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What Tears Us Apart
Love lives in the most dangerous places of the heart
The real world. That's what Leda desperately seeks when she flees her life of privilege to travel to Kenya. She finds it at a boys'orphanage in the slums of Nairobi. What she doesn't expect is to fall for Ita, the charismatic and thoughtful man who gave up his dreams to offer children a haven in the midst of turmoil.
Their love should be enough for one another-it embodies the soul-deep connection both have always craved. But it is threatened by Ita's troubled childhood friend, Chege, a gang leader with whom he shares a complex history. As political unrest reaches a boiling point and the slum erupts in violence, Leda is attacked…and forced to put her trust in Chege, the one person who otherwise inspires anything but.
In the aftermath of Leda's rescue, disturbing secrets are exposed, and Leda, Ita and Chege are each left grappling with their own regret and confusion. Their worlds upturned, they must now face the reality that sometimes the most treacherous threat is not the world outside, but the demons within.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 26, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
February 9, 2022
What puts us back together...
This book is brilliant and heart wrenching. The plot, the characters, the setting are all alluring. The only thing I didn't enjoy and could have done without was all the back and forth. It was a bit much to be honest. I think I would have enjoyed this one in a linear layout better, but it's fantastic nonetheless.
Ita, Leda, and Chege all pull at your heart strings in different ways. This is not one I'll easily forget.
This book is brilliant and heart wrenching. The plot, the characters, the setting are all alluring. The only thing I didn't enjoy and could have done without was all the back and forth. It was a bit much to be honest. I think I would have enjoyed this one in a linear layout better, but it's fantastic nonetheless.
Ita, Leda, and Chege all pull at your heart strings in different ways. This is not one I'll easily forget.
October 1, 2013
In 2007, an unfair election in Kenya erupted into a crisis of epic proportions. Violence, protests and economic impacts spread throughout the country as supporters of the winner, Mwai Kabaki, a Kikuyu, were attacked for the injustice. Leda, who had been searching for a purpose in her life, never imagined that when she made the decision to volunteer at an orphanage in the Kibera slums, she’d get caught up not only in its creator, Ita, but in this very same crisis.
Leda’s never been a people person. She’s lived a life of privilege—meaning plenty of money—but she’s been saddled with a mother who doesn’t seem to care about her in the least.
Ita, however, is an angel among demons. He’s smart and determined, but he’s lived a life of sacrifice, of violence, and of doing whatever it takes to get by. And while Leda’s always been alone, he’s been surrounded by people who love him, who want nothing but the best for him. Who would, and have, done anything to ensure his survival in the world so that he could one day reach his full potential.
From the very first chapter, I knew I was going to both love and hate this book in equal measure. It was heartbreaking and tragic and real; everything a good book is supposed to be. I’ll admit that, at first, I was drawn in by the amazing cover, and I’m happy to report that what I found underneath it was everything I’d hoped it would be.
Told in alternating POV’s and timelines, the way this story unfolds isn’t what you might expect. But it worked for me. I enjoyed the anticipation of what was coming up next, of what I would discover—and from whom—during the next little bit. These characters were amazingly developed, and seemed to jump right off the pages and straight into my heart. Especially Ita, with his quiet sweetness and dedication. I absolutely loved him. Loved. And Ntimi with his childlike innocence and excitement. I wanted to put him in my pocket and bring him home to live with me forever. Even Chege, despite his obvious downfalls, in the end, I just felt sorry for him. For them all, really. This book was a perfect example of how sometimes good people do bad things because they really and truly feel like there is no other choice for them.
Don’t get me wrong, I gave this five stars because of how much it affected me, but it wasn’t perfect. There were things I didn’t like (mainly Leda’s behavior in a few spots), but what character doesn't have flaws? Overall, I felt like the point of this novel was that forgiveness is the biggest gift you can give anyone. To forgive is to be free. Nobody’s perfect, and you have to weigh out what’s more important: a person’s flaws or their goodness. I do wish there would have been an epilogue of some kind, so we could see into the future for these two and the boys, and even Kioni. It would have been a nice addition, but even without it, I was happy with the way this all came together and would recommend it to anyone who’s in the mood for something real and different than your typical romance novel fare.
April 23, 2013
"Sometimes we can't outrun the little monsters inside us that make us do bad things. We're all like that. Everyone has them."
Sweet Baby Jesus, this book broke my heart. I have never really reflected on the way life is in other countries, but listen when I tell you, this book WILL make you think twice before you take certain things for granted. The emotional depth in this is astounding & hits you in the gut. Leda was written as a real person, not someone with a flawless character. I found myself so upset/pissed off at her at one point until I had to remind myself that people do fuck up, that's the way it is. Everyone does something that their not proud of. I admire the fact that Ms. Cloyed has written a flawed woman and still made her likeable. What Tears Us Apart is a book that will stay in your thoughts long after the last page.
Sweet Baby Jesus, this book broke my heart. I have never really reflected on the way life is in other countries, but listen when I tell you, this book WILL make you think twice before you take certain things for granted. The emotional depth in this is astounding & hits you in the gut. Leda was written as a real person, not someone with a flawless character. I found myself so upset/pissed off at her at one point until I had to remind myself that people do fuck up, that's the way it is. Everyone does something that their not proud of. I admire the fact that Ms. Cloyed has written a flawed woman and still made her likeable. What Tears Us Apart is a book that will stay in your thoughts long after the last page.
October 19, 2015
It was the first Harlequin Book that we've read for the book club. It was easy to read and fun to discuss about. Great sex scenes as it is known by Harlequin books. Feels odd with a serious setting (Kenya elections 2007) for this love story that was a bit too unrealistic. Beach read :)
February 19, 2016
I'm so conflicted about what to rate this. Objectively, I don't think it was technically anything amazing, but its ability to stir up so many emotions in me, to make me think long and hard about who I am, the life I live, choices people are forced to make and the ones they hope they can live with, and so many other things. . .that has to be worth so much more, right?
This was definitely a tough book to get through, particularly the harsh subjects it covers, but it was so real. It will absolutely be one of those novels that sticks with me for a long time, probably forever. Full review soon, hopefully.
*Edited for full review on 02/19/2016.
My original review of this title can be found here on The Book Hookup.
**Disclaimer:** An eARC of these title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: Actual rating of 3.5 stars! Please note, this rating is subject to change because after a whole night of sitting on it and letting my thoughts run rampant, I'm still not sure if this couldn't be rated higher or lower. There were things about this novel that drove me crazy, namely the dual perspectives (with two other bonus narratives for one scene) and a bouncing timeline, but the grandest part of this book was its ability to make me feel and think, and I believe that is the most important accomplishment of any novel. If I were to rate with my mind, it probably would have been closer to a 3-star read, but if I rated with my heart, something usually rules me, it would probably be closer to 4.5 or 5 stars.
What Tears Us Apart is the ultimate story of forgiveness--from ourselves, other people, and possibly the brutality of a whole nation at the hands of its own citizens. It shows both the cruelest and kindest parts of humankind and how a person's situation can influence and propagate different character traits, define us as individuals through the age old study of nature vs. nurture and the moral code we're willing to ignore when faced with the will to survive.
**Trigger Warning:** While it doesn't go into too much graphic detail, the opening scene doesn't leave much to the imagination, nor is it glossed over. My heart literally felt lodged in my throat.
♥ The Lowdown: With the backdrop of the Kibera slums during Kenyan elections in 2007, we meet Leda as she is searching for fulfillment in life. When an internet search lands her as a volunteer in an African orphanage, thousands of miles and loads of cultural differences away from her rich life and lonely existence in California, she's surprised to find herself finally at home among these young boys and their caretaker, Ita, with their easy smiles and infectious ability to be happy despite the harsh life they live.
Leda and Ita both have their secret demons, but they find themselves naturally drawn to one another. Ita sees Leda as an angel, a sign of hope, but it's he that saves her in more ways than one. But love can't always win against the darkness, and with a country at war, what brought them together can easily tear them apart.
♥ Review: Honestly, I don't know how to write a review for this book. I keep thinking with time to let it digest, I can untangle all those loose threads of thought into some semblance of rational musings, but the more I try to do that, the more ensnared I become. And maybe that's the point? This book will pull you in a billion different directions. With a timeline that flashes from past to present and back again, also delivered in a dual third person narrative, you see both the good, bad, and in-between parts of these characters and the choices they've made, the consequences they're forced to live with, and you bounce between empathy and understanding and fury and being disgusted. This story truly tested my limits of compassion, I think. But beyond that, it made me reflect on my life quite possibly more than any other book I've read to date. You see the news, read articles, but reading and absorbing a story that really tethers you to a person, to a nation, really impacts you more than you think is possible. This novel is so thought-provoking and really makes you dig down into the deepest parts of yourself. It makes you question your life, how different that could be if you were born on the opposite of the world without the amenities so many of us are born with in the United States. More than that though, it makes you wonder if the core parts of who you are would be different--are you who you are because of the life you're living now or would you be that person regardless? Do we all have the potential to be more good or more evil, and do we cage or release those capabilities because of our circumstances? If faced with the possibility of survival or death, how close are we willing to straddle the line of some moral code if that means your life or someone else's? I'm starting to talk in circles, but that's because that's what this book does to you.
