Book Reviews

(see the bottom of this page to find out why I read what I read!)

The Hunger Games Trilogy: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay

 by Suzanne Collins

(note: if you are simply interested in my reflections about these books, skip to the 2nd to last section of this review, “My Review and Reflections)

About:  The country of Panem (a post-North American society) is controlled by iron-fisted President Snow in his gleaming Capitol.  Little do the Capitol and President Snow know that one young girl, Katniss Everdeen, may hold the key to toppling their seemingly omnipotent dictatorship.

Story Outline in Brief:

Book 1 – The Hunger Games ~ The Hunger Games opens in District 12 of Panem, a poor mining town where most of the population is struggling to get by.  The book is told through the voice of Katniss Everdeen.  She is the leader of our adventure through Panem.  We meet her family, her best friend Gale (the boy she goes hunting with “outside the fence” in order to keep their families afloat), and various colorful characters around town.  We begin to understand the control of the Capitol over the everyday lives of the people in the Districts through the mandatory TV broadcasts, the Capitol trained security forces (the Peacekeepers) and especially…the Reaping.  As the story unfolds we find out that the Reaping is a “holiday” that occurs every year wherein the entire population of each district must meet in the city center as two names, one male and one female – both between the ages of 12 and 18, are drawn and declared Tributes in the annual Hunger Games.  These 24 Tributes (2 from each district, 1 through 12) are then taken to the Capitol where they are trained, beautified, and then thrown into a massive, high tech “Arena” where they must fight to the death.  The last Tribute standing is declared the Victor of the Games, given a mansion in his/her district, and promised money and comfort for the rest of his/her days.  On the day of the Reaping in District 12, Katniss Everdeen’s worst nightmare becomes reality…her fragile little sister, Prim, has her name called as the female Tribute for District 12.  Katniss cannot allow her sister to go to the Games and sacrifice her life – so she bursts through the crowd and volunteers herself as Tribute in her sister’s place.  Thus begins her journey as the female Tribute from District 12…and so much more.  Her male counterpart, Peeta, joins her on this journey to the Capitol and, ultimately, to the Arena.

The second half of the book focuses solely on the Games.  Alliances are formed and broken, weapons are found and used brutally to kill, and we begin to understand the power of the Capitol’s “Gamemakers” as they control everything in the arena; from the weather to the safety and availability of food and water; from invisible traps to high-tech “Muttations” – animals that have been specially bred for certain things such as tracking, poisoning, and yes – killing.  Throughout the horrific Games runs a deeper, more complex theme: the friendship that grows between Katniss and Peeta.  We learn about their lives in District 12.  We come to understand why Katniss is so brash and angry, and why Peeta will do anything to save her life.  Beneath the canopy of the ugly Games unfolds the beauty of the human spirit and the strength and perseverance that comes from caring for another person.

The ending of this book will take your breath away.  It is an ending with a twofold purpose: one, to leave you hanging just enough that you MUST read the next book and two, to unveil the beginning of how Katniss single-handedly and unwittingly defies the Capitol.  And WINS.

Book Two – Catching Fire ~ (Book 1 spoiler alert!!!)  Once again we open to Katniss telling us her story.  This time the story opens to as she and Peeta’s Victory Tour as the Victors (yes, Victors!) of that year’s Hunger Games.  They travel to each District in Panem where they are congratulated and paraded around town like celebrities.  There is an underlying fakeness to it all and Katniss is very uncomfortable and saddened when she is forced to stand up in front of and be applauded by the parents of the other Tributes – the 22 children who died in the Arena, some at her own hand.  When they reach District 11, however, something unique happens.

We must rewind a little bit: in the Arena, Katniss befriended a tiny 12-year old Tribute from District 11 named Rue.  She and Rue joined forces and Katniss did whatever she could to protect Rue because she reminded her so much of her little sister, Prim.  When Katniss’s back is turned, however, Rue is speared.  Instead of running away, Katniss kneels by little Rue’s side, holds her hand, and sings to her until she dies.  This death puts Katniss over the edge with anger toward the Capitol.  She is fed up with being a pawn in their ugly Games, so she quickly gathers flowers and places them all over Rue’s body, then looks up to where she knows the cameras are watching, and defiantly holds up 3 fingers to show her anger.

