In Two Sisters, Asne Seierstad tells the real life story of two Somali immigrants to Norway, Ayan and Leila. At 16 and 19, the sisters leave their famIn Two Sisters, Asne Seierstad tells the real life story of two Somali immigrants to Norway, Ayan and Leila. At 16 and 19, the sisters leave their family in Norway, where they have lived most of their lives, and move to Syria, where they marry ISIS fighters and join the movement. The book tells the story of their radicalization and their father's attempts to bring them back to Norway.
This book was good and very well researched. Seierstad conducted extensive interviews with family and friends of the sisters and used text messages, emails, and social media posts to tell the story. While the author didn't interview the sisters, they often spoke for themselves through transcripts of texts and social media posts. It is a sad story that confronts the challenges of combating radicalization while allowing individuals the right to practice religion as they see fit. ...more
I had a hard time getting into this. The writing was good and the characters were likable, it just didn't really hold my attention. I liked it a littlI had a hard time getting into this. The writing was good and the characters were likable, it just didn't really hold my attention. I liked it a little better after discussing it at book club. ...more
During the Siege of Sarajevo in 1992, twenty-two people were killed by mortar shells while waiting in line for bread. A cellist witnesses this event fDuring the Siege of Sarajevo in 1992, twenty-two people were killed by mortar shells while waiting in line for bread. A cellist witnesses this event from his window, and decides to play his cello at the location of the attack for twenty-two days to honor each of the victims.
All around, people are trying to survive in a city under siege. Kenan navigates the dangerous streets of Sarajevo to get drinking water for his family. Dragan dodges snipers on his quest for bread. Arrow, a target shooter turned sniper, grapples with the killer she has become.
Ultimately, the story is about people struggling to maintain their humanity in the face of great horrors. It is about the difficulty of the choices between self-preservation and altruism and the challenges of not succumbing to fear and becoming that which we deplore. It is a reminder that despite the great evils in the world, we can still make small choices of kindness and love, and in the face of tragedy there will still be moments of beauty and grace. While this book doesn’t paint some rosy picture that one day good will triumph over evil, it does suggest that there are reasons to keep trying.
This novel is very loosely based on a true story. There was a cellist who played in the destroyed streets for twenty-two days, but the timeline is changed and the story is romanticized, as stories often are. Also, the real life cellist who inspired this book didn’t know about it until after it was published and though he is a minor character, he wasn’t too happy about how he was depicted and the way it thrust him back into public life.
I’ve read a lot from the “maintaining humanity in times of war” genre, and while this feels fairly typical of the genre, Galloway is a good writer, so I think it stands out. ...more
I think this book is better than three stars. I just wasn't in the right mindset to appreciate it. I think this book is better than three stars. I just wasn't in the right mindset to appreciate it. ...more
I was not a big fan of this book. Zamperini's struggles were no doubt heartbreaking and the fact that he survived all that he did is amazing. In generI was not a big fan of this book. Zamperini's struggles were no doubt heartbreaking and the fact that he survived all that he did is amazing. In general, I am not a fan of survival stories and I am much more fascinated and interested in people's internal struggles than their external struggles. I would have been more interested to read about what was going on inside Louie's head during all of this. ...more
Despite the fact that this book has gotten good reviews from many people whose reading tastes I respect, I somehow wasn't expecting to like it much. IDespite the fact that this book has gotten good reviews from many people whose reading tastes I respect, I somehow wasn't expecting to like it much. I had certain preconceived notions about the author, and was expecting it to be much fluffier than it turned out to be.
I learned a lot about the German occupation of France and the French resistance movement. I appreciated the perspectives of the characters as they struggled to find their own ways to stand up to evil and protect the people they loved and ideals they cherished. ...more
This book is readable and I learned a lot about recent politics of the Iraq/Syria region and the formation of ISIS. I'm sure I will forget 90% of whatThis book is readable and I learned a lot about recent politics of the Iraq/Syria region and the formation of ISIS. I'm sure I will forget 90% of what I learned by the end of the week. What sticks with me now is how poorly managed/planned the US invasion/occupation of Iraq was and how it provided the perfect conditions for the rise of ISIS. The whole situation in Syria is just sad and as I was reading I had lots of thoughts and even more questions about foreign policy and what should/could have been done to prevent the civil war from escalating as it has.