There are no two ways about it, What Tears Us Apart wrecked me emotionally. It twisted my heart and contorted my feelings, tugging and pulling them both in all different directions, until my chest physically ached. This is not one of those super happy love stories where the light of the couple fills you up completely, though there were absolutely those moments of pure bliss and ease that buoyed me in-between all those pages that shredded me from the inside out. Somehow Cloyed found a way to cover all its scathing edges with a brilliant spark--the orphaned boys, Ita's smile and gentle nature, the freeness with which he cared and loved any and all--that crawled inside my heart and blossomed there. This book was raw grit and ugliness that bash at a person's most delicate parts relentlessly, but it was also pure and good and offered those instances of redemption that I didn't think was possible. In fact, I found it so impractical that I literally gasped when the truth was revealed because I saw Chege through a tainted field of vision like I'm sure so many others would have.
This book was far from perfect and there are things I wish that would have been covered more, expanded upon, or completely eradicated because I didn't like the way it transformed the novel (though I can't break those down for spoiler reasons), but I can't deny the author's storytelling ability or the profound affect this novel had on me. Even though I cried and had to set this book down when instances became too tough to swallow, I always sought it back out because I wanted to see these characters triumph.
Admittedly, I would have loved an epilogue to see where the future landed this couple, the boys, and a few other characters, but overall I was satisfied with the ending.
♥ Teaser Quote:
♥ Rec it? Maybe? Again, I'm wavering. Undoubtedly, this won't be the type of love story that people will gravitate toward because of the harshness of the world surrounding it isn't an easy story to read. But it would be the kind that I would recommend and suffer through again if given the chance, I believe. I fell in love with the people of this book, cried for their situation and the awfulness that lurks in such dark times and places, and it will definitely be one of those stories that I carry with me forever.
♥ A very special thanks to Harlequin MIRA and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
This was definitely a tough book to get through, particularly the harsh subjects it covers, but it was so real. It will absolutely be one of those novels that sticks with me for a long time, probably forever. Full review soon, hopefully.
*Edited for full review on 02/19/2016.
My original review of this title can be found here on The Book Hookup.
**Disclaimer:** An eARC of these title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: Actual rating of 3.5 stars! Please note, this rating is subject to change because after a whole night of sitting on it and letting my thoughts run rampant, I'm still not sure if this couldn't be rated higher or lower. There were things about this novel that drove me crazy, namely the dual perspectives (with two other bonus narratives for one scene) and a bouncing timeline, but the grandest part of this book was its ability to make me feel and think, and I believe that is the most important accomplishment of any novel. If I were to rate with my mind, it probably would have been closer to a 3-star read, but if I rated with my heart, something usually rules me, it would probably be closer to 4.5 or 5 stars.
What Tears Us Apart is the ultimate story of forgiveness--from ourselves, other people, and possibly the brutality of a whole nation at the hands of its own citizens. It shows both the cruelest and kindest parts of humankind and how a person's situation can influence and propagate different character traits, define us as individuals through the age old study of nature vs. nurture and the moral code we're willing to ignore when faced with the will to survive.
**Trigger Warning:** While it doesn't go into too much graphic detail, the opening scene doesn't leave much to the imagination, nor is it glossed over. My heart literally felt lodged in my throat.
♥ The Lowdown: With the backdrop of the Kibera slums during Kenyan elections in 2007, we meet Leda as she is searching for fulfillment in life. When an internet search lands her as a volunteer in an African orphanage, thousands of miles and loads of cultural differences away from her rich life and lonely existence in California, she's surprised to find herself finally at home among these young boys and their caretaker, Ita, with their easy smiles and infectious ability to be happy despite the harsh life they live.
Leda and Ita both have their secret demons, but they find themselves naturally drawn to one another. Ita sees Leda as an angel, a sign of hope, but it's he that saves her in more ways than one. But love can't always win against the darkness, and with a country at war, what brought them together can easily tear them apart.
"The little monsters buried inside us. They're not you. They swallow your regrets and bad memories so you can sleep at night. But sometimes they get out, take over and do terrible things."
~quote taken from the eARC of What Tears Us Apart at 52%
♥ Review: Honestly, I don't know how to write a review for this book. I keep thinking with time to let it digest, I can untangle all those loose threads of thought into some semblance of rational musings, but the more I try to do that, the more ensnared I become. And maybe that's the point? This book will pull you in a billion different directions. With a timeline that flashes from past to present and back again, also delivered in a dual third person narrative, you see both the good, bad, and in-between parts of these characters and the choices they've made, the consequences they're forced to live with, and you bounce between empathy and understanding and fury and being disgusted. This story truly tested my limits of compassion, I think. But beyond that, it made me reflect on my life quite possibly more than any other book I've read to date. You see the news, read articles, but reading and absorbing a story that really tethers you to a person, to a nation, really impacts you more than you think is possible. This novel is so thought-provoking and really makes you dig down into the deepest parts of yourself. It makes you question your life, how different that could be if you were born on the opposite of the world without the amenities so many of us are born with in the United States. More than that though, it makes you wonder if the core parts of who you are would be different--are you who you are because of the life you're living now or would you be that person regardless? Do we all have the potential to be more good or more evil, and do we cage or release those capabilities because of our circumstances? If faced with the possibility of survival or death, how close are we willing to straddle the line of some moral code if that means your life or someone else's? I'm starting to talk in circles, but that's because that's what this book does to you.
There are no two ways about it, What Tears Us Apart wrecked me emotionally. It twisted my heart and contorted my feelings, tugging and pulling them both in all different directions, until my chest physically ached. This is not one of those super happy love stories where the light of the couple fills you up completely, though there were absolutely those moments of pure bliss and ease that buoyed me in-between all those pages that shredded me from the inside out. Somehow Cloyed found a way to cover all its scathing edges with a brilliant spark--the orphaned boys, Ita's smile and gentle nature, the freeness with which he cared and loved any and all--that crawled inside my heart and blossomed there. This book was raw grit and ugliness that bash at a person's most delicate parts relentlessly, but it was also pure and good and offered those instances of redemption that I didn't think was possible. In fact, I found it so impractical that I literally gasped when the truth was revealed because I saw Chege through a tainted field of vision like I'm sure so many others would have.
This book was far from perfect and there are things I wish that would have been covered more, expanded upon, or completely eradicated because I didn't like the way it transformed the novel (though I can't break those down for spoiler reasons), but I can't deny the author's storytelling ability or the profound affect this novel had on me. Even though I cried and had to set this book down when instances became too tough to swallow, I always sought it back out because I wanted to see these characters triumph.
Admittedly, I would have loved an epilogue to see where the future landed this couple, the boys, and a few other characters, but overall I was satisfied with the ending.
♥ Teaser Quote:
The protesters are out there.
Protesters. Ita thinks about the word. We have plenty to protest. But what he saw last night was murder. Rape. Betrayal. Mayhem. Men peeling off their humanity to let loose their darkest demons.
Before he is forced to picture Chege again, Ita thinks instead of all the children out there, in the front lines to violence. The rioters--they were innocents once. But after a lifetime of Kibera's picture show of injustice, they have all the emotional fuel they need now to set the world on fire.
~quote taken from the eARC of What Tears Us Apart at 31%
♥ Rec it? Maybe? Again, I'm wavering. Undoubtedly, this won't be the type of love story that people will gravitate toward because of the harshness of the world surrounding it isn't an easy story to read. But it would be the kind that I would recommend and suffer through again if given the chance, I believe. I fell in love with the people of this book, cried for their situation and the awfulness that lurks in such dark times and places, and it will definitely be one of those stories that I carry with me forever.
♥ A very special thanks to Harlequin MIRA and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
May 7, 2013
Leda lives a life of privilege in California. She doesn’t need to work, but she chooses to. She goes through a number of jobs, nothing fitting before she decides that she needs to stop taking positions of paid employment from those who need it. Instead she looks at volunteer positions and finds herself enraptured by the website of an orphanage in Kenya, in particular the wide smile of the man who runs it.
It isn’t long before she is in Nairobi and getting to know the young boys there. She doesn’t expect to come to love it so much, or to fall so completely for Ita, the charming and intelligent man who runs the orphanage, all the while trying to become a doctor. Ita returns Leda’s feelings and the two begin to embark on a journey of happiness, content in the present. They do not know what the future will hold – it seems impossible for Leda to stay in Nairobi forever. The elections are looming and the local political situation is becoming more and more volatile.
Their budding relationship is threatened by Chege, a gang leader with whom Ita shares a brotherhood of history. Chege saved Ita’s life many years ago and for a while the two of them lived and fought to survive together. Although their lives are very different now, Ita is aware that he owes Chege. Leda is very uneasy around him though and finds his jibes and taunts very unsettling.
