What do you think?
Rate this book
The Orchard of Lost Souls
From the author of The Fortune Men, longlisted for The Booker Prize 2021... 'From Somaliland's bitter past blooms a moving and mature novel of conflict and survival' Independent It is 1988 and Hargeisa waits. Whispers of revolution travel on the dry winds but still the dictatorship remains secure. Soon, and through the eyes of three women, we will see Somalia fall. Nine-year-old Deqohas left the vast refugee camp she was born in, lured to the city by the promise of her first pair of shoes. Kawsar, a solitary widow, is trapped in her little house with its garden clawed from the desert, confined to her bed after a savage beating in the local police station. Filsan, a young female soldier, has moved from Mogadishu to suppress the rebellion growing in the north. And as the country is unravelled by a civil war that will shock the world, the fates of the three women are twisted irrevocably together. Intimate, frank, brimming with beauty and fierce love,The Orchard of Lost Soulsis an unforgettable account of ordinary lives lived in extraordinary times.*** Praise for Nadifa Mohamed *** 'Mohamed is a lyrical writer, and although her material could easily be exploited, she does not so much milk it for emotion as elevate it to a kind of searing poetry' Publishers Weekly 'A writer of great humanity and intelligence. Nadifa Mohamed deeply understands how lives are shaped both by the grand sweep of history and the intimate encounters of human beings' Kamila Shamsie, author of Home Fire'The Fortune Men confirms Mohamed as a literary star of her generation' Observer'Mohamed is . . . intent on expanding her world, listing its teeming varieties and presenting a wealth of character and language' TLS 'Evocative and enlightening' New Statesman 'As these three women's stories entwine, the result is a moving and captivating tale of survival and hope in a war-torn country, and confirms Mohamed's stature as one of Britain's best young novelists' Stylist 'Three women watch, and suffer, as their native Somalia descends into brutal civil war. It's 1988. The atrocities pile up, but the authorial voice remains resolutely melodic' Vogue 'With the unadorned language of a wise, clear-eyed observer, Nadifa Mohamed has spun an unforgettable tale. The Orchard of Lost Souls recounts not just a state's descent into war, but war's most heartbreaking human the death of dreams' Taiye Selasi, author of Ghana Must Go
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2013
104 people are currently reading
4909 people want to read
About the author
Nadifa Mohamed
15 books295 followersNadifa Mohamed was born in Hargeisa (now in the Republic of Somaliland) in 1981 and moved as a child to England in 1986, staying permanently when war broke out in Somalia.
She lives in London and her first novel, Black Mamba Boy, based on her father's memories of his travels in the 1930s, was published in 2010. It was longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction and the Dylan Thomas Prize and shortlisted for the John Llewellyn-Rhys Memorial Prize and the Guardian First Book Award. It won the 2010 Betty Trask Prize.
She lives in London and her first novel, Black Mamba Boy, based on her father's memories of his travels in the 1930s, was published in 2010. It was longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction and the Dylan Thomas Prize and shortlisted for the John Llewellyn-Rhys Memorial Prize and the Guardian First Book Award. It won the 2010 Betty Trask Prize.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
March 12, 2022
Set in Somalia in 1987-1988 during Mohamed Siad Barre’s dictatorship it is the story of three women. There is Deqo, a street child, used to fending for herself in a refugee camp and living with and cared for by prostitutes. Kawsar is an older woman, now bed bound following being assaulted by a female soldier at a police station. Finally, Filsan, a thirty year old soldier from Mogadishu. At the beginning of the novel their lives intersect at a large outdoor meeting to honour the dictator with long lasting consequences. There is then a section for each of the protagonists which looks at their past and present. At the end of the novel their lives intersect again.