This wasn't the most enjoyable read, but if you want a general sense of the topic, it's an accessible place to start. ...more
I read this book for a book club, and I picked it up a little too late, so I really had to rush through it and ended up skimming portions of it. I donI read this book for a book club, and I picked it up a little too late, so I really had to rush through it and ended up skimming portions of it. I don't know how much that affected my unfavorable opinion of the book, but it likely played a part. I never got into it. I was really bored, I didn't find the characters interesting, and I wasn't all that impressed with the writing. I didn't like Atkinson's other book I read, Life After Life that much either, so maybe I'm just not a fan of her work. ...more
Jeff Bussey is a boy living in Kansas near the beginning of the Civil War. He enthusiastically joins the Union army, ready to fight the rebels and havJeff Bussey is a boy living in Kansas near the beginning of the Civil War. He enthusiastically joins the Union army, ready to fight the rebels and have a big adventure. Soon he faces the bitter realities of war as he watches his fellow soldiers suffer injury and death. Crossing enemy lines, Jeff begins to realize things are more complicated than he initially imagined. He sees the humanity of the enemy and recognizes the toll the war is taking on civilian populations, but still maintaining his belief that he is fighting for what is right.
This book won the Newbery in 1958, and it is one of the winners that I have dreaded reading. The cover of a boy holding a rifle with a battle scene in the background is very off-putting. It took me a while to get into it, but by the end I was quite engaged. I appreciated that the book focused on the Western front of the Civil War, and I learned a bit about the involvement of the Cherokees in the conflict. I was a little worried the book would be a formulaic war adventure book, so I appreciated the main character's complicated feelings about the war that were somewhere between hawkish and a dovish. 3.5 stars...more
This book was really good, incredibly well written, but alas, I finished it too long ago to write a review that will do it justice.
The way Doerr descrThis book was really good, incredibly well written, but alas, I finished it too long ago to write a review that will do it justice.
The way Doerr describes the wonders that exist in both the natural world and that of human invention left me in awe.
The characters were all very endearing from the start, and since the book takes place in Europe during World War II, I was so terrified that something horrible was going to happen to all of them. Because of this, I couldn't really read the book in very big chunks, and thus wasn't as absorbed in the story as I would have liked to be.
The Boy on the Wooden Box is an autobiography by a Holocaust survivor who worked in Oskar Schindler's factory as a boy and was rescued from probable dThe Boy on the Wooden Box is an autobiography by a Holocaust survivor who worked in Oskar Schindler's factory as a boy and was rescued from probable death on numerous occasions through the efforts of Schindler.
It is written for young adults and is very accessible. Leyson traces his life through his early childhood in Poland, to his relocation to the Krakow ghetto, to time he spent in a work camp before being able to work at Schindler's factory. The story is of course very sad, but at the same time engaging.
This book takes place during the siege of Leningrad. In times of massive food shortages, a Russian colonel sends two Russian prisoners on a mission toThis book takes place during the siege of Leningrad. In times of massive food shortages, a Russian colonel sends two Russian prisoners on a mission to find a dozen eggs for his daughter's wedding cake. Their journey takes them through Leningrad, the countryside, and behind enemy lines. It is at once humorous, heartbreaking, and touching. Well written, engaging, and a quick read, I would recommend it to all. ...more
This book is about a Jewish girl living in France during World War II and a modern day journalist who is uncovering her story. I suppose the story hadThis book is about a Jewish girl living in France during World War II and a modern day journalist who is uncovering her story. I suppose the story had potential, but I did not enjoy the book. The plot was predictable and the characters were flat and completely undeveloped. At times when I should be feeling compassion for them, I was instead rolling my eyes.
I have also read a lot of really good Holocaust literature, so I expect a lot. This book just didn't cut it. ...more
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. This book takes place during World War II and tells the story of a German aristocrat family fleI enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. This book takes place during World War II and tells the story of a German aristocrat family fleeing their home in the final days of the war. They are accompanied by a Scottish POW and a Jewish man masquerading as a German soldier. It gave an interesting perspective of a German family beginning to see through the propaganda of the Nazi regime and trying to come to terms with what their country has done during the war. The novel is set when the Russians are beginning to advance on Eastern Germany and commiting many atrocities against German civilians. There are a lot of fairly graphic scences of torture and brutality and much of the novel was really sad to read, but it really gave an interesting historical depiction of the war. ...more
This book is among my favorite young adult books. There were so many lovable characters in this book, and so many beautiful moments. I finished this bThis book is among my favorite young adult books. There were so many lovable characters in this book, and so many beautiful moments. I finished this book last night, and I missed the characters all night, I went to sleep thinking about them, and I even dreamed about them.
The narrartive style of the story is amazing, and the writing style kept me interested the whole time. The story takes place in Nazi Germany, so obviously there are tons of extremely heartbreaking moments. I shed so many tears while reading, both tears of joy and beauty, and tears of complete despair.
I think the author sums it up on the last page of the book, (not a spoiler), "I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words so damning and brilliant." That is pretty much sums up what the book was for me, ugly and glorious, damning and brilliant.
I would recommend this book to everyone, especially fans of young adult Holocaust literature. ...more
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