Reviews

Born Under a Million Shadows by Andrea Busfield

sarahspeed's review against another edition

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4.0

This book tells the story of a young boy in Afganistan, Fawad, who has grown up facing terrible tragedy and poverty. When his mother finds a job working for a group of foreigners, the young boy is provided with a second chance at comfort and security. In this setting Fawad learns about love, trust, relationships, and the definition of family, amidst the broken and violent streets of Kabul.

bethpeninger's review against another edition

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4.0

I'm appreciative of fictional works about Afghanistan that are based on reality. This is the second fiction book I have read based in Afghanistan that is authored by someone who lived there and experienced it in enough detail to write a story that probably comes close to someone's real story. This was a story that gave the reader, through fiction, a glimpse into the life of a citizen of Afghanistan and what they do and have to do to live the life they are handed. It portrays a life that is fallout from the Taliban regime and how the people of Afghanistan just want to live. I really liked how the author combined foreigners with Afghan's and allowed both sides to see each other's worlds. This was a good read.

sarah_elsewhere's review against another edition

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4.0

While not perfect, I was won over by the rather sweet love stories in modern Afghanistan.
Read more: http://carnegiestout.blogspot.com/2010/12/born-under-million-shadows.html

jenmullerrn's review against another edition

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2.0

This book was really nothing special. I thought it was worth finishing but once it was done, I wasn't sure I had made the best decision.

sof00's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

yippers's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

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kelsey1970's review against another edition

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4.0

Probably more like a 3.5, but I went up because I enjoyed Fawad, the young narrator, so much. So unexpectedly funny and sweet. I enjoyed the characters but didn't love the plot or the ending.

fairlyoddmother's review against another edition

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4.0

I knew this book was going to make me cry, but what I didn't expect was how often I would laugh. Life in Afghanistan is seen through the eyes of 11 year old Fawad, a boy who has suffered so much loss and seen so much horror in his young life. But, his sweetness, optimism, and ability to describe his world so clearly makes this much more than a sad tale of life in a country torn by the Taliban and years of war.

Love the characters and, while there were many, they were clearly defined so that I wasn't constantly flipping back to figure out who was who (which is something I often have to do since it takes me a long time to finish a book with only a few minutes here and there to read.)

Highly recommend.

toastiebun's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

tanashea07's review against another edition

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5.0

I did not want this book to end. I loved the characters and I wanted their story to go on forever. It was refreshing to read about Afghanistan's culture that did not focus on the negative, but instead gave us some positive views of their culture. I got a glimpse of what a day in Afghanistan is like even though there are many hardships and terrible things happening to these people because of the Taliban and the extremists. This was a great book and the author is a great writer! I hope she writes more books!