So let’s head back to the Victory Tour stop in District 11.  As if rehearsed, the entire crowd suddenly grows silent and holds up three fingers toward Katniss.  Not only is this an act of honor for the care she had shown to one of their own, but it is also an act of defiance as they silently agree with Katniss (and Peeta) that what the Capitol is doing to their children is flat out wrong.  Things unravel quickly as Peeta offers half of his yearly Tribute winnings to Rue’s family – only to be quickly rushed away with Katniss.  Shortly thereafter they hear a gunshot and they can only assume that someone in District 11, and possibly someone from Rue’s family, has been killed.

After the Victory Tour is over, Katniss and Peeta return home to their new mansions in District 12.  In a few short days’ time, Katniss finds herself face to face with President Snow in her living room.  In a roundabout way he threatens her life and tells her to be careful what she does and says…or else.  Without giving too much away I will tell you that at the end of the year, through the scheming and evil control of the President, Katniss and Peeta once again find themselves in the arena for the Hunger Games of the Quarter Quell – a special Hunger Games that takes place once every 25 years to celebrate the annihilation of District 13, the District that had caused an uprising that threatened the Capitol many years previously.

And so, once again, we go through training and beautification with Katniss.  Only this time she is given a hint from Plutarch, the Head Gamemaker, about what she will find in the Arena.  Peeta and Katniss’s mentor, Haymitch (the only other Tribute from District 12 that has ever won a Games) gives them explicit instructions on who to ally themselves with.  Katniss hates becoming Haymitch’s pawn as well as the Capitol’s, but she has no choice but to do what he says.  Little does she know that all these allies are in on a secret: they are going to do whatever it takes to protect her life until a hijacked hovercraft can break into the arena and snatch her to take her to…District 13.

Book 3 – Mockingjay ~ When we open up the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy, we are stunned along with Katniss that District 13, the district that the Capitol supposedly annihilated long ago, is not only still in existence, but has a sizeable population, holds an arsenal of nuclear weapons, and has a plan to overthrow the Capitol and take back Panem.  Unbeknownst to her, Katniss sparked a rebellion in the Districts that is being fuelled, manned, and supported by the up and running District 13.  However, we also find out that Katniss’s former home, District 12, has been completely destroyed by the Capitol.  Only a small group of survivors was able to escape due to the quick-thinking Gale, Katniss’s old hunting partner and best friend.  On top of all of the deaths in 12, hundreds of rebels around the country of Panem have been tortured and killed for trying to defy the Capitol.  This is the hardest thing about this book because Katniss blames herself for all of these deaths.  She keeps asking herself, is this rebellion worth it?  She cannot shake the guilt that she feels for being responsible for the deaths of so many.

In District 13 everyone has a specific schedule they are to keep every day.  The control and order in this hidden district is eerily similar to the control the Capitol had over the districts, and Katniss doesn’t like it.  She is suspicious of Coin, the leader of District 13 and the mastermind behind the rebellion, and she is hesitant to join her team of Rebel leaders.  With so much whirling through her mind, Katniss refuses to follow the schedule given to her and spends much of her time wandering around aimlessly and finding places to hide.  But after some time passes, she is called into a council meeting and declared to be The Mockingjay, the face and hero of the rebellion.  (The Mockingjay refers to a pin that Katniss wore into the Games which had become the symbol of freedom from the Capitol).  Once again she is subjected to beautification and put on display.  But she refuses to just play beauty queen…and so on a trip to a video shoot covering a skirmish in District 8…she disobeys orders and heads into the thick of the battle once again.  And once more, many people die and she feels responsible for their deaths.

In the meantime we catch up with Peeta, who was captured from the Arena by the Capitol.  As a condition for becoming the Mockingjay, Katniss insists that he be rescued.  Once he arrives in District 13 we find out that Peeta has not only been tortured…but has also been brainwashed by the Capitol and has had his memories remolded to make him believe that Katniss is his enemy.  Throughout the book this underlying drama plays out as Peeta struggles back to reality and Katniss despairs over this new Peeta, one of the only people whom she truly has ever truly loved.