When the slum erupts in violence and Leda is brutally attacked, can she put her trust in Chege or is he nothing better than those he is rescuing her from? After the event, Leda, Chege and Ita all feel a crippling guilt connected to what happened as the various versions align to form the truth. Is there any chance at happiness left for Leda now or will her self-destructive tendencies destroy something else?
What Tears Us Apart is set in late 2007 in Kenya, around the time of an election that led to a rorted, fixed ending and rioting, looting, burning, raping and worse as angry citizens supporting both parties rared up and attacked each other. Leda is a Westerner caught up in all of this. She’s in the country to volunteer at an orphanage – she’s very wealthy and she feels the need to do some good somewhere. I have very mixed feelings about this book.
I’ll start with what I liked, which was the setting. I love books set in Africa, especially ones that do their best to portray places in all their glory and shadow. The slum of Kibera houses so many people but is without stable electricity, running water or proper sewage. It’s hot, it’s dusty, it’s overcrowded and it stinks. But Leda finds a charm in the orphanage and the man who runs it and she begins to bond with the boys as well. She becomes familiar with places within the slum and begins to realise that even here, with no proper toilet or shower, with no make up or pretty clothes, she is happy. Although I’m not entirely sure what Leda’s role was as a volunteer, because she doesn’t seem to do anything except occasionally pitch in with a few cleaning chores, it’s clear she comes to care for the occupants and she wants to use her money to help them in various ways.
However there’s little doubt that Leda does, on occasion, act very stupidly in Kenya.
Leda is flawed in ways that don’t become apparent until quite late in the novel. Her childhood was less than ideal, so far short of what is ideal actually, although this is dribbled out quite slowly until the full horror isn’t revealed until close to the end of the book. She’s a restless character, her inability to stick at a job seems to play into that as does her seeming inability to deal with authority. She acts rashly, on impulse – she darts out into the middle of a riot in the slum and of course ends up in an utterly dangerous and seemingly hopeless situation. She is seemingly rescued from this situation by Chege, Ita’s friend who has unsettled her at each meeting but she believes that it’s more a case out of out of the frying pan and into the fire. However the end of the book and Chege’s fate in particular completely negates the way in which he was written for the rest of it – I’m not sure if this is a clunky attempt at redemption that didn’t work (for me) or Leda’s inability to judge his character. I found her actions rather appalling though and it made me lose respect for her.
I’m not one to quibble about contraceptive mentions in romance novels generally but I’m rather disturbed by the unprotected sex, for many reasons. Leda is in Kenya only a short amount of time – about three weeks. She knows relatively little about Ita and yes they have this grand passion and are falling in love but it seems dangerous and irresponsible. Especially given the reveal at the end of the book when Leda’s actions are thrown into a whole new light. About four per cent of the population in Kenya has AIDS (including many living in Kibera) and given Ita wants to study to be a doctor (and has studied in the past, part of a degree before his benefactor could no longer support him) I would’ve thought he’d be proactive in putting into practice the very things that help prevent this spread, no matter who he is sleeping with. Leda knows very little about Ita’s past and it seems equally strange and irresponsible on her behalf as well.
This book did have some high points but ultimately I couldn’t relate to, or warm to Leda and as the book went on further, I disliked her more. I found her actions selfish and destructive and probably not worthy of a man like Ita. The conflict with Chege turned out to be disappointing and unsatisfactory as well.
It isn’t long before she is in Nairobi and getting to know the young boys there. She doesn’t expect to come to love it so much, or to fall so completely for Ita, the charming and intelligent man who runs the orphanage, all the while trying to become a doctor. Ita returns Leda’s feelings and the two begin to embark on a journey of happiness, content in the present. They do not know what the future will hold – it seems impossible for Leda to stay in Nairobi forever. The elections are looming and the local political situation is becoming more and more volatile.
Their budding relationship is threatened by Chege, a gang leader with whom Ita shares a brotherhood of history. Chege saved Ita’s life many years ago and for a while the two of them lived and fought to survive together. Although their lives are very different now, Ita is aware that he owes Chege. Leda is very uneasy around him though and finds his jibes and taunts very unsettling.
When the slum erupts in violence and Leda is brutally attacked, can she put her trust in Chege or is he nothing better than those he is rescuing her from? After the event, Leda, Chege and Ita all feel a crippling guilt connected to what happened as the various versions align to form the truth. Is there any chance at happiness left for Leda now or will her self-destructive tendencies destroy something else?
What Tears Us Apart is set in late 2007 in Kenya, around the time of an election that led to a rorted, fixed ending and rioting, looting, burning, raping and worse as angry citizens supporting both parties rared up and attacked each other. Leda is a Westerner caught up in all of this. She’s in the country to volunteer at an orphanage – she’s very wealthy and she feels the need to do some good somewhere. I have very mixed feelings about this book.
I’ll start with what I liked, which was the setting. I love books set in Africa, especially ones that do their best to portray places in all their glory and shadow. The slum of Kibera houses so many people but is without stable electricity, running water or proper sewage. It’s hot, it’s dusty, it’s overcrowded and it stinks. But Leda finds a charm in the orphanage and the man who runs it and she begins to bond with the boys as well. She becomes familiar with places within the slum and begins to realise that even here, with no proper toilet or shower, with no make up or pretty clothes, she is happy. Although I’m not entirely sure what Leda’s role was as a volunteer, because she doesn’t seem to do anything except occasionally pitch in with a few cleaning chores, it’s clear she comes to care for the occupants and she wants to use her money to help them in various ways.
However there’s little doubt that Leda does, on occasion, act very stupidly in Kenya.
Leda is flawed in ways that don’t become apparent until quite late in the novel. Her childhood was less than ideal, so far short of what is ideal actually, although this is dribbled out quite slowly until the full horror isn’t revealed until close to the end of the book. She’s a restless character, her inability to stick at a job seems to play into that as does her seeming inability to deal with authority. She acts rashly, on impulse – she darts out into the middle of a riot in the slum and of course ends up in an utterly dangerous and seemingly hopeless situation. She is seemingly rescued from this situation by Chege, Ita’s friend who has unsettled her at each meeting but she believes that it’s more a case out of out of the frying pan and into the fire. However the end of the book and Chege’s fate in particular completely negates the way in which he was written for the rest of it – I’m not sure if this is a clunky attempt at redemption that didn’t work (for me) or Leda’s inability to judge his character. I found her actions rather appalling though and it made me lose respect for her.
I’m not one to quibble about contraceptive mentions in romance novels generally but I’m rather disturbed by the unprotected sex, for many reasons. Leda is in Kenya only a short amount of time – about three weeks. She knows relatively little about Ita and yes they have this grand passion and are falling in love but it seems dangerous and irresponsible. Especially given the reveal at the end of the book when Leda’s actions are thrown into a whole new light. About four per cent of the population in Kenya has AIDS (including many living in Kibera) and given Ita wants to study to be a doctor (and has studied in the past, part of a degree before his benefactor could no longer support him) I would’ve thought he’d be proactive in putting into practice the very things that help prevent this spread, no matter who he is sleeping with. Leda knows very little about Ita’s past and it seems equally strange and irresponsible on her behalf as well.
This book did have some high points but ultimately I couldn’t relate to, or warm to Leda and as the book went on further, I disliked her more. I found her actions selfish and destructive and probably not worthy of a man like Ita. The conflict with Chege turned out to be disappointing and unsatisfactory as well.
August 20, 2013
Sometimes I really hate myself for bypassing books that have been in Mount TBR for some time. What Tears Us Apart is one of these. When I received it (thank you Polina at Harlequin, who definitely knows my reading tastes better than I do), I thought it was going to be quite sad and political so I didn’t read it right away. Well, this book does have sad moments, and there are some politics (although much less than the lead up to the Australian election) but it’s sweet with the power of human spirit too.
Don’t be put off by the cover – yes, there is the very odd gun, but it’s not about child armies. Let me explain. Leda is a rich young lady without a purpose. She’s got numerous degrees and tried several careers but just can’t get into anything. Nothing spikes her passion. She doesn’t need to work, but she does need a sense of purpose. She decides to volunteer to work in an orphanage in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya to try to give back. When Leda arrives, she realises she’s enters a world nothing like anything she’s ever experienced. Life here is about bare basics – little or no electricity, no beds and an uncertain future. Leda is captivated by the positivity of Ita, the young man who gave up medical school to run the orphanage. But Leda is also disturbed by the visits of Ita’s childhood friend, Chege. Chege is involved in crime and certainly has nothing in common with Ita – so why does Ita tolerate his visits?
The book is told from multiple points in time – from Leda going to the orphanage and again after she leaves amid rioting after Kenya’s elections. It is also told from Leda and Ita’s points of view, with a couple of other characters thrown in. I’d suggest you watch the dates and character at the start of each section to help put the story in order in your mind. It’s not confusing, but it just helps to get the timeline straight – important for the misunderstanding between Ita and Leda. The alternating times also helped me appreciate the growing relationship between the pair and also how things because so muddled between them.
