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Magdelanye's Reviews > Say You're One of Them
Say You're One of Them
by
by
Magdelanye's review
bookshelves: culture-conflict, disappointing, displacement, existential-crises
Apr 05, 2012
bookshelves: culture-conflict, disappointing, displacement, existential-crises
This is one of those books that sucker punch the reader, a blow for each of the five stories,all the more devastating because I really wanted to be friends.
UA is a very good,confident writer and his words carry some weight. He is not a tourist nor an academic,not a journalist,and certainly no thrill seeking adventurer. His empathy is boundless, and he has sharpened his perceptions to include the grubby details that bring the stories to vivid life. I was prepared for them to be somewhat bleak,given they are all about the impact of war and poverty on families,especially the children;but this was beyond devastating.
I feel like I failed this book in some way. What did I want from it?
Stories of intrepid resilience and hope? Survival techniques? Happy endings?
The stories in this book never really end but are cut off. Things look bad and then they get worse.
There is tenderness but no mercy. The theme running through each of these stories is betrayal. Do I as a reader have the right to feel betrayed, for following this brave and noble reconteur to a place of no comfort.
UA is a very good,confident writer and his words carry some weight. He is not a tourist nor an academic,not a journalist,and certainly no thrill seeking adventurer. His empathy is boundless, and he has sharpened his perceptions to include the grubby details that bring the stories to vivid life. I was prepared for them to be somewhat bleak,given they are all about the impact of war and poverty on families,especially the children;but this was beyond devastating.
I feel like I failed this book in some way. What did I want from it?
Stories of intrepid resilience and hope? Survival techniques? Happy endings?
The stories in this book never really end but are cut off. Things look bad and then they get worse.
There is tenderness but no mercy. The theme running through each of these stories is betrayal. Do I as a reader have the right to feel betrayed, for following this brave and noble reconteur to a place of no comfort.
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Reading Progress
April 5, 2012
–
Started Reading
April 5, 2012
– Shelved
April 7, 2012
–
76.54%
"the world is dull of gods, but the important ones are called by their names. p268"
page
274
April 7, 2012
–
76.54%
"the world is full of gods, but the important ones are called by their names. p264"
page
274
April 8, 2012
–
Finished Reading
April 10, 2012
– Shelved as:
culture-conflict
April 10, 2012
– Shelved as:
disappointing
April 10, 2012
– Shelved as:
displacement
April 10, 2012
– Shelved as:
existential-crises
Comments Showing 1-2 of 2 (2 new)
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by
Tuck
(new)
Apr 13, 2012 02:14PM
i find that most of oprah's picks are tepid
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Tepid this book was not, and I am inclined to beleive that she never read it but chose it for the author and the stunning picture on the cover, for there is no hope in this book as it details incessantly the sordid and treacherous,with an emphasis on bodily fluids.
