I knew about Malala from some basic news articles when I decided to read her autobiography. Although I wFirst published at India Book Store - Bookish.
I knew about Malala from some basic news articles when I decided to read her autobiography. Although I was tempted to know more about her from various other sources, I decided to hear it from the horse’s mouth first so as to avoid any inconsistencies or rumors that news articles might have. Malala’s story, her portrayal of events grabs you right from the very first line. It pulls you in and you read on wanting to know more about this girl who went through so much at such a young age.
The language is simple yet distinct in its own capacity. Having been written by two authors, I wasn’t sure who would come through, Malala or Christina Lamb. But I could recognize glimpses of Malala’s writing every so often, so I knew it was she who had the lion’s share in writing her biography. How did I know it was her writing? Some sentences might seem strange when you go by strict English rules but look at it from the perspective of another language (I found Pashto quite close to Hindi and hence knew what it was the sentence wanted to depict) and you will know what it really meant. Those sentences made me smile and I knew it was all Malala. Sample this:
‘With all the bad stuff going on in those days, we needed small, small reasons to laugh.’
The innocence, the simplicity of the language further drove home the point.
I marvel at the memory of this little girl, so vivid and clear. It gives me something to look at, think about and feel. I know what she is going through because her words have so much power, they pack a punch. The book has been organized very well, it’s structured and helps the reader go through events as they occurred which is no mean feat.
Looking at this big, bad, violent world from the eyes of a girl who wanted nothing more than education was revealing and haunting in a way. It made me cringe at times. The horrors she had seen, went through might have been too much even for an adult. And for her to not only have gone through them but for coming out stronger shows her capacity for tolerance and her ambition for education.
At times, the horrors created by the Taliban were too much to bear and I wondered why, oh why, did no one interfere. It was as if so many things were going on together. Everyone wanted a piece of the cake but no one wanted to help bake it. It bordered on crazy.
The interference by the Western media and governments felt to some extent relieving and helpful but at the same time, I wondered if it did not land Malala in more trouble. By writing for the BBC, giving interviews, she was exposed much more to the eyes of the Taliban and kept growing as an imminent threat. It made me wonder: Was the Western media merely sensationalizing and serving its own purpose rather than coming over for providing help? It will be difficult to separate the good from the not so good.
Malala often talks about her parents and brothers, most of all, her father. Knowing her background helps in understanding how she came to be who she is now. The photographs further lend a one-of-our-own feeling towards Malala and her family.
I am Malala serves as an innocent yet informed account of the terrors in Pakistan penned down from a teenage girl’s viewpoint. Although the language is simple and easy to understand, it in no way renders the book incapable of being serious or well thought through. The book taught me more than any history lessons ever could. The account of events is brief yet startling in its capacity. I believe some of the information about the events might have been written by Christina Lamb but overall it gives a good background to Malala’s story.
The book has been compared to Anne Frank’s diary. Even though I have read The Diary of Anne Frank twice, it has been years since I last read it. Hence, I might not be well qualified to elaborately comment on their comparison. But let me say that ‘I am Malala’ holds her own as far as truth in her writing is concerned. However, it might get its real credit in the years to come when people might not remember all the details about the internal wars in Pakistan but her book will live on and stay to tell the truth.
Overall, if you are looking forward to reading a brief yet truthful account of what went on inside Pakistan as seen from a teenager’s account, I would highly recommend this book. ...more
I had never read a book where it’s all about M/M so when I came across this freebie on Amazon, I decided to give it a chance.
In many ways, this book mI had never read a book where it’s all about M/M so when I came across this freebie on Amazon, I decided to give it a chance.
In many ways, this book might be a good start to see if you like this genre of books since it’s short and doesn’t test your comfort with the topic too much. However, it also might go wrong in a couple of ways. Since the book is too short to let an element of real story pass through, it borders on erotica with an absent plot. And that is what I hate. I need a plot in my book. I don’t mind erotica but it has to have a story to interest me.
But having read this book, I have concluded that I might be comfortable with M/M and should try more of this genre.
If you’re looking for a plot, you might want to skip this one but if you (like me) want to test the waters, this would come in handy. And it’s up for free on Amazon so you can take a chance on it.
Overall, it reads well for a short story if you can go past a few editorial glitches....more
Ooh, I love that cover! I picked this one for free on Amazon.
I loved the way the book started. It engrossed me right from the beginning. Yay for the lOoh, I love that cover! I picked this one for free on Amazon.
I loved the way the book started. It engrossed me right from the beginning. Yay for the laughs spread throughout.
I loved the unconventional characters or rather their unconventional careers, they put a whole new perspective to the book. I like it when things are different.
The characters are well etched. The plot is good for a while and I adore the romance in there. It made my toes curl and sigh every so often. Ah, how I wish romance like that existed for real. Oh my, the romantic lines the guy says in there. *sigh* *sigh* *sigh* I think you got the point, right?
My only complaint from the book? The way the plot didn't hold up to my expectations after some time. It was predictable, boring and even unreal at times. It started off really well but I wished it could have held out till the very end but sadly it didn't.
The romance and the sprinkled in humor were the only things that stood out for me.
Overall, a light, breezy, romantic read if you can bypass the second-half's predictable and unreal plot.
Even though this book grabbed my attention from the word go, it was unable to carry it forward.
I was awed by the book cover itself and the book has a Even though this book grabbed my attention from the word go, it was unable to carry it forward.
I was awed by the book cover itself and the book has a great start. But well, that's it. Everything after it is downhill.
It sounds more like an erotica to me than having a substantial plot. The emotions are a major pain. And there's too much of unreality floating around that had me by the throat. I kept on going because I had a reason to finish it otherwise I possibly might have abandoned it even before the middle. The thing about 'I'm sure it will improve in the next few pages' got me going but alas, I was disappointed.
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