Although there is a relationship between Leda and Ita, it doesn’t take over the narrative (I believe you could put this novel under ‘romantic elements’). Much of the story focuses on the way the people live in the slums and how it’s such an eye-opener to Leda. I’m not sure if it’s because of Leda’s background (quite privileged money-wise, but devoid emotionally) that she’s so surprised or because she’s seeing the poverty through her own eyes. Why Leda believes herself damaged and unlovable is not explained fully until the end of the book – I think this could have been brought forward a bit more and fleshed out because I had the completely wrong idea. I think I would have felt more sympathetic towards her if I’d known more about her own family. Plus I’m not sure why there was a scene that she kissed Chege (despite being in love with Ita) – is it to redeem Chege in the reader’s eyes? Does it reflect back on Leda history, never sticking to a career or job? It just didn’t work for me. And the pregnancy? I see the symbolism (new life, new beginnings) – but Leda should know no glove, no love! Anyway, this is fiction so we’ll assume it was all okay.
Cloyed does an excellent job of describing the political unrest of 2007 and the violence that occurred – it’s quite sickening at times. I quite liked Chege as a character – he’s not an angel, but he brought a spark of naughtiness to the novel that Ita (bless him, he’s so sweet and thoughtful) just couldn’t match. Perhaps this is where the kiss with Leda helps to cement him as a bad boy with a good heart.
I really did enjoy the setting – Kenya is not a country I know a great deal about beyond the news reports, and I love to learn things through reading. The insight into the 2007 elections is definitely worth reading and for that Cloyed should be commended.
Thank you to Harlequin Australia for the copy of this book.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Don’t be put off by the cover – yes, there is the very odd gun, but it’s not about child armies. Let me explain. Leda is a rich young lady without a purpose. She’s got numerous degrees and tried several careers but just can’t get into anything. Nothing spikes her passion. She doesn’t need to work, but she does need a sense of purpose. She decides to volunteer to work in an orphanage in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya to try to give back. When Leda arrives, she realises she’s enters a world nothing like anything she’s ever experienced. Life here is about bare basics – little or no electricity, no beds and an uncertain future. Leda is captivated by the positivity of Ita, the young man who gave up medical school to run the orphanage. But Leda is also disturbed by the visits of Ita’s childhood friend, Chege. Chege is involved in crime and certainly has nothing in common with Ita – so why does Ita tolerate his visits?
The book is told from multiple points in time – from Leda going to the orphanage and again after she leaves amid rioting after Kenya’s elections. It is also told from Leda and Ita’s points of view, with a couple of other characters thrown in. I’d suggest you watch the dates and character at the start of each section to help put the story in order in your mind. It’s not confusing, but it just helps to get the timeline straight – important for the misunderstanding between Ita and Leda. The alternating times also helped me appreciate the growing relationship between the pair and also how things because so muddled between them.
Although there is a relationship between Leda and Ita, it doesn’t take over the narrative (I believe you could put this novel under ‘romantic elements’). Much of the story focuses on the way the people live in the slums and how it’s such an eye-opener to Leda. I’m not sure if it’s because of Leda’s background (quite privileged money-wise, but devoid emotionally) that she’s so surprised or because she’s seeing the poverty through her own eyes. Why Leda believes herself damaged and unlovable is not explained fully until the end of the book – I think this could have been brought forward a bit more and fleshed out because I had the completely wrong idea. I think I would have felt more sympathetic towards her if I’d known more about her own family. Plus I’m not sure why there was a scene that she kissed Chege (despite being in love with Ita) – is it to redeem Chege in the reader’s eyes? Does it reflect back on Leda history, never sticking to a career or job? It just didn’t work for me. And the pregnancy? I see the symbolism (new life, new beginnings) – but Leda should know no glove, no love! Anyway, this is fiction so we’ll assume it was all okay.
Cloyed does an excellent job of describing the political unrest of 2007 and the violence that occurred – it’s quite sickening at times. I quite liked Chege as a character – he’s not an angel, but he brought a spark of naughtiness to the novel that Ita (bless him, he’s so sweet and thoughtful) just couldn’t match. Perhaps this is where the kiss with Leda helps to cement him as a bad boy with a good heart.
I really did enjoy the setting – Kenya is not a country I know a great deal about beyond the news reports, and I love to learn things through reading. The insight into the 2007 elections is definitely worth reading and for that Cloyed should be commended.
Thank you to Harlequin Australia for the copy of this book.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
May 29, 2013
An emotionally charged love story! Does love come upon by chance or is it destiny?
This is one of the most in-depth and intriguing stories I have read in a long while. Upon the opening chapters of the book the main character Leda has just quit her job as a cook and is now looking for something more fulfilling in her life. Now in her late 20′s Leda is the only child of Estella who neglected her daughter as a child and is now a bitter, condescending and unsupportive mother.
Leda is a lonely lady, she doesn’t have any friends or family and is living in the mountains of California in a beautiful home. The prospect of going back to school is not of interest to Leda and since she has the privilege of wealth she decides on a whim to do some volunteer work. Upon searching the internet her destiny pulls her to the Kibera slums of Nairobi where she applies for the position of assistant at the Triumph orphanage. This orphanage is run by Ita with funds from his guided safari tours. Ita is a man with a warm and gentle smile and Leda instantly feels an attraction toward him. So when offered the position it doesn’t take long for Leda to place all her conveniences aside and travel to Kibera.
This time span of this story is 2.5 months from the time Leda leaves California until the end of the book. The style of writing flows back and forth in time and from the different views of the characters like a film. It doesn’t take long for the political repression of 2007 to uproot the town and little orphanage leaving Leda and Ita completely torn.
What happens when Leda arrives in Kibera takes the reader on an emotional ride. I found myself taking on the role of Leda at first physically as I pull my suitcase, feeling the dirt and sewage underneath my feet, the smell of rot and decay of garbage. Emotionally as Leda reflects on the situations and lives of those in the slum. When she falls in love with the children at the orphanage, her relationship with Ita with other characters. The fear and terror every time she encounters Ita’s friend and rival Chege. Her emotionally repressive feelings and memories of the relationship with her mother.
What Tears Us Apart of is a passionate and very thought-provoking story. I found myself comparing my life to the life of living in a slum with garbage and sewage lingering outside a shabby shack. A life so vulnerable, dehumanizing and frightening. A little part of me tries to compensate by thinking when one knows nothing else would one really feel this life was so wrong. There are many lessons and symbolism presented throughout this story. However in the end, this is a love story and the main aspect granted is that even through tragedy, war and strife, true love is not by chance, but by destiny.
This is one of the most in-depth and intriguing stories I have read in a long while. Upon the opening chapters of the book the main character Leda has just quit her job as a cook and is now looking for something more fulfilling in her life. Now in her late 20′s Leda is the only child of Estella who neglected her daughter as a child and is now a bitter, condescending and unsupportive mother.
Leda is a lonely lady, she doesn’t have any friends or family and is living in the mountains of California in a beautiful home. The prospect of going back to school is not of interest to Leda and since she has the privilege of wealth she decides on a whim to do some volunteer work. Upon searching the internet her destiny pulls her to the Kibera slums of Nairobi where she applies for the position of assistant at the Triumph orphanage. This orphanage is run by Ita with funds from his guided safari tours. Ita is a man with a warm and gentle smile and Leda instantly feels an attraction toward him. So when offered the position it doesn’t take long for Leda to place all her conveniences aside and travel to Kibera.
This time span of this story is 2.5 months from the time Leda leaves California until the end of the book. The style of writing flows back and forth in time and from the different views of the characters like a film. It doesn’t take long for the political repression of 2007 to uproot the town and little orphanage leaving Leda and Ita completely torn.
What happens when Leda arrives in Kibera takes the reader on an emotional ride. I found myself taking on the role of Leda at first physically as I pull my suitcase, feeling the dirt and sewage underneath my feet, the smell of rot and decay of garbage. Emotionally as Leda reflects on the situations and lives of those in the slum. When she falls in love with the children at the orphanage, her relationship with Ita with other characters. The fear and terror every time she encounters Ita’s friend and rival Chege. Her emotionally repressive feelings and memories of the relationship with her mother.
What Tears Us Apart of is a passionate and very thought-provoking story. I found myself comparing my life to the life of living in a slum with garbage and sewage lingering outside a shabby shack. A life so vulnerable, dehumanizing and frightening. A little part of me tries to compensate by thinking when one knows nothing else would one really feel this life was so wrong. There are many lessons and symbolism presented throughout this story. However in the end, this is a love story and the main aspect granted is that even through tragedy, war and strife, true love is not by chance, but by destiny.