In the 2^nd half of the book so many things come to a head: Coin threatens Katniss’s life once she thinks she is replaceable; the Rebels begin to win the fight in the districts and finally reach the front line – the Capitol; and Katniss finds herself in charge of a small band of expert warriors to journey through the Pod-laden Capitol streets (Pods are hidden devices filled with weapons and Muttations) toward the President’s mansion.  Mission: Kill President Snow.

This is the saddest book of them all.  Tragedy after tragedy strikes and many of the characters we have grown to love are killed.  The final tragedy succeeds in breaking Katniss.  The Capitol has fallen, the President has been captured, the Rebels are victorious…but Katniss had nothing left to live (or die) for.  Her heart is so broken she cannot speak.  She cannot eat.  Her life becomes meaningless except for one last desire: to kill President Snow, the evil dictator of Panem who is the reason for all of this misery and for the deaths of so many people that Katniss knew and loved.  At the end of the book she has her chance to kill Snow…but wait, there’s one more shocking twist.  What does she do???  You’ll have to find out for yourself.  I literally screamed when I found out what she did.  Yup…that shocking.

And thus ends the legacy of Katniss Everdeen and the reign of terror; thus ends the yearly Reaping and the Hunger Games.

Or does it?

Random note: I loved the epilogue of this book.  It was hauntingly sad and breathtakingly beautiful.  Don’t miss it.

My Review and Reflections on The Hunger Games Trilogy:  Firstly, I have to say that these books are amazing.  There is so much depth and complexity in each book, so many amazing supporting characters and narratives that I couldn’t even touch on in this review.  I was literally fascinated by these books and I couldn’t put them down.  When I finished the final book I cried for two reasons: 1.) these books are SAD and 2.) there aren’t any more Hunger Games books to read.  Suzanne Collins is a brilliant writer and you can tell that she put her heart and soul into the effort of writing these books.

That said, I wouldn’t recommend these books to everyone.  They are tragic, disturbing, and at times, very violent and even gory.  I know what you’re thinking.  “Gabi, this isn’t like you.  Why on earth did you read these books?”  To tell you the truth, I started reading them because of allof the buzz going around about them.  I finished reading them because they spoke to several areas in my mind and heart that I couldn’t ignore:

One – The Reluctant Heroine.  I am a sucker for most books or movies that have a young female heroine.  I related to Katniss in multiple ways.  She would sacrifice her life for the people she loved, especially her family.  As soon as she volunteered herself to become Tribute in place of her little sister, Prim, I was hooked.  That is the kind of brave heart I want to have.  There’s a hope deep within me that I will “stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves,” that if I have the opportunity take the place of someone weaker than me in a difficult battle that I will have the strength and courage to do so.  Courage is something I value highly, and when I read stuff like this, I know that I want to be a fearless Warrior, one who fights, even to the death, for the glory of God and for the greater good of those in need.  However, I also appreciated that Katniss largely remained clueless to the fact that she was inspiring an entire country to stand up for what was right and to fight for freedom.  She simply lived and acted in the most honorable way she knew how.   A true hero doesn’t think of herself as a hero.  She simply does what she knows she needs to do without questioning why.  Through that integrity and tenacity, she becomes a hero.  That’s the kind of life I want to lead…a life in which I will do what is right and just and fair even in the face of hardship and even terror…because that is what I am supposed to do, for God and for the struggling members of humanity.

Two – The Social Commentary.  I can’t say that I know exactly what Suzanne Collins’s intent was through these books, but it’s hard to ignore the social narrative that undergirds them.  While much of the story is just plain old, let’s-have-fun-inventing-fantastical-ideas science fiction, there is also an undercurrent of social commentary that permeates the story.  What happens when one person has complete power over society?  What happens when Capitalism is not only discouraged, but actually ceases to exist?  What happens when our government decides for us what we can or cannot do?  What happens when power is used in such a way that it targets the most vulnerable in our societies, that is, our children? (I was going to name specific countries/societies, but decided not to because they’re all places I would like to visit someday and I’d rather not be arrested at their airports, thank you very much.)

