BOOKS FROM EGYPTWhat Strange Paradise
Description:
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR • From the widely acclaimed, bestselling author of American War—a beautifully written, unrelentingly dramatic, and profoundly moving novel that looks at the global refugee crisis through the eyes of a child. "Told from the point of view of two children, on the ground and at sea, the story so astutely unpacks the us-versus-them dynamics of our divided world that it deserves to be an instant classic." —The New York Times Book Review More bodies have washed up on the shores of a small island. Another overfilled, ill-equipped, dilapidated ship has sunk under the weight of its too many passengers: Syrians, Ethiopians, Egyptians, Lebanese, Palestinians, all of them desperate to escape untenable lives back in their homelands. But miraculously, someone has survived the passage: nine-year-old Amir, a Syrian boy who is soon rescued by Vänna. Vänna is a teenage girl, who, despite being native to the island, experiences her own sense of homelessness in a place and among people she has come to disdain. And though Vänna and Amir are complete strangers, though they don’t speak a common language, Vänna is determined to do whatever it takes to save the boy. In alternating chapters, we learn about Amir’s life and how he came to be on the boat, and we follow him and the girl as they make their way toward safety. What Strange Paradise is the story of two children finding their way through a hostile world. But it is also a story of empathy and indifference, of hope and despair—and about the way each of those things can blind us to reality.
Reviews:
(11 months ago) |
25 Oct, 2024
Malgré les personnages de "méchants" un peu trop caricaturaux, l'écriture d'El Alkkad est très efficace et l'auteur réussit à dresser un portrait qui semble réaliste du voyage en mer et d'une petite île débordée par les arrivages de personnes migrantes. Il y a plusieurs moments touchants et l'alternance entre l'avant et l'après est bien utilisé pour faire avancer l'intrigue.
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(6 months ago) |
22 Mar, 2025
This was a good story but I felt it lacked subtlety. It’s too clearly written as a response to the now (in)famous photo of Alan Kurdi. Because of the too obvious inspiration, most of the messaging seemed a bit forced and like a scolding. I did like the style of writing - going back and forth in the narratives, from past to present. I enjoyed the ending as well, even if it was a bit “Sixth Sense”-ish.
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