February 17, 2014
This book was.....wow
I thought it was just like your normal teenage-romance-book, just with an exotic setting, but then it was so different and so much more
It is about Leda, a rich young woman with a not-so-nice-childhood and no real goal , Job or purpose in life. So she decides to go to a Kenyan Slum as a volunteer, helping at an orphanage.
There she meets Ita, whom she instantly feels a connection to. He´s the person with the best and kindest character on earth.
But then there is Chege - Ita´s criminal childhood friend, poverty, the upcoming elections that could lead to riots all over the country and also her mom at home....
So......
The book is a lovestory, but it does not focus soly on the relationship of Ita and Leda, and it is also not as "teenie" as some other books of that type are.
It also has a good story; it goes on and developes troughout the book and you never feel like "I´ve read that before" or "ok, here we go again"...
And because of the Kenya-setting, you also learn a lot of new things (at least I did) that I never knew or thought about before. It opens your eyes and makes you think about your life in the western world...
The characters:
Leda is a character you can easily identify with but she also has some sides that you maybe don´t like from the beginning. (by the way: HATE her mother!!)
Ita is just lovely.
And then there is Chege.... he´s Ita´s friend since childhood, but now Ita leads a good life, caring for children at an orphanage and wanting to become a doctor, whereas Chege is the member of a gang, a murderer, thief and rapist. I really did not like him at all but then..... OMG !!! (But I wont tell you here! ;) )
The structure:
The chapters´ headlines are always dates; and the book jumps back and forth between them. so you´ve got the main story (2007) but also whats happening right now (2008) and also flashbacks to events in the past concering Leda or Ita , going back to the 1990s.....
That makes it somewhat comfusing to read at first, but once you get into the story, there no longer is a problem!
warning!!:
This book contains some topics that are maybe nothing for the faint heart. Right in the beginning, it starts with a really shocking event! So be aware of that.
But, if you don´t mind that, then you get to know about reality in some part of Kenya that you maybe wouldn´t have known about otherwise!
to sum it up:
it is a wonderful, but not over- the- top, in-your-face lovestory that will warm your heart, but is also a book that talks about some very hard/harsh things.
Still, for everyone who would like to read something a bit "different", and who maybe also likes Africa & its people, this is your book.
I thought it was just like your normal teenage-romance-book, just with an exotic setting, but then it was so different and so much more
It is about Leda, a rich young woman with a not-so-nice-childhood and no real goal , Job or purpose in life. So she decides to go to a Kenyan Slum as a volunteer, helping at an orphanage.
There she meets Ita, whom she instantly feels a connection to. He´s the person with the best and kindest character on earth.
But then there is Chege - Ita´s criminal childhood friend, poverty, the upcoming elections that could lead to riots all over the country and also her mom at home....
So......
The book is a lovestory, but it does not focus soly on the relationship of Ita and Leda, and it is also not as "teenie" as some other books of that type are.
It also has a good story; it goes on and developes troughout the book and you never feel like "I´ve read that before" or "ok, here we go again"...
And because of the Kenya-setting, you also learn a lot of new things (at least I did) that I never knew or thought about before. It opens your eyes and makes you think about your life in the western world...
The characters:
Leda is a character you can easily identify with but she also has some sides that you maybe don´t like from the beginning. (by the way: HATE her mother!!)
Ita is just lovely.
And then there is Chege.... he´s Ita´s friend since childhood, but now Ita leads a good life, caring for children at an orphanage and wanting to become a doctor, whereas Chege is the member of a gang, a murderer, thief and rapist. I really did not like him at all but then..... OMG !!! (But I wont tell you here! ;) )
The structure:
The chapters´ headlines are always dates; and the book jumps back and forth between them. so you´ve got the main story (2007) but also whats happening right now (2008) and also flashbacks to events in the past concering Leda or Ita , going back to the 1990s.....
That makes it somewhat comfusing to read at first, but once you get into the story, there no longer is a problem!
warning!!:
This book contains some topics that are maybe nothing for the faint heart. Right in the beginning, it starts with a really shocking event! So be aware of that.
But, if you don´t mind that, then you get to know about reality in some part of Kenya that you maybe wouldn´t have known about otherwise!
to sum it up:
it is a wonderful, but not over- the- top, in-your-face lovestory that will warm your heart, but is also a book that talks about some very hard/harsh things.
Still, for everyone who would like to read something a bit "different", and who maybe also likes Africa & its people, this is your book.
April 13, 2013
Leda hates the thought of returning to school. She does a Google search and finds a job titled Triumph Orphanage. The orphanage is located in Africa. Leda accepts the position. She gets an added bonus when she meets the man running the orphanage named Ita. Leda falls for Ita. However getting close to Ita means getting close to his friend, Chege.
I have never read anything by Deborah Cloyed. So this book is my first introduction to her work. I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the story and the lay of the land. I could picture the war torn area country of Kenya. However I was not feeling the relationship between Leda and Ita. Not so much anyways. Not a good thing when you are half way through the book wondering about their relationship and when it is really going to pick up and this was part of the main focus of the story. Correction, I did not feel the relationship so much during the first half of the book.
I can understand having your best friend’s back but not when that friend just bring trouble upon themselves and involving you. This is where I could not grasp the strong bond between Ita and Chege. Chege was mean. Beware as there is a rape scene involving Leda. It is a quick scene but still gruesome. Chege did turn out to be a pretty good guy in the end.
One thing that did drive me crazy about this book was the back and forth. The time change from past ad present was not as smooth as I would have liked it. I would just be getting into what was happening in the present/past and then it was switch for about a page or two and then switches again.
I have never read anything by Deborah Cloyed. So this book is my first introduction to her work. I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the story and the lay of the land. I could picture the war torn area country of Kenya. However I was not feeling the relationship between Leda and Ita. Not so much anyways. Not a good thing when you are half way through the book wondering about their relationship and when it is really going to pick up and this was part of the main focus of the story. Correction, I did not feel the relationship so much during the first half of the book.
I can understand having your best friend’s back but not when that friend just bring trouble upon themselves and involving you. This is where I could not grasp the strong bond between Ita and Chege. Chege was mean. Beware as there is a rape scene involving Leda. It is a quick scene but still gruesome. Chege did turn out to be a pretty good guy in the end.
One thing that did drive me crazy about this book was the back and forth. The time change from past ad present was not as smooth as I would have liked it. I would just be getting into what was happening in the present/past and then it was switch for about a page or two and then switches again.
April 4, 2013
I picked this book up after an afternoon of browsing in a local bookstore. The setting is Kenya in the year 2007, on the eve of a historic political election. The main character, Leda, is a wealthy, 20 something American who is looking for direction in her life after several failed attempts to find her true calling. She decides to journey to Kenya and volunteer at an orphanage. Once there, she realizes that she is definitely out of her element, but drawn to the people she has met, including the handsome and charismatic, Ita. Ita started the orphanage and keeps it going through donations and earnings he makes as a Safari leader. While Ita and Leda become more involved with one another, Leda finds herself confused by the ties Ita has with his friend, Chege. Chege is just as charismatic as Ita, but has chosen a different path, one filed with violence and depravity. The history between the two men links their lives until one night when all of Kenya explodes in a storm of terror and tragedy.
June 30, 2013
I received this book a few months ago from the author because I had read and reviewed her first book. To be honest, I had a really hard time picking it up and reading it due to the heavy subject matter--including a gang assault of the lead character in the first few pages of the prologue. Once I finally did start reading, I had a hard time putting it down. At times tough to read--it is set in the slums of Kenya during the 2007 elections, a time that dissolves into political unrest and riots. Leda, a privileged American travels to Kenya to help at an orphanage, falling for Ita, who runs it. it's not an easy love story due to the grim outside reality and inner demons that keep intruding. A book that draws the reader in and provides much food for thought.
A more complete review is coming next week on my blog.
***Update****
Here is the link to my full review and a recipe/dish inspired by the book:
http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
A more complete review is coming next week on my blog.
***Update****
Here is the link to my full review and a recipe/dish inspired by the book:
http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
June 5, 2013
I received a copy of What Tears Us Apart by Deborah Cloyed in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the synopsis for this book, I thought whoa. Deep subjects and plenty of food for thought with this story. I was able to get into the reading and start to connect with the characters, but at times it was almost a bit too heavy for me. I will say that this book will give you a lot to talk about though, which I think is great. I brought up some discussion points with my fiancé and friends, and I always think that is important in a book. I saw one reviewer describe this novel as “ambitious” and do I agree with that term. A lot of research and heart went into the writing of What Tears Us Apart, and while not totally my style of reading, still a good book.
**3.5 stars**
When I read the synopsis for this book, I thought whoa. Deep subjects and plenty of food for thought with this story. I was able to get into the reading and start to connect with the characters, but at times it was almost a bit too heavy for me. I will say that this book will give you a lot to talk about though, which I think is great. I brought up some discussion points with my fiancé and friends, and I always think that is important in a book. I saw one reviewer describe this novel as “ambitious” and do I agree with that term. A lot of research and heart went into the writing of What Tears Us Apart, and while not totally my style of reading, still a good book.
