Four big books with thick hard covers - (Pg 43)

Parvana's Journey by Deborah Ellis wasn't quite on par with the original Parvana.

In Parvana's Journey, I found the characters to be very one dimensional, quite robotic in their actions and reactions, and not terribly interesting.

I also felt that while what was happening to Parvana was devastating and more than likely is happening to some poor child at this moment, it read very much like a work of extreme fiction, a horror fantasy world.

The ending was another let-down. Extremely far fetched and terribly unlikely.

If you have read Parvana and are considering continuing, it won't take you long to read, however you may be disappointed.

221 Days Remaining, 14 Book To Go

She would read to him from his books - (Pg 159)

Parvana by Deborah Ellis, another story about women in Afghanistan. It is a Junior Fiction novel, and I read it in a couple of hours (mainly as I couldn't put it down).

It is the story of a young woman and her family in Afghanistan during the time of the Taliban. Her father is taken by the Taliban one day without warning and it falls on Parvana to dress as a boy so that she can go out and work and get food for her mother, sisters and baby brother.

Parvana's father is a history teacher, and through this, a simplified history and a greater understanding of this troubled country is presented clearly to the reader.

Ellis herself has written a number of inspirational stories about child refugees and is somewhat of an inspiration herself.

Parvana is a quick read which I highly recommend if you have read and enjoyed The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul and Kabul Beauty School.

280 Days Remaining, 19 Books to go