Three – The Injustice of Children Forced to Fight.  This is the aspect of these books that hit me the hardest.  Yes, the premise of the books is a Game in which children, real live children, are forced to kill one another in a battle concocted by adults – powerful adults.  They created this Game to prove their power and have even twisted it into a sick form of entertainment.  At this very moment, right now, this second, in THIS WORLD, there are hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions, of child soldiers who have been conscripted into battle by demented leaders to fight for selfish, power-hungry, evil causes.  These children are taught to hate and to kill other children (as well as adults).  Let me rephrase that:  There are dozens of Hunger Games going on right under our noses.  Congo.  Somalia.  Burma.  Sudan…these are just some of the places where children are kidnapped from their homes, strapped to a gun, forced to become drug addicts, and told to kill.  Sometimes these children are forced to murder their own parents as a sort of initiation.  Sometimes they are raped or tortured to force them into submission.  You think it’s hard to read a fictional account of children who are forced to kill other children?  Does reading about that make you angry?  Try reading the nonfiction versions of this story that are being written every day.  If you knew that there was a country called Panem wherein children were terrorized and forced into a battle to the death, what would you do?  Would you get up in arms and call your congressman?  Would you fly to Panem and try to take matters into your own hands?  Would you set up a special task force to infiltrate the Capitol and rescue these children?  Would you give away all of your money to organizations that are trying to do something about this tragedy?  Well, would you?  Reading these books has opened my eyes to the indescribable pain and emotional scarring that child soldiers endure on a daily basis.  As I said earlier, the epilogue to Mockingjay hit me hard.  We are fast forwarded a dozen years or so in Katniss’s life.  She and Peeta have 3 children who run and play in a meadow that, unbeknownst to the children, covers a mass grave where the charred remains of 12’s obliteration were lain.  Katniss has spent many years trying to understand that she no longer has to be afraid.  The only way she can feel even a shadow of happiness is when she opens a scrapbook she has made full of stories of good things people have done for each other.  That is her only hope, that people can still be capable of goodness.  But never again will she be able to be truly happy or carefree.  The emotional and physical scars that she bears from experiencing such intense and repeated trauma cannot be evaded and will be carried to her grave.

This broke my heart.  So many children in this world live in a world of constant terror.  Not a single day goes by when they don’t see tragedy and are forced into brutal situations.  Not only child soldiers, but child sex slaves, child laborers, etc., are forced live lives comprised of a constant, unending string of nightmares.  Even if and when it ends, the scars are so bad that they cannot heal.  I hate that these things are happening in my world and I want to dedicate my life to doing whatever I can to stop these gross, appalling, horrific injustices.  I can’t help but think that this is why I’m alive…to do whatever I can to rescue these little ones who have lost all hope.

All that said, the one thing that totally did not make sense to me about these books was the lack of any mention or thought about a higher power.  I find it extremely unlikely that people who are faced with such insurmountable obstacles and with so much tragedy don’t think at all about whether or not there is Someone Bigger out there who can help them.  I just don’t think it’s possible.  And therein lies the glimmer of hope that we have in our world…there IS a Savior who can rescue AND heal. There is a Love that can bring comfort and restoration to even those who have faced the worst of tragedies.  Oh I am so grateful that we have a Savior available to us!!  Let’s take Him to the broken, the terrorized, and the forgotten, and let Him do His amazing redemptive work.  Amen!!

 

Gabi Rating:  For ages 18 and up.  Let there be no misunderstanding, this book is written to a teenage target audience, but, in my opinion, should NOT be read by children or young teenagers.  There are graphic descriptions of violence and death.  The books are terrifying at times and it concerns me that there are so many kids reading them.  The last thing we need for our kids is a book that desensitizes them even more to violence and death.  Even adults need to enter into the experience with their eyes wide open. If you have kids reading the books, read with them and discuss as you go along.  The disturbing elements of these books should not be left to children to hash through by themselves.

