Book Review: The Good Braider by Terry Farish

The Good Braider
by Terry Farish

Genre: YA Contemporary / Free-form Poetry

Ages: 17 and up

I received an advance e-copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Description:

 In spare free verse laced with unforgettable images, Viola s strikingly original voice sings out the story of her family s journey from war-torn Sudan, to Cairo, and finally to Portland, Maine Here, in the sometimes too close embrace of the local Southern Sudanese Community, she dreams of South Sudan while she tries to navigate the strange world of America a world where a girl can wear a short skirt, get a tattoo or even date a boy; a world that puts her into sharp conflict with her traditional mother who, like Viola, is struggling to braid together the strands of a displaced life.

Terry Farish s haunting novel is not only a riveting story of escape and survival, but the universal tale of a young immigrant's struggle to build a life on the cusp of two cultures.

My Thoughts:

I don't usually read books  written in free verse, but in this case it suits. The stark writing style only accentuated the emotions and brutality of the story. This is one of those books that leaves you kind of breathless at the end, as if you have witnessed something terrible and something beautiful. There are so many awful things that happen in this book, but there is also so much hope.


I loved Viola, who is so strong despite the horrors she has lived through. Her courage was my favorite part of the book. America is so alien to her and her family, but she is determined to learn the new rules and excel in her new life. She manages it much better than her mother does, which leads to possible the most painful part of the novel.

This book is beautifully written and utterly engrossing. Bittersweet and sad, it is sometimes difficult to read, but I couldn't stop.

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate it a  4.10 for two uses of the s-word.

Sexuality:
I give it a 6.10 for rape, which isn't graphically described but doesn't fade away.

Violence:
I rate it a 6.10 for rape and murder, nothing graphically described but still disturbing.

                                 Lieder Madchen