After finishing the book, describe how you felt in one word.
Created: 06/17/20
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RELIEVED. I was relieved when I finished the book. Immigration is an issue that has been with us forever. Wars destroy lives, families, homes and civilizations. Immigrants seek a new start in life but the tragedies that they have lived through are forever locked in their memory. I can’t explain why this book did not move me. I just could not relate to the narrator.
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Stressed. Their immigration status not approved at the end of the book. And after they saw Muhammed all I could think was I hope they make it. I would hate for them to have come this far and then be denied. I dont know if they could handle anymore.
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Sad....but hopeful. While I did love the book, the sadness and heaviness was ever present. On one hand, I feel that was what the author intended, especially in light of reading her post script. The most beautiful moments were when she wrote about the bees and what it meant to Niru.
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Challenged. I felt very connected to the character's suffering. That made me think of what I could do as an individual to help to mitigate the awful surge of displaced persons around the world. I contemplated political complications here which keep us from helping as we should, and international NGOs to which I could contribute even a little. I think that any book which makes you think beyond its narrative borders should be considered a good book and an important read.
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I'm impressed that so many of you stuck to the question- -I'm not sure that I can just give one feeling! I felt:
angry at leaders who abuse their positions of power for personal gain and inflict unnecessary suffering on those they are charged to protect
compassion for those who love their homes and beautiful countries but are forced through no fault of their own to leave
shame that so many countries refuse to help or provide a safe place or send food, shelter, social workers, doctors, counselors...
powerless
I'm not even sure if I felt relieved or hopeful because Mustafa found Nuri and Afra. They have only been through part one of their interview process. What if they are rejected for asylum? What if they are accepted but the Moroccan man is not? How can there not be enough room on this planet for all people to live safely?
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Sad. Profoundly sad. I found it difficult to keep reading forward (as opposed to those books you pick up that you just can't put down) and had to take regular breaks. I had a good, hard cry at the end. And then went back to the beginning to see how the story had started. I thought it was a well-crafted story about a very difficult situation. It is good for us to be reminded of how hard it is for people to be refugees. It should make us more empathetic.
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Emotional.
I think this is likely the most accurate because I was feeling so many different emotions at once. I also had a difficult time putting into words how I felt about this book and needed to sit with my thoughts for a day before I could really write down how this book made me feel.
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