Summarizing Thoughts:  Incredible books.  Flawless, genius authorship.  Not recommended for the faint of heart.  Be wise and process as you go.  They are entertaining books so it’s easy to get caught up in the entertainment aspect without reflecting on the seriousness of what is happening within the stories.

I give this book 4 out of 5 hearts! ♥♥♥♥×

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China Road

By Rob Gifford

About: NPR journalist, Rob Gifford, shares his adventure of traveling all the way across China on Highway 312.

Story Outline in Brief: China is complex, confusing, wonderful, awful, ugly and beautiful. Rob Gifford explores all of these varying facets of China as he literally pounds the pavement from East to West.

My Review: I loved this book. Gifford has that charming British wit in his writing that is both warm and comical. China Road didn’t just follow Gifford’s adventure, but also included Chinese history, sociology, economy, and geography. The way in which he wove these educational lessons throughout his story showed the mark of a true journalist…someone who can not only relay information, but who also has the ability to keep his readers interested and intrigued in the process. There were many little stories throughout the book that I thoroughly enjoyed, particularly the story of a tiny Chinese church in the countryside where he was coaxed into being preacher for a day. I could almost see the toothless smiles and feel the gentle handshakes of the elderly parishioners and they welcomed him and begged him to preach. There are also stories of heartbreak, government corruption, the scourge of prostitution, and the pillaging of many of China’s most historic sites by greedy explorers and businessmen. Lastly, I loved all of the attention that was paid to the final stop on Gifford’s adventure…my beloved Xinjiang with its beautiful Uighur people. The book began and ended in this part of the country and my heart was full to the brim to encounter stories about the people and places that I love. China is my heart of hearts, and this book did amazing justice to all of its complexities in under 300 pages.

Gabi Rating: For ages 12 and up. Complex history and a mention of prostitution.

Summarizing Thoughts: All China lovers should read this book. This may be one I need to add to my growing China library. I appreciated Gifford’s respect for and even involvement in the Christian history in China, woven beautifully alongside the histories of Buddhism and Taoism. I also appreciated that he addressed the moral vacuum that has been created alongside Communism and atheism…a very interesting study of a people losing their history and their moral rudder. Oh, and the funny nicknames he gives to his various Chinese compatriots are not to be missed:)

I give this book 4 out of 5 hearts!  ♥♥♥♥×

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After

by Amy Efaw

About: The emotional journey of a teenage girl who throws away her newborn baby.

Story Outline in Brief: 15 year old Devon faces a difficult journey as she is arrested and sent to Juvenile Prison after throwing her newborn baby in the trash. We follow Devon as she processes what she’s done, remembers all of the things that led up to “That Night,” and goes to court with her lawyer, Dominique, to determine whether she will be tried as a minor or as an adult.

My Review: This was a surprising gem of a book. I ran across it by accident. I was browsing the audio books on the library website and saw this one and decided to check it out. It’s the fictional story of a gruesome crime committed by a girl who had never before done anything “bad.” The book opens with her lying on the couch, sick, and we only slowly come to learn that she had just given birth and thrown away her baby. We later find out that Devon had been in such denial about her pregnancy that she herself did not think she was pregnant until after she had given birth. Throughout this stunningly written book we learn more about Devon’s past and family…a hands-off, selfish, man-hunting mother who is hardly ever home, Devon’s deep drive for perfection in sports, school, and life, and a non-existent father. We really come to sympathize with Devon as we experience this traumatic event through her eyes. Her lawyer, Dom, is a key character in the book. Throughout Dom’s conversations with Devon, Devon begins to remember the events of “That Night,” and we journey with her through her flashbacks as she pieces together the memory which she had truly, legitimately forgotten because it was so traumatic. Dom works extremely hard to get to know Devon as well as to make sure Devon knows that she has her back despite the crime Devon has committed. I’ve always had a heart for teenage girls and this book was so raw and painful in its descriptions of things a lot of teenage girls face. I went away from the book feeling so sad for Devon and also so proud of her courage. It gave me a heart for young women in juvenile detention and for teen moms. There were some supporting stories about the other girls in Devon’s detention center that really enhanced the whole feel of the book. The entire story was seamlessly written down to the very last brilliant sentence. Be prepared to cry.