When Mohamed does do well is write people in isolation and these are the strongest parts of the book. The inter relationships are sometimes violent as well as supportive. At times there is a lightness of touch to this which works well. There was also the feel of a nineteenth century novel, rather slimmed down though and I certainly felt it could easily have been two or three times the length with more space for the author to explore her themes. The backdrop is a civil war and rebellion which is bloody and relentless, “totally ordinary yet irrevocably depraved”.
The novel is written well and there is a good sense of place and the primary focus is the effect of civil war on women and on female agency and resilience. There are flaws and the ending is a bit neat, but it will please some. It’s worth reading.
When Mohamed does do well is write people in isolation and these are the strongest parts of the book. The inter relationships are sometimes violent as well as supportive. At times there is a lightness of touch to this which works well. There was also the feel of a nineteenth century novel, rather slimmed down though and I certainly felt it could easily have been two or three times the length with more space for the author to explore her themes. The backdrop is a civil war and rebellion which is bloody and relentless, “totally ordinary yet irrevocably depraved”.
The novel is written well and there is a good sense of place and the primary focus is the effect of civil war on women and on female agency and resilience. There are flaws and the ending is a bit neat, but it will please some. It’s worth reading.
February 15, 2016
Além do fato de ser um dos países mais pobres e mais corruptos do mundo, não sabia muito sobre a Somália, e tampouco me recordo de ter lido algum outro livro ambientado na África. Foi justamente a vontade de sair do lugar-comum que me fez querer ler O Pomar das Almas Perdidas. Que leitura incrível!
O livro se passa no fim dos anos 80, em Hargeisa, na Somália, quando o país, que vive sob uma ditadura militar, está prestes a mergulhar em uma guerra civil. Longe de pretender ser uma ficção histórica, O Pomar das Almas Perdidas tem seu foco na vida de três mulheres bem diferentes e de distintas gerações: Deqo, uma órfã de 9 anos oriunda dos campos de refugiados; Kawsar, uma viúva que ainda chora a morte da filha; e Fílsan, uma jovem soldado que se esforça para ser alguém em um meio extremamente machista.
Essa leitura é como um soco no estômago. A cada parágrafo o coração acelera e a apreensão aumenta com o medo do que vai e do que pode acontecer. A aflição é ainda maior, a dor ainda mais profunda, quando nos damos conta de que isso é e foi a realidade de muitas mulheres. São histórias que doem na alma e faz a gente manter os pés bem firmes e fundos ao chão.
Nadifa Mohamed, que nasceu na Somália, mas foi educada e vive na Inglaterra, tem uma escrita apaixonante, um pouco lírica, em uma narrativa muito bem estruturada, indo do presente às memórias das personagens com destreza. É bem estranho dizer que foi uma leitura gostosa, já que seu texto nos mostra o quão cruel o mundo pode ser, mas foi essa sensação que tive, apesar de tudo.
O Pomar das Almas Perdidas me trouxe de volta muitas reflexões, como o porquê de uns nascerem na Somália, sem grandes expectativas de vida, e outros na Suécia, com inúmeras e boas oportunidades. Mistérios da vida, eu sei, mas…
O livro é sensível, delicado, nos comove através da inocência de uma criança, da dor de uma mãe, do sofrimento uma senhora amargurada que não quer atrapalhar, da solidão de uma mulher que tentou, sem sucesso, ser o que os outros esperavam que ela fosse. Que mundo selvagem!
Leitura maravilhosa, enriquecedora e, apesar de triste, singela, com uma bonita mensagem de esperança. Entrou para minha lista de favoritos e recomendo de todo coração.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
www.historiasdepapel.com.br
ig: @historiasdepapel_
O livro se passa no fim dos anos 80, em Hargeisa, na Somália, quando o país, que vive sob uma ditadura militar, está prestes a mergulhar em uma guerra civil. Longe de pretender ser uma ficção histórica, O Pomar das Almas Perdidas tem seu foco na vida de três mulheres bem diferentes e de distintas gerações: Deqo, uma órfã de 9 anos oriunda dos campos de refugiados; Kawsar, uma viúva que ainda chora a morte da filha; e Fílsan, uma jovem soldado que se esforça para ser alguém em um meio extremamente machista.
