April was a good reading month for me, but two books I want to highlight since I thought they were both amazing, each in their own way.
A ladder to the sky, John Boyne
In this book Maurice Swift is a young man and an aspiring author, He meets lonley old writer Erich and the older man falls in love with him. To keep Maurice close, he tells him the story of his childhood in nazi-Germany.
But Maurice is not a nice man and is willing to do everything he has to get to the top, to be a published and award-winning author as everybody who comes into contact with him will find out.
John Boyne is usually amazing. I loved most of his previous books, like The absolutist, The mutiny and most others. John Boyne writes very well, creates believable characters and knows how to tell a story.
A ladder to the sky is absolutely brilliant, I think. Because you know Maurice will not stop at anything and you want to warn the people around him, and you still hope perhaps he has some conscience?
The map of salt and stars, Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar
This is a very well written and moving story. Young Nour and her family left the US when Nour's father died, her mother wanted to be back home with her family in Syria. However, soon in Syria the civil war breaks out and Noiur and her family have to try to get to safety.
Nour sees things a young girl should not see (or anybody for that matter) and has to find her way. She has only the map her mother drew and the stories her father told her about the girl who travelled with the famous 11th century map-maker and who travelled around in the same area Nour now is.
This book is very moving and I could not put it down. I loved Nour and her voice is very authentic. I also liked the historical story with the myhtical oriental elements and also a very strong and likeable heroine.
At the same time this story does what a good story can do and that is to help you understand why people leave their homes when there is a war.
In this book Maurice Swift is a young man and an aspiring author, He meets lonley old writer Erich and the older man falls in love with him. To keep Maurice close, he tells him the story of his childhood in nazi-Germany.
But Maurice is not a nice man and is willing to do everything he has to get to the top, to be a published and award-winning author as everybody who comes into contact with him will find out.
John Boyne is usually amazing. I loved most of his previous books, like The absolutist, The mutiny and most others. John Boyne writes very well, creates believable characters and knows how to tell a story.
A ladder to the sky is absolutely brilliant, I think. Because you know Maurice will not stop at anything and you want to warn the people around him, and you still hope perhaps he has some conscience?
The map of salt and stars, Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar
Nour sees things a young girl should not see (or anybody for that matter) and has to find her way. She has only the map her mother drew and the stories her father told her about the girl who travelled with the famous 11th century map-maker and who travelled around in the same area Nour now is.
This book is very moving and I could not put it down. I loved Nour and her voice is very authentic. I also liked the historical story with the myhtical oriental elements and also a very strong and likeable heroine.
At the same time this story does what a good story can do and that is to help you understand why people leave their homes when there is a war.
The Map of Salt and Stars sounds like the kind of book I love to read. Here's hoping I can find a copy near me. :D
ReplyDeleteYes, that is a book I think you will love! So I hope you can get a copy.
DeleteKind regards,
My library actually has a copy of this one! yay. I'm so excited. :)
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