Omar El Akkad

Amir is a 9-year old Syrian boy who survives a shipwreck. Everyone else to be seen has washed up on shore, dead. He is on an island, but doesn’t know where he is, nor does he understand the language. When two men see him and point and shout, Amir gets scared and runs. He runs into Vanna, 15-years old and though they are unable to communicate verbally, she hides him.

The story then shifts to “Before”, which brings us up to date on how Amir got where he is. We go back and forth between Amir’s before and “After”. Much of after is told from Vanna’s POV, but occasionally we switch to the POV of a colonial who is dead set on finding Amir, the little boy who ran away.

Given that it’s (primarily) from a 9-year old’s POV, it took a bit to figure out what was going on through much of the story. I am still not sure I understand the ending. But it was a “good” (powerful) story, even so.… (més)

Wanted to love this but it didn't really click for me. I kept waiting for the moment when I'd become emotionally invested and it never happened.

Concept is frighteningly realistic - the US is a climate changed ravaged country fighting a new civil war against the south over fossil fuel. This is from the perspective of the southern fighters and it tries to get into the head of why somebody would fight such a war and become a terrorist in support of it.

I think I might have liked this more if it wasn't Christmas. I'm trying to feel happy and generous in my life right now and this is opposite everything this season represents. Maybe it would have worked if I was in a different headspace.… (més)