Essa leitura é como um soco no estômago. A cada parágrafo o coração acelera e a apreensão aumenta com o medo do que vai e do que pode acontecer. A aflição é ainda maior, a dor ainda mais profunda, quando nos damos conta de que isso é e foi a realidade de muitas mulheres. São histórias que doem na alma e faz a gente manter os pés bem firmes e fundos ao chão.
Nadifa Mohamed, que nasceu na Somália, mas foi educada e vive na Inglaterra, tem uma escrita apaixonante, um pouco lírica, em uma narrativa muito bem estruturada, indo do presente às memórias das personagens com destreza. É bem estranho dizer que foi uma leitura gostosa, já que seu texto nos mostra o quão cruel o mundo pode ser, mas foi essa sensação que tive, apesar de tudo.
O Pomar das Almas Perdidas me trouxe de volta muitas reflexões, como o porquê de uns nascerem na Somália, sem grandes expectativas de vida, e outros na Suécia, com inúmeras e boas oportunidades. Mistérios da vida, eu sei, mas…
O livro é sensível, delicado, nos comove através da inocência de uma criança, da dor de uma mãe, do sofrimento uma senhora amargurada que não quer atrapalhar, da solidão de uma mulher que tentou, sem sucesso, ser o que os outros esperavam que ela fosse. Que mundo selvagem!
Leitura maravilhosa, enriquecedora e, apesar de triste, singela, com uma bonita mensagem de esperança. Entrou para minha lista de favoritos e recomendo de todo coração.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
www.historiasdepapel.com.br
ig: @historiasdepapel_
June 4, 2014
This was a 3.5 book for me.
My thoughts:
• Overall I thought that his was a brutally honest and intimate story where the elegance of the writing provides the necessary dignity to characters where survival is measured in daily terms. Nine year old Deqo joins a dance group on the promise of a pair of cheap sandals but after missing some steps at a national celebration she finds out violence, kindness, and greed may often look the same. Kawsar, a solitary widow has lost all that is important to her yet she finds the thread of hope when all she wants is the end. Filsan is an ambitious soldier who only wants the praise from her disgraced father and comes to terms what the price of getting noticed by her male superiors. Good character development and being vested had me turning the pages despite the events that brings them together at the end feels a little forced.
• Enjoyed how the author evoked the landscape and intertwined the history of Hargesisa into the storyline. It provides an understanding of the area beyond the newspaper accounts.
• After finishing this book – and reading the ruthless regard the “government” had for its people and thinking that more oppressive would lead to more control and power gives a better understanding how Somalia is what it is today.
• While these stories need to be told – the unfortunate part is that these stories are being too common and if you change the names and places – this story could have been about many other places.
• A couple of poignant scenes for me:
o How the whole town had to “dress up”, and stand in the stadium for hours under the blazing sun so that visiting dignities and journalist can see how see well the regime is liked.
o The stifling obedience required by the oppressive regime being more important that getting water and food to the people.
• A couple of quotes I liked:
o “It is the kind of place where human skeletons might sink into the soil undisturbed and unmourned.”
o “Everyone is angry – even the sky is grey and motionless; there doesn’t seem to be space for anything but silence and obedience.”
o “In her orchard the trees had been born from deaths; they marked and grew from the remains of the children that passed through her. She never picked the fruit that fell from them, believing it a kind of cannibalism, but out of those soft, unshaped figures had grown tall, strong, tough-barked trees that blossomed and called birds to their branches and clambered out over the orchard walls to the world beyond.”
