pasc96 's review for:

What Is the What by Dave Eggers

5.0

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I told a friend I was in the middle of this book and he said, "You know, I've heard it's an amazing book, I love Dave Eggers, but ... I just can't ... I just don't want to be harrowed." Indeed. I don't have a good descriptive word to encapsulate this book, so I'm just going to offer a mashup: wonderful/horrible. What Valentino, the protagonist, experiences in his young lifetime is nothing short of Hell -- Hell from his fellow countrymen, Hell from foreigners, Hell from nature and wildlife. And yet, it's mesmerizing to listen to his story, see his perspective, bear witness along with him. It's impossible not to be moved by his compassion and sensitivity, and then, when you realize that his story is not unique, that in fact it's been shared and experienced by millions of others, that his is just one account among so many atrocities, your heart shatters. Sometimes, the most valuable literature isn't necessarily enjoyable. I can't say I "enjoyed" this book, in the traditional sense of the word, yet simultaneously I loved and am grateful for it, and will never forget it.