**3.5 stars**
January 14, 2015
I don't usually read romance novels and when a novel hits the mills and boon type romance I've completely exceeded my limit. This is low on the mills and boon romance scale. So this novel gets 2 stars for it's setting - Kenya and one star for the story cliches included.
I was attracted to the book for its location I'm a bit over reading books set in the UK or the US.
The writing at times was very rich, descriptive and colourful but for the most part fell short of truly transporting you into the characters world. I think the jumping around of narrators and tenses took away the powerfulness of the characters story. I think this had all the makings of a great novel but it didn't get there for me.
I was attracted to the book for its location I'm a bit over reading books set in the UK or the US.
The writing at times was very rich, descriptive and colourful but for the most part fell short of truly transporting you into the characters world. I think the jumping around of narrators and tenses took away the powerfulness of the characters story. I think this had all the makings of a great novel but it didn't get there for me.
May 9, 2013
The story in this book is compelling and gripping. Leda wants to find out what the real world is about. She leaves her privileged way of life, and travels to an orphanage in the slums on Nairobi. She has an instant connection to the man who runs the orphanage, Ita. He is a very thoughtful person and gave up his dreams to help the children. There is political unrest, and a complex history between Ita and his childhood friend, Chege, who is a gang leader. It is a story of connection between two people who live in different worlds and also the story of a soul deep connection between Ita and Chege. Leda, Ita, and Chege must figure out the reality of their worlds and face the demons within.
September 19, 2013
Wow. WOW. That's honestly my main reaction after finishing this novel. I can say, without a doubt, that "What Tears Us Apart" is one of the best books I have read all year--maybe ever. This story is so beautifully written and filled with emotion. My heart was filled with "warm fuzzies" that turned to sorrow for the characters, and then went right back to love for the story. It was beautiful, and I can't wait to read more from Deborah. I could very easily pick this book up again right now and read it over. Thank you for such a stunning novel!
August 13, 2013
I received this book as the result of a GoodReads contest.
This book started with a gasp! And kept me turning the pages. The memorable storyline is impressive. I wouldn't be surprised to see this author on the best seller list in the future.
I enjoyed the book so much I carried it to summer festivals in hopes of having a few minutes to read. The author is clearly knowledgeable about the setting (both the physical setting and the culture). It is a great read and a book I plan to recommend to my book club!
I rate this book a 5 out of 5.
This book started with a gasp! And kept me turning the pages. The memorable storyline is impressive. I wouldn't be surprised to see this author on the best seller list in the future.
I enjoyed the book so much I carried it to summer festivals in hopes of having a few minutes to read. The author is clearly knowledgeable about the setting (both the physical setting and the culture). It is a great read and a book I plan to recommend to my book club!
I rate this book a 5 out of 5.
February 26, 2016
I don't know just how to explain my feelings upon finishing this book. Satisfied. There were so many things going on with the characters and so many subplots that I actually cared about (Jomo, for one) and I was impressed with the author's ability to tie things together without it feeling forced. I had so many full emotions while reading this that I don't know if I could put myself through it again, but it was definitely an experience that I won't forget.
March 2, 2013
Review coming soon
February 19, 2016
The original review of this title can be found
here
on The Book Hookup.
**Disclaimer:** An eARC of these title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: Actual rating of 3.5 stars! Please note, this rating is subject to change because after a whole night of sitting on it and letting my thoughts run rampant, I'm still not sure if this couldn't be rated higher or lower. There were things about this novel that drove me crazy, namely the dual perspectives (with two other bonus narratives for one scene) and a bouncing timeline, but the grandest part of this book was its ability to make me feel and think, and I believe that is the most important accomplishment of any novel. If I were to rate with my mind, it probably would have been closer to a 3-star read, but if I rated with my heart, something usually rules me, it would probably be closer to 4.5 or 5 stars.
What Tears Us Apart is the ultimate story of forgiveness--from ourselves, other people, and possibly the brutality of a whole nation at the hands of its own citizens. It shows both the cruelest and kindest parts of humankind and how a person's situation can influence and propagate different character traits, define us as individuals through the age old study of nature vs. nurture and the moral code we're willing to ignore when faced with the will to survive.
**Trigger Warning:** While it doesn't go into too much graphic detail, the opening scene doesn't leave much to the imagination, nor is it glossed over. My heart literally felt lodged in my throat.
♥ The Lowdown: With the backdrop of the Kibera slums during Kenyan elections in 2007, we meet Leda as she is searching for fulfillment in life. When an internet search lands her as a volunteer in an African orphanage, thousands of miles and loads of cultural differences away from her rich life and lonely existence in California, she's surprised to find herself finally at home among these young boys and their caretaker, Ita, with their easy smiles and infectious ability to be happy despite the harsh life they live.
Leda and Ita both have their secret demons, but they find themselves naturally drawn to one another. Ita sees Leda as an angel, a sign of hope, but it's he that saves her in more ways than one. But love can't always win against the darkness, and with a country at war, what brought them together can easily tear them apart.
♥ Review: Honestly, I don't know how to write a review for this book. I keep thinking with time to let it digest, I can untangle all those loose threads of thought into some semblance of rational musings, but the more I try to do that, the more ensnared I become. And maybe that's the point? This book will pull you in a billion different directions. With a timeline that flashes from past to present and back again, also delivered in a dual third person narrative, you see both the good, bad, and in-between parts of these characters and the choices they've made, the consequences they're forced to live with, and you bounce between empathy and understanding and fury and being disgusted. This story truly tested my limits of compassion, I think. But beyond that, it made me reflect on my life quite possibly more than any other book I've read to date. You see the news, read articles, but reading and absorbing a story that really tethers you to a person, to a nation, really impacts you more than you think is possible. This novel is so thought-provoking and really makes you dig down into the deepest parts of yourself. It makes you question your life, how different that could be if you were born on the opposite of the world without the amenities so many of us are born with in the United States. More than that though, it makes you wonder if the core parts of who you are would be different--are you who you are because of the life you're living now or would you be that person regardless? Do we all have the potential to be more good or more evil, and do we cage or release those capabilities because of our circumstances? If faced with the possibility of survival or death, how close are we willing to straddle the line of some moral code if that means your life or someone else's? I'm starting to talk in circles, but that's because that's what this book does to you.
There are no two ways about it, What Tears Us Apart wrecked me emotionally. It twisted my heart and contorted my feelings, tugging and pulling them both in all different directions, until my chest physically ached. This is not one of those super happy love stories where the light of the couple fills you up completely, though there were absolutely those moments of pure bliss and ease that buoyed me in-between all those pages that shredded me from the inside out. Somehow Cloyed found a way to cover all its scathing edges with a brilliant spark--the orphaned boys, Ita's smile and gentle nature, the freeness with which he cared and loved any and all--that crawled inside my heart and blossomed there. This book was raw grit and ugliness that bash at a person's most delicate parts relentlessly, but it was also pure and good and offered those instances of redemption that I didn't think was possible. In fact, I found it so impractical that I literally gasped when the truth was revealed because I saw Chege through a tainted field of vision like I'm sure so many others would have.
This book was far from perfect and there are things I wish that would have been covered more, expanded upon, or completely eradicated because I didn't like the way it transformed the novel (though I can't break those down for spoiler reasons), but I can't deny the author's storytelling ability or the profound affect this novel had on me. Even though I cried and had to set this book down when instances became too tough to swallow, I always sought it back out because I wanted to see these characters triumph.
Admittedly, I would have loved an epilogue to see where the future landed this couple, the boys, and a few other characters, but overall I was satisfied with the ending.
♥ Teaser Quote:
♥ Rec it? Maybe? Again, I'm wavering. Undoubtedly, this won't be the type of love story that people will gravitate toward because of the harshness of the world surrounding it isn't an easy story to read. But it would be the kind that I would recommend and suffer through again if given the chance, I believe. I fell in love with the people of this book, cried for their situation and the awfulness that lurks in such dark times and places, and it will definitely be one of those stories that I carry with me forever.
♥ A very special thanks to Harlequin MIRA and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
Christina's Review:
**Disclaimer:** An eARC of these title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: Actual rating of 3.5 stars! Please note, this rating is subject to change because after a whole night of sitting on it and letting my thoughts run rampant, I'm still not sure if this couldn't be rated higher or lower. There were things about this novel that drove me crazy, namely the dual perspectives (with two other bonus narratives for one scene) and a bouncing timeline, but the grandest part of this book was its ability to make me feel and think, and I believe that is the most important accomplishment of any novel. If I were to rate with my mind, it probably would have been closer to a 3-star read, but if I rated with my heart, something usually rules me, it would probably be closer to 4.5 or 5 stars.
What Tears Us Apart is the ultimate story of forgiveness--from ourselves, other people, and possibly the brutality of a whole nation at the hands of its own citizens. It shows both the cruelest and kindest parts of humankind and how a person's situation can influence and propagate different character traits, define us as individuals through the age old study of nature vs. nurture and the moral code we're willing to ignore when faced with the will to survive.