My thoughts:
• Overall I thought that his was a brutally honest and intimate story where the elegance of the writing provides the necessary dignity to characters where survival is measured in daily terms. Nine year old Deqo joins a dance group on the promise of a pair of cheap sandals but after missing some steps at a national celebration she finds out violence, kindness, and greed may often look the same. Kawsar, a solitary widow has lost all that is important to her yet she finds the thread of hope when all she wants is the end. Filsan is an ambitious soldier who only wants the praise from her disgraced father and comes to terms what the price of getting noticed by her male superiors. Good character development and being vested had me turning the pages despite the events that brings them together at the end feels a little forced.
• Enjoyed how the author evoked the landscape and intertwined the history of Hargesisa into the storyline. It provides an understanding of the area beyond the newspaper accounts.
• After finishing this book – and reading the ruthless regard the “government” had for its people and thinking that more oppressive would lead to more control and power gives a better understanding how Somalia is what it is today.
• While these stories need to be told – the unfortunate part is that these stories are being too common and if you change the names and places – this story could have been about many other places.
• A couple of poignant scenes for me:
o How the whole town had to “dress up”, and stand in the stadium for hours under the blazing sun so that visiting dignities and journalist can see how see well the regime is liked.
o The stifling obedience required by the oppressive regime being more important that getting water and food to the people.
• A couple of quotes I liked:
o “It is the kind of place where human skeletons might sink into the soil undisturbed and unmourned.”
o “Everyone is angry – even the sky is grey and motionless; there doesn’t seem to be space for anything but silence and obedience.”
o “In her orchard the trees had been born from deaths; they marked and grew from the remains of the children that passed through her. She never picked the fruit that fell from them, believing it a kind of cannibalism, but out of those soft, unshaped figures had grown tall, strong, tough-barked trees that blossomed and called birds to their branches and clambered out over the orchard walls to the world beyond.”
May 14, 2019
Mixed emotions on this one. Somalia in the 1980s. The story follows a girl and two women. Deqo is an orphan, adapt at living on the streets. Kawsar is an elderly woman who is beaten by the police and is confined to bed. Filsan is a young soldier, a text book loyalist of a communist leaning dictatorship. The rebels are coming and the good old days enter into chaos.
The three characters all have their moments but they all seem to have stories of predictability.
The three characters all have their moments but they all seem to have stories of predictability.
February 26, 2019
Nadifa Mohamed situates The Orchard of Lost Souls in Hargeisa, Somalia, in 1988. It is a turbulent time. The country is in the iron grip of a military dictatorship. As the opposition to military rule gains force, the country descends into a brutal civil war. Mohamed shows the deleterious impact of war by focusing on the lives of three females.
Deqo is a nine-year-old orphan living in a refugee camp. Because she fumbles dance steps in the military parade, she is taken aside by guards and beaten. She manages to evade her captors only to lead a destitute existence on the streets of Hargeisa.
Filsan is a young and ambitious female soldier, fiercely determined to prove herself in a man’s world. When General Haarun singles her out for attention, Filsan assumes he does so because he is impressed with her skills as a soldier. Her hopes of a promotion are dashed when she rebuffs his amorous overtures and is unceremoniously kicked out of his car. Humiliated and angry, she channels her frustration by savagely beating up an older woman brought to the jail.
Kawsar is that older woman. She is in her late fifties and still grieving the loss of her husband and daughter. When she sees the guards beating up on the young child during the parade, she confronts them and is promptly carted off to the squalid conditions of the local jail.
These three lives intersect briefly at the beginning of the novel and then at the very end. In the interim, we are provided with the back story of each of the characters as Mohamed alternates the perspective by weaving in and out of their past and present lives. Each has suffered a trauma: the orphan Deqo is traumatized because she has no family; Filsan is abused by her father and treated as less than by the male-dominated military; and Kawsar is haunted by her daughter’s suicide.
