|
|
Sold Out
Book Categories |
After the murder of their mother, twelve-year-old Sade and her younger brother are smuggled out of Nigeria by their journalist father to escape the corrupt military government and growing violence. They are sent to their uncle in London, but when they arrive, he is missing and they are abandoned, passed between foster homes. Their father escapes to Engalnd to find them—but he will be sent back to Nigeria unless Sade can find a way to tell the world what happened to her family.
A Silver Medal winner of Engalnd's Smarties Book Prize, Beverly Naidoo's new novel explores the issues of family, exile, and freedom wtih eloquence and stunning realism.
Sade, the 12-year-old protagonist of Naidoo's sophisticated and emotional novel, must flee her native Nigeria with her younger brother after their mother is killed in a shooting. Their father, a muckraking journalist in trouble with the military government, was the target. Sade and 10-year-old Femi soon find themselves stranded in London, abandoned by the woman paid to smuggle them into the country, and at the mercy of mostly friendly, but foreign government agencies, foster families and teachers. Her father finally surfaces in England, only to be detained for illegally emigrating. Sade must learn quickly how to fight for what she holds dear, including her father's safety. The inclusion of real facts about African countries, such as the government's execution of Nigerian activist writer Ken Saro-Wiwa, makes Naidoo's story more poignant, while the immediacy of the parallel story, in which Sade must deal with similar obstacles on a smaller scale (e.g., powerful school gangs), makes the novel more accessible. Fashbacks, letters written between father and daughter, and Sade's constant memories of her mother's sayings, add texture. Readers may be challenged by some of the British English, but they will find it easy to understand Sade's joy at reuniting with her father in prison, and likely find her determination exhilarating. Ages 10-up. (Sept.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Shaheed Ebrahim
reviewed The Other Side of Truth on January 14, 2010
The Other Side of Truth
"Sade is slipping her English book into her schoolbag when Mama screams. Two sharp cracks splinter the air. She hears her father's fierce cry, rising, falling.
'No! No!'
The revving of a car engine and skidding of tires smother his voice.
...Papa is kneeling in the driveway, Mama partly curled up against him. One bare leg stretches out in front of her. His strong hands grip her, trying to halt the growing scarlet monster. But it has already spread down her bright white nurse's uniform. It stains the earth around them.
A few seconds, that is all. Later, it will always seem much longer."
Hmm. Can you say, intense opening?
My class this semester is focusing on young adult literature that deals with hardship, death, trauma, etc (we're reading at least four Holocaust books) and weren't exactly eased into this with The Other Side of Truth. It's narrated by 12-year-old Sade, who lives in Nigeria with her parents and younger brother. Her father is a journalist, one of the few who's willing to speak out against the corrupt government, and because of this two gunmen visit the family's home one morning. They try to shoot Sade's father, but hit and kill her mother instead. Dad decides it's high time to get the fuck outta Dodge, so he arranges for the kids to be smuggled out of the country and into London, where they'll stay with their uncle until their dad can join then.
Unfortunately, Sade and her brother Femi arrive in London, are left alone, and find out that their uncle is missing. Eventually they are placed in foster care and sent to school. This all has a happy ending, but things are pretty intense and depressing until then.
The writing is good (it should be, judging by how many awards this book has won) even if it gets repetitive after awhile. Sade has a habit of giving adults nicknames, like "Police Business Woman," "Video Man," and "Cool Gaze," which got old after the second time, and later on Naidoo is pretty determined to make us see that Sade's struggles against two bullies at her school are a parallel to the corrupt government in her home country - but these are all minor complaints. For the most part, it was a very sad but well-done story. Probably not for kids under 10, though, what with all the shooting and stuff.
Read for: Social Justice in Young Adult Literature
Login|Complaints|Blog|Games|Digital Media|Souls|Obituary|Contact Us|FAQ
CAN'T FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? CLICK HERE!!! X
You must be logged in to add to WishlistX
This item is in your Wish List
X
This item is in your Collection
The Other Side of Truth
X
This Item is in Your Inventory
The Other Side of Truth
X
You must be logged in to review the productsX
X
X
Add The Other Side of Truth, , The Other Side of Truth to the inventory that you are selling on WonderClubX
X
Add The Other Side of Truth, , The Other Side of Truth to your collection on WonderClub |
