I read this book back in March but hey, I am being a classic book blogger and getting to the actual book review over a month late. This is the life of a book nerd. Finishing one book and then being immediately distracted by a new one. Anyways, this one was called Sister of Saidnaya by Rose Ann Kalister.
Synopsis: In 1922, a young Nadra traveled by boat from the small Christian village of Saidnaya, Syria, to the ports of Boston, and on to Hedley, West Virginia. With little education, Nadra navigates an industrialized nation as a young, immigrant woman. She must delicately balance the expectations of her heritage with the temptation of independence in the new world.
I wanted to like this book a lot but it just didn’t do it for me. I was going into it hopeful because I tend to not like historical fiction as much and I was hoping that this story about a Syrian refugee family coming to America could change my mind. But in the end, I just ended up bored for most of this book.
The main character was moody and stubborn at times which was the only part of the book that entertained me. Other than that, I was just trying to get through it but having a hard time. I had to push myself through to finish it.
I like reading books with diverse points of view because it helps me understand other cultures and I do think that this book had a lot of structural, informative information on the Syrian culture which was refreshing. The storyline is what lost me because I felt like it was going at the pace of a snail. I need a faster-paced book to keep me engaged.
Overall, I would recommend this to someone that wants a more relaxing read that will teach them about the Syrian culture and show the adversity and struggle of being a refugee in another country.
Book Rating: 2/5
You can buy this book on Amazon and find it on Goodreads.
Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the author in a physical paperback format to read and give an honest review.
Check out Sean Carlson’s brand new novel called Road To Emmaus: The New Deal which is available now on Amazon! Here is a synopsis of the book: In the midst of the Great Depression, newly elected US President, Franklin D. Roosevelt offers a new deal for the American people. An advisory team, coined the ‘brains trust’ build the foundation of his government’s policies which will impact American families for generations to come. But can human intervention and a new alignment of ‘truths’ resurrect a shared hope powerful enough to save a nation from itself?The dusty road of human history cuts through the heart of every soul. Our search for truth is not easy travel as the deadly allures of myth and deceit call us by name, presiding behind altars of ruin. The illusion is set. And lost in the forgotten timelines of a world under seige, an ancient promise remains.All of recorded history is an understanding of the pieces of ourselves that have come before and the road that remains. This journey is both and ’embarking on’ and a ‘leaving of.’The history of yourself precedes you – going back to the beginning. No piece of history in the cosmos or on earth is exclusive of you. From an exiled apostle imprisoned in the heart of the Roman Empire to Cambodia’s killing fields and South America’s secret horrors. You wear the scars. From a litany of underground movements and failed revolutions, to the fabled utopian kingdom of Camelot, the claim for truth has worn many faces.The long cold war between the icy dominion of Kalashnikov and a succession of presiders struggling to raise the chalice to the parched lips of the world continues. The battle remains yours to fight.You were a part of the old deal and are an even bigger part of the new deal. The dead hand of the past is no longer the end of us. Our history is not confined to the past nor is it bound to the laws of earthly dimension. It is as timeless and free as you. The road awaits…
You can buy the book here: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/0995270295/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdo_t1_ixPHEb9GMG63M
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I’m a little late getting to my April Wrap Up but here it is! The Magical Readathon was a lot of fun and these are all the books I read for it. Let me know if you have read any of them and what you thought! Check out the video below: