of absolute, simple heartbreak contained in a single word or line. (The constant recall to the word "friend" and how the kids from the rec center use it about Sami come to mind.) Every mention of Sami's past and his trauma as a refugee felt authentic and real, drawing empathy rather than pity. He is given the same respect as the readers are to listen to and understand his story without needing to be explicitly told. Emotion removes the politics of a complicated situation and lays out the heart of what this story is really about: someone who has lost everything, and must find the strength within themselves and the people around them to keep going.
An excellent book, I'm expecting to reread my copy until the cover is worn out.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Violence