**Trigger Warning:** While it doesn't go into too much graphic detail, the opening scene doesn't leave much to the imagination, nor is it glossed over. My heart literally felt lodged in my throat.
♥ The Lowdown: With the backdrop of the Kibera slums during Kenyan elections in 2007, we meet Leda as she is searching for fulfillment in life. When an internet search lands her as a volunteer in an African orphanage, thousands of miles and loads of cultural differences away from her rich life and lonely existence in California, she's surprised to find herself finally at home among these young boys and their caretaker, Ita, with their easy smiles and infectious ability to be happy despite the harsh life they live.
Leda and Ita both have their secret demons, but they find themselves naturally drawn to one another. Ita sees Leda as an angel, a sign of hope, but it's he that saves her in more ways than one. But love can't always win against the darkness, and with a country at war, what brought them together can easily tear them apart.
"The little monsters buried inside us. They're not you. They swallow your regrets and bad memories so you can sleep at night. But sometimes they get out, take over and do terrible things."
~quote taken from the eARC of What Tears Us Apart at 52%
♥ Review: Honestly, I don't know how to write a review for this book. I keep thinking with time to let it digest, I can untangle all those loose threads of thought into some semblance of rational musings, but the more I try to do that, the more ensnared I become. And maybe that's the point? This book will pull you in a billion different directions. With a timeline that flashes from past to present and back again, also delivered in a dual third person narrative, you see both the good, bad, and in-between parts of these characters and the choices they've made, the consequences they're forced to live with, and you bounce between empathy and understanding and fury and being disgusted. This story truly tested my limits of compassion, I think. But beyond that, it made me reflect on my life quite possibly more than any other book I've read to date. You see the news, read articles, but reading and absorbing a story that really tethers you to a person, to a nation, really impacts you more than you think is possible. This novel is so thought-provoking and really makes you dig down into the deepest parts of yourself. It makes you question your life, how different that could be if you were born on the opposite of the world without the amenities so many of us are born with in the United States. More than that though, it makes you wonder if the core parts of who you are would be different--are you who you are because of the life you're living now or would you be that person regardless? Do we all have the potential to be more good or more evil, and do we cage or release those capabilities because of our circumstances? If faced with the possibility of survival or death, how close are we willing to straddle the line of some moral code if that means your life or someone else's? I'm starting to talk in circles, but that's because that's what this book does to you.
There are no two ways about it, What Tears Us Apart wrecked me emotionally. It twisted my heart and contorted my feelings, tugging and pulling them both in all different directions, until my chest physically ached. This is not one of those super happy love stories where the light of the couple fills you up completely, though there were absolutely those moments of pure bliss and ease that buoyed me in-between all those pages that shredded me from the inside out. Somehow Cloyed found a way to cover all its scathing edges with a brilliant spark--the orphaned boys, Ita's smile and gentle nature, the freeness with which he cared and loved any and all--that crawled inside my heart and blossomed there. This book was raw grit and ugliness that bash at a person's most delicate parts relentlessly, but it was also pure and good and offered those instances of redemption that I didn't think was possible. In fact, I found it so impractical that I literally gasped when the truth was revealed because I saw Chege through a tainted field of vision like I'm sure so many others would have.
This book was far from perfect and there are things I wish that would have been covered more, expanded upon, or completely eradicated because I didn't like the way it transformed the novel (though I can't break those down for spoiler reasons), but I can't deny the author's storytelling ability or the profound affect this novel had on me. Even though I cried and had to set this book down when instances became too tough to swallow, I always sought it back out because I wanted to see these characters triumph.
Admittedly, I would have loved an epilogue to see where the future landed this couple, the boys, and a few other characters, but overall I was satisfied with the ending.
♥ Teaser Quote:
The protesters are out there.
Protesters. Ita thinks about the word. We have plenty to protest. But what he saw last night was murder. Rape. Betrayal. Mayhem. Men peeling off their humanity to let loose their darkest demons.
Before he is forced to picture Chege again, Ita thinks instead of all the children out there, in the front lines to violence. The rioters--they were innocents once. But after a lifetime of Kibera's picture show of injustice, they have all the emotional fuel they need now to set the world on fire.
~quote taken from the eARC of What Tears Us Apart at 31%
♥ Rec it? Maybe? Again, I'm wavering. Undoubtedly, this won't be the type of love story that people will gravitate toward because of the harshness of the world surrounding it isn't an easy story to read. But it would be the kind that I would recommend and suffer through again if given the chance, I believe. I fell in love with the people of this book, cried for their situation and the awfulness that lurks in such dark times and places, and it will definitely be one of those stories that I carry with me forever.
♥ A very special thanks to Harlequin MIRA and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
April 6, 2024
The story line, the plot, the characters all merge to take you on an emotionally charged journey. As someone who was in Kenya during the elections and post-elections period, this book took me back to the optimistic air pre elections and on the voting day to the sheer disbelief then absolute terror that engulfed us as election violence took over. I had to take health breaks while reading the book as I recalled the darkness that engulfed the country. I’m glad this book made me smile with the happy ending. I needed it. Well-done Deborah!
February 17, 2018
This was a very interesting book with a good set of characters, however argh I still have mixed feelings....
March 22, 2014
I'd almost list this as a 2.5 even. The book cover was lovely. The descriptions of Kenya were pretty detailed, obviously the author has been to Kenya. However, the book lacked a strong story.
The relationships were boldly outrageous and more than a bit unbelievable. The author gives us one month to believe that a woman moves to Kenya, completely unaware of the culture and what she is getting into- a tad naive, and finds herself speaking the language and in love? And in that one month, she finds "love" and then turns around and cheats on him with his best friend who is like family? Then runs off? I just don't buy it. Maybe with some better lead up- some better writing- I might believe it, but one month in a new country with new culture, traditions, languages, way of life? No. Just no.
Also their passionate moments- also fell flat- not the actual action- but again, the leading up to parts. There was plenty of eroticism and lust, but the passion wasn't there yet. Nor the closeness. It just seemed thrown together.
The characters fell flat also. I didn't love any of them. I wasn't rooting for anyone. Just not developed enough. I didn't feel like I really knew any of them. Chege was probably the most interesting.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, but I put the book down feeling annoyed. Annoyed that the events had turned out like they did, that Ita just forgave Leda, that the relationship was built out of so small a time frame, that Leda would so easily betray Ita, that Chege would so easily betray Ita, and more. Kind of cheese-ball really. All it leaves you feeling is sorry- sorry for Ita.
And for all the focus on Kenya and describing it and putting the politics in this- it really had nothing to do with that election or politics in Kenya. It just seemed thrown in there.
There could have been better ways to end it, I think. And a longer time to get to know the characters. I think you can either really focus on the character development or focus on the politics of Kenya and Kenya itself- but this falls flat on both. Skip it.
The relationships were boldly outrageous and more than a bit unbelievable. The author gives us one month to believe that a woman moves to Kenya, completely unaware of the culture and what she is getting into- a tad naive, and finds herself speaking the language and in love? And in that one month, she finds "love" and then turns around and cheats on him with his best friend who is like family? Then runs off? I just don't buy it. Maybe with some better lead up- some better writing- I might believe it, but one month in a new country with new culture, traditions, languages, way of life? No. Just no.
Also their passionate moments- also fell flat- not the actual action- but again, the leading up to parts. There was plenty of eroticism and lust, but the passion wasn't there yet. Nor the closeness. It just seemed thrown together.
The characters fell flat also. I didn't love any of them. I wasn't rooting for anyone. Just not developed enough. I didn't feel like I really knew any of them. Chege was probably the most interesting.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, but I put the book down feeling annoyed. Annoyed that the events had turned out like they did, that Ita just forgave Leda, that the relationship was built out of so small a time frame, that Leda would so easily betray Ita, that Chege would so easily betray Ita, and more. Kind of cheese-ball really. All it leaves you feeling is sorry- sorry for Ita.
And for all the focus on Kenya and describing it and putting the politics in this- it really had nothing to do with that election or politics in Kenya. It just seemed thrown in there.
There could have been better ways to end it, I think. And a longer time to get to know the characters. I think you can either really focus on the character development or focus on the politics of Kenya and Kenya itself- but this falls flat on both. Skip it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2015
"What Tears Us Apart" does an excellent job of illustrating the cultural differences and disparity between the haves and the have-nots, that the luck of the draw in where we are born determines a lot of the fortune in our lives. This was a good reminder to myself that those of us who are more blessed to have been given an easier life, need to be cognizant of that blessing and make it a priority to do more for others.