Mohamed paints a compelling portrait of the everyday lives of women against the backdrop of a brutal civil war. She gives voice to their experiences and their fears. As the rebellion gains momentum, corpses line the streets; women and children are slaughtered and their meager possessions stolen; young men carry guns, shooting at anything that moves; the elderly and disabled are tortured and beaten; women are raped. War at any time and anywhere brutalizes all those caught in its tentacles. Atrocities are perpetrated on all sides. And the innocent caught in the crosshairs have no safe refuge. They struggle to hold on to whatever vestige of humanity they have left amidst the horror and the carnage.
The pace of the novel is quick; the writing accessible; the characterization adequate. The ending is somewhat contrived. Filsan’s sudden transformation is rushed and barely plausible. But what emerges from these horrific circumstances is the resilience and dignity of Somali women. Their network of support for each other coupled with a fierce determination to survive against all odds makes this a compelling read.
Recommended.
Deqo is a nine-year-old orphan living in a refugee camp. Because she fumbles dance steps in the military parade, she is taken aside by guards and beaten. She manages to evade her captors only to lead a destitute existence on the streets of Hargeisa.
Filsan is a young and ambitious female soldier, fiercely determined to prove herself in a man’s world. When General Haarun singles her out for attention, Filsan assumes he does so because he is impressed with her skills as a soldier. Her hopes of a promotion are dashed when she rebuffs his amorous overtures and is unceremoniously kicked out of his car. Humiliated and angry, she channels her frustration by savagely beating up an older woman brought to the jail.
Kawsar is that older woman. She is in her late fifties and still grieving the loss of her husband and daughter. When she sees the guards beating up on the young child during the parade, she confronts them and is promptly carted off to the squalid conditions of the local jail.
These three lives intersect briefly at the beginning of the novel and then at the very end. In the interim, we are provided with the back story of each of the characters as Mohamed alternates the perspective by weaving in and out of their past and present lives. Each has suffered a trauma: the orphan Deqo is traumatized because she has no family; Filsan is abused by her father and treated as less than by the male-dominated military; and Kawsar is haunted by her daughter’s suicide.
Mohamed paints a compelling portrait of the everyday lives of women against the backdrop of a brutal civil war. She gives voice to their experiences and their fears. As the rebellion gains momentum, corpses line the streets; women and children are slaughtered and their meager possessions stolen; young men carry guns, shooting at anything that moves; the elderly and disabled are tortured and beaten; women are raped. War at any time and anywhere brutalizes all those caught in its tentacles. Atrocities are perpetrated on all sides. And the innocent caught in the crosshairs have no safe refuge. They struggle to hold on to whatever vestige of humanity they have left amidst the horror and the carnage.
The pace of the novel is quick; the writing accessible; the characterization adequate. The ending is somewhat contrived. Filsan’s sudden transformation is rushed and barely plausible. But what emerges from these horrific circumstances is the resilience and dignity of Somali women. Their network of support for each other coupled with a fierce determination to survive against all odds makes this a compelling read.
Recommended.
September 14, 2013
The writing is very, very good. No wonder this author is one of Granta’s “Best Young Novelist 2013″. The book is written in the present tense, which makes the story very direct and the war situations very acute. There isn’t a lot of actual fighting in the book. Most of the book is about three very different women’s experiences during this difficult time.
The book begins very strong, and drew me in straight away, with the three women briefly meeting in a stadium where there is a national celebration. Nawsar, a woman of 50+ years old, an old woman in Somalia, goes there against her will, and helps Deqo, a little girl, when she is arrested by Filsan and her team. Thereafter, the three women go their own way, but do meet again later in the book.
The story is not a nice one. Bad things happen to the people of the small town where the three women live. But the way family, neighbours and strangers look out for each other is heart warming, and at the same time realistic. However much they like to help each other, in the end, they do anything to save their own skin, even if it’s to the detriment of another person. But can you blame them?
Through the lives of three women, I learned about the war in Somalia (in the 1980s) and more general, about women in a country at war. I had no interest in the topic beforehand, but I read a most beautifully written book.