Gabi Rating: For ages 15 and up. Disturbing descriptions of the birth, brief sexuality, and some mild language.

Summarizing Thoughts: I never would have thought that a book on this subject could be so incredible. I recommend it to pretty much anyone just because it’s amazing, but if you are a teen mom, have a heart for teen moms, or are interested in Juvenile Detention outreach…read this book!!

I give this book 4 out of 5 hearts! ♥♥♥♥×

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The Space Between Us

by Thrity Umrigar

About: The relationship between an Indian servant and the matriarch of the family she serves.

Story Outline in Brief: The main focus of this story is the relationship of the aged servant, Bhima, and her employer, Sera. Bhima’s granddaughter and Sera’s daughter and son-in-law serve as the backdrop to Bhima and Sera’s relational story.

My Review: This is a truly remarkable book.  I recently wrote a review on The Help and this book seemed to me like the Indian version of that story. The relational depth and the layers of story that Thrity Umrigar accomplished in this work of fiction is truly mind boggling. She draws us in to see the differences in the two women’s lives (Bhima’s life as a Bombay slum-dweller who is repulsed by but resigned to a life of dirtiness and want. Sera’s bright, clean household in an upper-class Bombay neighborhood.) as well as the similarities and shared history that binds the women together despite the “space between them” socially and economically. While the main theme of the story revolves around the servant, Bhima, and her decades-long relationship with Sera, stories of tragedy and triumph from each of their pasts are woven expertly throughout the book to form an incredible tapestry of depth and meaning. Bhima has lost hope in humankind and Sera is continuing to struggle with being free after her abusive husband dies. Together they look at the world and the people around them through a lens comprised of deep love and resentful bitterness. The ending of the book is shocking and disturbing, and yet I went away feeling hopeful and enriched. This is due to the brilliant way in which this book was written. I think there is something in this story to which every person can relate. I admire writers who have the ability capture the human heart in such detail and intimacy. Wow.

Gabi Rating: For ages 17 and up due to some language and sexuality, including a scene of rape.

Summarizing Thoughts: It was so fun to start reading this book while in India. The descriptions of Indian city life in the book practically mirrored what I was seeing every day in that country. If you liked The Help, you’ll like this book. Also, if you are interested in learning more about Indian culture, this is a great place to start.

I give this book 5 out of 5 hearts!  ♥♥♥♥♥

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Between Shades of Gray

by Ruta Sepetys

About: The deportation of Lithuanians by the Soviet regime in the early 1940s

Story Outline in Brief: A 15 year old girl tells her story of being deported by the Soviets with her mother and younger brother to work camps in Siberia.

My Review: This is a fantastically well-written book about a piece of history that is mostly unknown. In 1941, young Lina and her family are ripped from their home in Lithuania and put on a cattle train with thousands of others, beginning their journey to the dark unknown. They are first taken to a work farm in Siberia where they are treated as slaves and nearly starved to death. Then they are taken to even worse conditions at a camp at the top of the Arctic Circle. This book could have been very dark and depressing due to the nature of the story. The author has achieved something miraculous by allowing us to see bright spots amid the darkness…a young blossoming love, love of a mother for her children, a people banding together to fight against hopelessness. This was truly an inspirational and educational story. One of the themes that I enjoyed the most was that of Lina’s art. She uses her gift as an artist to document and process all of the things that are happening to her and around her. I also enjoyed the flashbacks to her former life as a young, happy, free Lithuanian which contrasted starkly with the environment of the Soviet work camps.

Gabi Rating: For ages 12 and up. Some violence, drinking, and mild thematic elements.

Summarizing Thoughts: Firstly, I recommend this book as an educational tool. I myself had never heard of these tragic events in the Baltic states during Stalin’s “Reign of Terror” and I think it’s something we should know more about. Secondly, I would recommend listening to the audio book if possible. That is how I “read” the book and it was very well done.

