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A review by wordswoods
The Girl Who Beat ISIS: Farida's Story by Andrea C. Hoffmann, Farida Khalaf
5.0
I got this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Watch my video review here.
Nonfiction book about the war ISIS is raging in Kurdistan, Iraq, Syria etc.
The story follows Farida (pseudonym), a 18 year old girl from Iraq. She lives together with her family in Kocho, a small town, goes to school and has a laugh with her friends until ISIS starts roaming around in those parts of the country. Her dad, who is a soldier, consoles her and says it will be alright, but soon enough ISIS comes to Kocho as well.
We follow Farida's life from this point on as she is held captive by ISIS men. We get to know the inner workings of these occupations through the eyes of this young woman who, fortunately, survives it and is able to start a new life in Germany.
We follow Farida's life during the months she is held captive. This means we follow her through violence, rape, being sold as someone else's 'property' and so on.. She talks in great detail about the precise circumstances she and other girls had to live in, how they were treated and sold again to someone else when the men didn't think them interesting enough anymore.
At the same time, of course, we are made very much aware of Farida's feelings, as this is a story told in retrospect. She doesn't know where her family is and doubts and worries eat her up inside. Differences in religion are 'forced out of them', and though the girls we follow don't cave, it is very difficult to see that all this is done 'in the name of religion'. This is not a story, this is actually happening..
I think that realization is the most important and the most heavy thing to face while reading this book: this is not a story, just because it's a fictional name.
Farida represents just one of the many, many stories about victims of ISIS: if not the deaths, how about the lives that were ruined? Some of them are able to start over again in Europe, but I honestly cannot imagine how hard this must be for them. I try to, but I can't.
There are no downsides to this book that I can name. It describes Farida's journey in a clear narrative which is detailed enough, but to the point at the same time.
If you are a sensitive reader, beware though: TRIGGER WARNING. Violence and rape are repeatedly talked about in this story, though not in too much detail. You will be told what happens, but no graphic details will be added to that effect.
Overall, this story really opened my eyes and made me better able to empathize what is happening to a lot of people in the world at this time.
I gave The Girl Who Beat Isis 5/5 stars.
Watch my video review here.
Nonfiction book about the war ISIS is raging in Kurdistan, Iraq, Syria etc.
The story follows Farida (pseudonym), a 18 year old girl from Iraq. She lives together with her family in Kocho, a small town, goes to school and has a laugh with her friends until ISIS starts roaming around in those parts of the country. Her dad, who is a soldier, consoles her and says it will be alright, but soon enough ISIS comes to Kocho as well.
We follow Farida's life from this point on as she is held captive by ISIS men. We get to know the inner workings of these occupations through the eyes of this young woman who, fortunately, survives it and is able to start a new life in Germany.
We follow Farida's life during the months she is held captive. This means we follow her through violence, rape, being sold as someone else's 'property' and so on.. She talks in great detail about the precise circumstances she and other girls had to live in, how they were treated and sold again to someone else when the men didn't think them interesting enough anymore.
At the same time, of course, we are made very much aware of Farida's feelings, as this is a story told in retrospect. She doesn't know where her family is and doubts and worries eat her up inside. Differences in religion are 'forced out of them', and though the girls we follow don't cave, it is very difficult to see that all this is done 'in the name of religion'. This is not a story, this is actually happening..
I think that realization is the most important and the most heavy thing to face while reading this book: this is not a story, just because it's a fictional name.
Farida represents just one of the many, many stories about victims of ISIS: if not the deaths, how about the lives that were ruined? Some of them are able to start over again in Europe, but I honestly cannot imagine how hard this must be for them. I try to, but I can't.
There are no downsides to this book that I can name. It describes Farida's journey in a clear narrative which is detailed enough, but to the point at the same time.
If you are a sensitive reader, beware though: TRIGGER WARNING. Violence and rape are repeatedly talked about in this story, though not in too much detail. You will be told what happens, but no graphic details will be added to that effect.
Overall, this story really opened my eyes and made me better able to empathize what is happening to a lot of people in the world at this time.
I gave The Girl Who Beat Isis 5/5 stars.