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What are readers saying about Say You're One of Them?
| Reviews of Say You're One of Them - Page 1 of 3 |
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A Reader posted a review at 2011-07-19 06:55:51.
(Language: English)
 
A bit depressing.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-04 10:42:59.
(Language: English)
 
Tragic stories, particularly since they are from a children's point of view. Seems like everyone should read this book to know what's happening on this blue planet of ours! I had difficulty with the language in the story "Luxurious Hearses" even though I appreciate the value of being true to the language mix in East africa.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-10-14 09:17:43.
(Language: English)
A really great book about children in Africa; their struggles and triumphs. My eyes have been opened.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-06-02 07:13:38.
(Language: English)
I had a bit of a problem understanding what I was reading mainly because I don't know French or whatever language they were using. But other than that it was ok. Disturbing even.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-11-05 11:15:20.
(Language: English)
Oprah says even if you don't like short stories, you'll love this, no, you won't. If you do like short stories, you probably won't like this one either. It does offer a different life perspective, but it is a challenge to get through. I've read several nonfiction books on similar topics and loved them, but this book lost me...it took me momths to get through. :(
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-07-15 06:02:57.
(Language: English)
This book is startling, disturbing, insightful and beautifully written. While I enjoyed reading it, by the end I felt so disturbed, I almost wished I hadn't.
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A Reader posted a review at 2011-02-06 05:25:52.
(Language: English)
Very good but not a light read. Had to put it down for a while, get another book, then go back to it. The author captures the very essence of every emotion. Opens your eyes to the plight of disadvantaged children in Africa and the ridiculous ends people go to in the name of God.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-21 08:02:26.
(Language: English)
This book was not diffiuclt to understand, but more difficult to actually intake the realities of horrors from a child's perspective. Despite this there are often very humorous moments in the stories that allow you to still experience laughter, and escape just like the characters do, often through the characters own innocence.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-09-28 01:41:39.
(Language: English)
too heavy for me. had to stop. but VERY realistic. just too much. too sad.
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A Reader posted a review at 2011-02-24 08:05:42.
(Language: English)
Had to read this for Eng class after frist ch. we ( as a class) gave up on it. This one with the diolog got me so confussed.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-11-29 08:19:52.
(Language: English)
Is it me or is this book a non starter....i've read the first story and a bit of the second ....and i could care less about these people and the rest of the book ....i find the writing self indulgent...the author is trying too hard to flex his knowledge of the different communities at the expense of a cohesive, engaging story....One of the revies actually says..'Amazing...It takes a great writer to face the extremes of human depravity ...Beside these stories, other fiction seems to dry up and blow away like dust.'...REALLY!!??it is the literary , equivalent of the movie Hotel Rwanda....a study in how to lose the importance of an epic issue with overdrawn characterisation.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-02-11 01:44:00.
(Language: English)
Not fun. I thought the book would have stories entertwining at the end, but it was just disappointing. Some don't even have an end. It was really sad and people have to realize what african go through on a day to day basis, but i did not enjoy the book. It was really long and it took me a lot of time to read it since i couldn't enjoy my reading... I still don't understand why oprah picked it in her collection! In my opinion, it shouldn't have been. Some stories are really interesting, but they are short. The longest ones have too much details and is not really enjoyable. Maybe i just didn't get it....
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-04-24 11:22:32.
(Language: English)
A collection of five haunting short stories about life and love amid violence and hatred in Africa. The narration is simple and direct, effectively conveying the horror and atrocity experienced by the different protagonists. Although plot is at times marred with ridiculous twists and events, the integrity of each story is generally intact. A thing to like about this book is the way each short story ends, or not ends; it ensures that the tales linger in the mind and in the heart, as all good stories should. This book is a good reminder to all of us that all human beings, whatever the continent, share the same fears and hopes.
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Heather posted a review at 2010-01-25 07:40:39.
(Language: English)
Powerful and heartbreaking. A beautifully written collection of stories that allows the reader to place themselves in the shoes of these children. Although the title of the collection is taken from the last story, it's aptly named as you find yourself considering what it would be like to be one of them. This book does not permit you to be blissfully unaware of the suffering of African children any longer.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-06-23 11:42:26.
(Language: English)
I love books that show you another part of the world, but seeing it through children's eyes made it more horrifying! I recommend highly!
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-26 01:31:54.
(Language: English)
I have mixed feelings about this book. The writing was really good and a few of the stories were good, but for some reason I had a really hard time getting through it, took me almost a month and a half which is insane! Really two months I suppose. Maybe you have to be in the mood, well written though like I said.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-08-26 08:40:37.
(Language: English)
The stories in Say You're One of Them are quite shocking, but real. As an African who grew up in Nigeria. The story about the Christian and Muslim riots in Nigeria are true. Uwem Akpan is able to create incredible and believable characters by showing the cruelty under which they live. I had some stylistic problems with one of the stories Fattening for Gabon. Uwem was using French which is not spoken in Lagos. It was hard to tell if his setting was actually in Contonou, the Benin Republic or in Lagos.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-10-29 11:14:06.
(Language: English)
Excellent yet painful reading by a fine Nigerian writer about the plight of African children.
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A Reader posted a review at 2011-03-08 07:10:59.
(Language: English)
Very eye opening brutal stories of some kids lives in Africa. Still in shock from reading. You know these things happen yet still hard to compehend.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-11-18 05:27:10.
(Language: English)
While the stories are compelling,the way they are written is not. There were times when it was unnecessarily difficult to decipher what the characters were saying. A couple of the stories are also overly long. In particular, Luxurious Hearses was tedious. Having said all this, I do think the book provides a powerful view into some of the challenges faced in Africa.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-08-10 02:14:52.
(Language: English)
SO FAR ITS GOOD =/
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-09-20 11:43:48.
(Language: English)
This book was extremely sad and depressing at times yet I could not put it down. Uwem Akpan accomplished what he was going for with this book by opening up eyes and informing people about the social struggles still existing in Africa.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-11-20 04:37:18.
(Language: English)
this author is very passionate - I just watched the webcast interview ( because I was indisposed the night of Nov 9th- gee why was that again LOL oh yeah surgery) but seriously - I was touched by the stories and the true awkward but real person this man is - not polished but simple polite and passionate about how the problems get exacerbated in africa
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-03-22 08:20:36.
(Language: English)
This book is spell-binding and beautiful, but S.A.D. Just when you think there will be some glimmer of a happy ending, forget it. Not to spoil anything, but just be prepared if you read this! It makes you realize that, while happy endings are what we want to read about, they often just don't exist for a lot of children living through such trauma and disaster.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-10 06:03:36.
(Language: English)
Disgraceful. Ugly. Things written that one should never have to read about. Africa through the eyes of innocent children. This is a book of five short stories ranging from 20 to 120 pages. It is not hard to read until towards the end of each story when the punchline is written and suddenly you realise the impacts that tribalism, poverty and spiritual belief have on societies which lack the basics of education and material benefits. This is a shocking book. There is no other way to describe it. Written by an African Jesuit this book, like no other I have read will assist you see Africa through African eyes. And thos eyes of children should not have to witness what the stories tell. To give a synopsis of the book would spoil it for anyone wishing to read it other than to say it deals with the issues of child trafficking, child prostitution, genocide and religious conflict.
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| Reviews of Say You're One of Them - Page 1 of 3 |
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