I give this book 4 out of 5 hearts!  ♥♥♥♥×

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The Help

by Kathryn Stockett

About: A fictional story about colored servants in Jackson, MI in the 1950s

Story Outline in Brief: Three women share their narratives of what life is like for “the help,” that is, the colored servants of white homes, in the very segregated society of Jackson, MI.

My Review: This book was amazing!! I don’t tend to read mainstream books, but this one came to me highly recommended and I’m so glad I checked it out! It’s almost impossible to describe…you will have to read it yourself to find out what it’s all about. Two servants tell their stories in their own words, but the one white character whose narrative is followed has her story written in the third person instead of the first, which was quite interesting. The white woman, “Skeeter,” takes on a bold experiment of compiling a book for publication full of stories of colored “help.” These women risk their jobs and their safety by sharing these stories…the good, the bad, and the ugly…about their employment by white women. The book is entertaining, insightful, thought provoking, beautiful, and heartbreaking. And it has officially become one of my all time favorite books! Yay!

Gabi Rating: For ages 17 and up due to some sexual references and mild language.

Summarizing Thoughts: I actually listened to the audio book version of The Help. That may be part of the reason why I loved it so much because the readers were simply phenomenal. I definitely would recommend trying to listen to this book instead of reading it!

I give this book 5 out of 5 hearts!  ♥♥♥♥♥

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Child of the Jungle: The True Story of a Girl Caught Between Two Worlds 

by Sabine Kuegler

About: A young, German MK (missionary kid) who grew up among the previously unknown Fayu tribe of West Papua, Indonesia

Story Outline in Brief: From infancy Sabine lived away from Europe in different mission fields with her parents.  Her most formative years (about age 6-15) were spent with the Fayu.  This is her story…her adventures in the jungle, the lessons she learned as a “jungle child,” and the difficulty of her transition back into the Western world.

My Review:  I think the most fascinating aspect of this book is simply being taken into the jungle world of the Fayu in West Papua.  It’s amazing to take this journey with Sabine and to realize that you become like the people around you…even if those people are “uncivilized” tribal people who live in the same primitive way they’ve been living for hundreds of years and you are a blonde European!  Sabine and her siblings literally become children of the jungle, living in the same way as their jungle neighbors.  However, through Western education and their parents’ Western upbringing they become increasingly torn between two worlds.  The book is written very simply, but is fascinating in its storytelling.  You will not be bored or disappointed!

Gabi Rating: Ages 12 and up. (10 year olds could probably read it, but there is a portion of the book that speaks about sexual virginity, so I would recommend a little older audience)

Summarizing Thoughts: Just settle in and enjoy the adventure this book takes you on!  You may also be surprised to finish the book understanding yourself just a little better.

I give this book 3 out of 5 hearts! ♥♥♥××

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Strength in What Remains 

by Tracy Kidder

About: A boy from Burundi who escapes to New York City during the genocide in his country.

Story Outline in Brief: Deogratias is a man from Burundi. Caught in the cross hairs of genocide in his country, he makes an escape to New York City. Upon arrival he realizes he doesn’t have enough money to get by and that English is the native tongue, not French. He ends up living on the streets and making just a few dollars a day working at a grocery store. Through a very amazing series of events, Deo fights his way out of poverty and ends up at Columbia University within 2 years of arriving in the USA. After graduation he joins Partners in Health and returns to Burundi to start a medical clinic.

My Review: The first half of this book was at turns appalling, heartbreaking, and exhilarating as it recounts Deo’s childhood in Burundi, follows his exodus to NYC, and walks through his learning and growth at Columbia University. The friendships he makes are nothing short of divine, despite the author’s lack of faith. Few people know that Burundi suffered a horrific genocide between Hutus and Tutsis, which coincided with the genocide in Rwanda (Burundi is directly south of Rwanda). This book recounts the genocide in a personal narrative that goes into some gruesome detail. The ordeal scars Deo for life and he never quite finds a way to heal the nightmare that lives inside of him. The second half of the book follows the author in his friendship with Deo…from coffee shop retellings of Deo’s story to a trip to Burundi that is 90% sad and 10% hopeful. Honestly, the second half of the book was a bit of a disappointment after the amazingly well-written narrative of the first half. It was, however, honest and insightful and I was struck by the transparency of the entire book.