This is the story of the convergence of paths between an isolated and wealthy American woman (Leda ) who is trying to find her usefulness in the world and a brilliant, kind Kikuyu man (Ita) whose destiny is to run a small orphanage in the midst of one of the world's largest slums, called Kibera, outside of Nairobi, Kenya. This is the slum that he, himself, along with his dubious friend, Chege, a member of the Mungiki mafia, survived as orphaned children themselves. Although Ita's destiny has helped him take a better path in life, Chege was not as fortunate and has never left the life of doing what is needed to survive. He is broken. He is definitely a criminal. But Ita has not forgotten the years of their youth and the loyalty is still there.
This jumble of people, from different parts of the world, different backgrounds and different life experiences, find a common thread. This is a love story. Love between Leda and Ita, love for the incredible and unique children in the orphanage, love for friends. Loving and trying to understand and forgive those who cause the most horrible cruelty and betrayal.
Leda's arrival at "Triumph Orphanage" takes place just weeks before the disastrous election and resulting riots between Mwai Kibaki (from the Kikuyu tribe) and Raila Odinga (Luo tribe) in December 2007. Fraud was suspected in Kibaki's win and resulted in neighbor lashing out against neighbor, members of the Luo tribe setting homes and shops aflame, and the Mungiki (notorious Kikuyo mafia) retaliated. The end result was a crime spree of rape, murder and destruction.
This is the story of the convergence of paths between an isolated and wealthy American woman (Leda ) who is trying to find her usefulness in the world and a brilliant, kind Kikuyu man (Ita) whose destiny is to run a small orphanage in the midst of one of the world's largest slums, called Kibera, outside of Nairobi, Kenya. This is the slum that he, himself, along with his dubious friend, Chege, a member of the Mungiki mafia, survived as orphaned children themselves. Although Ita's destiny has helped him take a better path in life, Chege was not as fortunate and has never left the life of doing what is needed to survive. He is broken. He is definitely a criminal. But Ita has not forgotten the years of their youth and the loyalty is still there.
This jumble of people, from different parts of the world, different backgrounds and different life experiences, find a common thread. This is a love story. Love between Leda and Ita, love for the incredible and unique children in the orphanage, love for friends. Loving and trying to understand and forgive those who cause the most horrible cruelty and betrayal.
Leda's arrival at "Triumph Orphanage" takes place just weeks before the disastrous election and resulting riots between Mwai Kibaki (from the Kikuyu tribe) and Raila Odinga (Luo tribe) in December 2007. Fraud was suspected in Kibaki's win and resulted in neighbor lashing out against neighbor, members of the Luo tribe setting homes and shops aflame, and the Mungiki (notorious Kikuyo mafia) retaliated. The end result was a crime spree of rape, murder and destruction.
December 11, 2014
3 Stars
I won this book in a goodreads giveaways and it was the first book (anything), I ever won. This is the kind of book that can be both a fantastic read or not a very good one, it depends on what a reader is looking for in a book. Now I both loved some parts of it and at the same time couldn't really grasp some of it.
Usually romance books also enveloped in some sort of societal aggression, many times the romance is given a back seat. Now that annoys me b/c I'm avid romance reader. But at the same time, if the issues (people) surrounding the couple isn't fully explored even that does annoy me as well. Yes yes IK, I can't make up my mine.
Now onto the book-
Positives-
1. The Kenyan culture and crisis was very well put and detailed
2. I personally enjoy and adore to read and know about interracial couples for many reasons that I wont get into right here.
3. The cover is also a part of a story and I think this one fits perfectly
4. Neither the MC's were any type of perfect. Both were flawed, but they were beautiful together.
Negatives-
1. I think Chegge and Kioni needed to be explored a tad bit more (even if this isn't story)
2. Couldn't help but get annoyed at Leda many times simply b/c I could not believe she was actually a grown woman
3. Leda and Eta's backgrounds had to be shown in more depth if possible.
4. Many times the story fell flat
I won this book in a goodreads giveaways and it was the first book (anything), I ever won. This is the kind of book that can be both a fantastic read or not a very good one, it depends on what a reader is looking for in a book. Now I both loved some parts of it and at the same time couldn't really grasp some of it.
Usually romance books also enveloped in some sort of societal aggression, many times the romance is given a back seat. Now that annoys me b/c I'm avid romance reader. But at the same time, if the issues (people) surrounding the couple isn't fully explored even that does annoy me as well. Yes yes IK, I can't make up my mine.
Now onto the book-
Positives-
1. The Kenyan culture and crisis was very well put and detailed
2. I personally enjoy and adore to read and know about interracial couples for many reasons that I wont get into right here.
3. The cover is also a part of a story and I think this one fits perfectly
4. Neither the MC's were any type of perfect. Both were flawed, but they were beautiful together.
Negatives-
1. I think Chegge and Kioni needed to be explored a tad bit more (even if this isn't story)
2. Couldn't help but get annoyed at Leda many times simply b/c I could not believe she was actually a grown woman
3. Leda and Eta's backgrounds had to be shown in more depth if possible.
4. Many times the story fell flat
May 18, 2013
I received this book from GoodReads First Reads
Leda is a young woman who has grown up privileged, but has always lacked the warmth of a family or even love. In her plight to do somethng meaningful, she travels to Kenya to volunteer in an orphanage where she meets Ita, a man whose kindness and sincerity stirs up feelings she never thought possible. What Tears Us Apart was absolutely gripping. It was heartwarming, heart wrenching, and bittersweet.
Likes
1. The format. I have always enjoyed reading novels told from alternative POVs. Jumping back and forth in time also served the story well.
2. Ita's POVs about Leda. His thoughts were so incredibly sweet.
3. The connection between Ita and Leda.
4. Chege's devotion towards Ita.
5. The boys' interactions with Leda, particularly how excited they would get.
6. The cover art.
Dislikes
2. There doesn't seem to be any concern about unprotected sex. That seemed really strange, especially considering the setting and Leda is supposedly highly educated.
3. It would have been nice to have had an epilogue about Ita and Leda, the boys, and Mary.
Leda is a young woman who has grown up privileged, but has always lacked the warmth of a family or even love. In her plight to do somethng meaningful, she travels to Kenya to volunteer in an orphanage where she meets Ita, a man whose kindness and sincerity stirs up feelings she never thought possible. What Tears Us Apart was absolutely gripping. It was heartwarming, heart wrenching, and bittersweet.
Likes
1. The format. I have always enjoyed reading novels told from alternative POVs. Jumping back and forth in time also served the story well.
2. Ita's POVs about Leda. His thoughts were so incredibly sweet.
3. The connection between Ita and Leda.
4. Chege's devotion towards Ita.
5. The boys' interactions with Leda, particularly how excited they would get.
6. The cover art.
Dislikes
2. There doesn't seem to be any concern about unprotected sex. That seemed really strange, especially considering the setting and Leda is supposedly highly educated.
3. It would have been nice to have had an epilogue about Ita and Leda, the boys, and Mary.
April 8, 2014
I received this book as a first-reads book, and I was totally jazzed! I'd heard about this book from a friend who had said she really wanted to read it after volunteering at an orphanage in Africa herself. Knowing nothing about Africa, I was excited to learn more about the culture and lifestyle.
From the first chapter this book was gripping and exciting. I thought it was really well written and flowed nicely. I also LOVED the message that you get from this book. I'm a big advocate for forgiveness and this book spoke to me in a way I hadn't been expecting. I recommend this book to anyone who likes action and romance and everything in between. Definitely worth checking out!!
From the first chapter this book was gripping and exciting. I thought it was really well written and flowed nicely. I also LOVED the message that you get from this book. I'm a big advocate for forgiveness and this book spoke to me in a way I hadn't been expecting. I recommend this book to anyone who likes action and romance and everything in between. Definitely worth checking out!!
August 9, 2013
The review by Bree T pretty well summarizes my feelings. Great situation, but unrealistic romance on many levels. More about a desire to belong, be understood and lust - unsafe lust at that. The setting being what it was, this could have been so much better. I hope the author keeps going because I will say she was brave in her choice of material. I'd like to see where she goes after this. I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to review this.
April 27, 2013
I really enjoyed this book, it was emotional, raw and shockingly real. I was really able to picture the war torn slum and it made me realize how many things I take for granted everyday. My heart went out to the characters as I was drawn deeper into their world.
All the characters were beautifully complex, and I couldn't help but wonder if I would have reacted in the same ways as they did if I was in their positions.
The format in which this book is written took a bit of getting used to but I enjoyed the way it pieced the story together.
I would definitely recommend this book.
All the characters were beautifully complex, and I couldn't help but wonder if I would have reacted in the same ways as they did if I was in their positions.
The format in which this book is written took a bit of getting used to but I enjoyed the way it pieced the story together.
I would definitely recommend this book.
January 4, 2016
This book was pretty heartbreaking as it took place mainly in an orphanage in a slum near Nairobi. Leda is very privileged and she decides to volunteer for a month in Africa to give her some perspective on her life. While there, she falls in love with the children and for their caretaker. The story was hard to read because there are a lot of awful things going on, but overall I felt it was a bit rushed. Also, the end seemed a little too wrapped up and perfect for a story that is taking place during such civil unrest and violence.
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