A review by encgolsen
Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian - My Story of Rescue, Hope, and Triumph by Yusra Mardini

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

3.75

I read this for a book club, and while it was not something I would have picked up on my own, it was definitely a powerful and memorable read. Yusra Mardini was 17 and a competitive swimmer in Syria when the war started and she lost her home. She and her sister Sara made the long journey to Berlin via Istanbul, including a perilous trip by dinghy from Izmir to the Greek island of Lesbos. She tells the story of her journey in simple language, in a way that makes the reader feel as if they were on the journey with her. While she ultimately makes it to the Olympics, her decision to embrace her role as a voice for refugees is the pivotal point in her journey. A poignant and sadly necessary reminder that refugees are human beings who just want to pursue their dreams in safety.