Gabi Rating: For ages 16 and up. There are detailed descriptions of killings and fields full of mutilated people.

Summarizing Thoughts: Burundi is a forgotten country. Read the book and remember the story. Share it with other people and pray that this kind of tragedy will never happen again.

I give this book 3 out of 5 hearts! ♥♥♥××

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SOLD

by Patricia McCormick

About: Sexual slavery in Nepal/India

Story Outline in Brief: A young girl from the mountains of Nepal is sold by her step-father as a “maid” so that he can prolong his gambling habit. Once she arrives in the city she is forced into sexual slavery.

My Review: Sold is written in a choppy style of the first person, most chapters no more than one page long. It took me a little while to get used to the style, but once I did I could not put the book down. The heartbreaking story of a poor mountain girl from Nepal who is sold and trafficked into a brothel in a red-light district in India is fictional, and yet all too true. Lakshmi’s story is the story of thousands upon thousands of girls from Nepal who are trafficked into the sex trade in India each year. It is a heartwrenching story with moments of warmth…such as her friendship with a young boy whose mother is also a prostitute in the brothel. But don’t hold on to those moments of warmth too tightly because, as Lakshmi learned, they are nearly all stolen from her in heartbreaking ways. The ending brings a subdued closure, knowing that even with escape, the mental and emotional scars of being raped and abused day after day are long to heal…if they ever heal at all.

Gabi Rating: For ages 15 and up. This book was written for young adults. However, the author doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to what happens to these girls. (warning: Sexual content)

Summarizing Thoughts: I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to become more aware of the sexual slavery trade, particularly in India. It will definitely make you want to act. I think it is also a good starting point for those who are just beginning to study this tragedy, as it doesn’t go into quite as much detail as a lot of the educational books that are out there. I was surprised to find that the author’s style of writing about this kind of tragedy is very similar to mine. See October 9, 2010 blog posting here: “Human Trafficking,”  and November 23, 2010 posting here: “Natasha.”

I give this book 4 out of 5 hearts! ♥♥♥♥×

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What is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng

by Dave Eggers

About: The lost boys of Sudan

Story Outline in Brief: The narrative is told in the first person by Valentino Achak Deng as he recounts his escape from war, famine, and other tragedies in Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, and finally, the USA.

My Review: This book was very interesting in that it was fictional non-fiction. The story itself is a tapestry weaved of the stories of the lost boys who have suffered in Sudan. The telling of the story was extremely creative. Valentino recounts the story of his life to himself as he encounters being robbed and beaten in his own apartment in Atlanta, Georgia. As he faces this troubling circumstance in America, he is reminded of his life in Africa and sees similarities to his own tale written on the faces of the people around him as he is robbed, beaten, and hospitalized. I think this was an extremely creative way to tell this wrenching and tragic story of the lost boys of Sudan and their difficult transition to American life. The ending was a little disappointing in that it left a lot of loose ends.

Gabi Rating: For ages 16 and up. There is some brief though intense foul language and a lot of vivid descriptions of violence and death.

Summarizing Thoughts: I would recommend this book people who have an interest in learning more about what has taken place in the country of Sudan and other African countries that have been riddled with ethnically provoked violence. I think it is particularly relevant currently as Southern Sudan prepares to secede and become its own sovereign State.

I give this book 3 out of 5 hearts! ♥♥♥××

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I have a very unique and varied taste in books.  Most of the books I read currently are non-fiction and have something to do with some of my deepest passions: travel, culture, and social justice.  While you may find me reading something silly and light like The Clique, most of these reviews will involve tales of those who have faced tragedy, fought slavery, and whose lives eerily reflect ours though lived on the other side of the world.  My hope is to inspire and encourage you to see how big the world is, how crazy a life can be, and most importantly, that you can make a difference and overcome anything with the help of Jesus Christ.  Enjoy!