The book begins very strong, and drew me in straight away, with the three women briefly meeting in a stadium where there is a national celebration. Nawsar, a woman of 50+ years old, an old woman in Somalia, goes there against her will, and helps Deqo, a little girl, when she is arrested by Filsan and her team. Thereafter, the three women go their own way, but do meet again later in the book.
The story is not a nice one. Bad things happen to the people of the small town where the three women live. But the way family, neighbours and strangers look out for each other is heart warming, and at the same time realistic. However much they like to help each other, in the end, they do anything to save their own skin, even if it’s to the detriment of another person. But can you blame them?
Through the lives of three women, I learned about the war in Somalia (in the 1980s) and more general, about women in a country at war. I had no interest in the topic beforehand, but I read a most beautifully written book.
March 16, 2014
This book has a fascinating setting: Somalia in the 1980s. The country had a nominally Communist military dictatorship, under attack by rebel forces, and with civilians caught in the middle; this was before Somalia descended into the chaos of today, but we see those later troubles foreshadowed by the events of this book.
The Orchard of Lost Souls follows three main characters: Deqo, an orphan girl raised in a refugee camp, now living on the streets of Hargeisa; Kawsar, a traditional widow, bedridden and grieving for her daughter; and Filsan, a soldier struggling to distinguish herself. The pace is quick and their stories interesting: it isn’t a light read, but it is a fast one. There is a good sense of place, and you’ll learn some things about Somalia without feeling that you’re being taught a history lesson.
Unfortunately, the protagonists themselves are generic and lacking in complexity, defined almost entirely by their circumstances. Deqo is a standard child character, and when she steps out of that mold, it tends to be unconvincing; for instance, when entering an abandoned, luxurious home for the first time, this 9-year-old's first act is to.... wash the dishes? Kawsar is passive, speaking up only at the worst possible moments. Filsan was the character who initially interested me most, as a woman in the military of a traditional patriarchal society, but we don’t see much more of her situation than her annoyance at guys checking her out. And Filsan herself turns out to be a typical insecure and emotional female protagonist, and a bad soldier; her inevitable realizations about the regime are rushed and muddled by an awkward romantic subplot.
For me, then, this book proved mediocre, though it kept my attention while reading; the atrocities the characters witness (particularly one scene in a hospital near the end) are far more memorable than the characters themselves. Fans of popular fiction will likely find much here to appreciate, however. If you like this, you will probably also enjoy Mengiste's Beneath the Lion’s Gaze, and vice versa.
The Orchard of Lost Souls follows three main characters: Deqo, an orphan girl raised in a refugee camp, now living on the streets of Hargeisa; Kawsar, a traditional widow, bedridden and grieving for her daughter; and Filsan, a soldier struggling to distinguish herself. The pace is quick and their stories interesting: it isn’t a light read, but it is a fast one. There is a good sense of place, and you’ll learn some things about Somalia without feeling that you’re being taught a history lesson.
Unfortunately, the protagonists themselves are generic and lacking in complexity, defined almost entirely by their circumstances. Deqo is a standard child character, and when she steps out of that mold, it tends to be unconvincing; for instance, when entering an abandoned, luxurious home for the first time, this 9-year-old's first act is to.... wash the dishes? Kawsar is passive, speaking up only at the worst possible moments. Filsan was the character who initially interested me most, as a woman in the military of a traditional patriarchal society, but we don’t see much more of her situation than her annoyance at guys checking her out. And Filsan herself turns out to be a typical insecure and emotional female protagonist, and a bad soldier; her inevitable realizations about the regime are rushed and muddled by an awkward romantic subplot.
For me, then, this book proved mediocre, though it kept my attention while reading; the atrocities the characters witness (particularly one scene in a hospital near the end) are far more memorable than the characters themselves. Fans of popular fiction will likely find much here to appreciate, however. If you like this, you will probably also enjoy Mengiste's Beneath the Lion’s Gaze, and vice versa.
April 22, 2014
Oh yay! I just got the email telling me I won this in the First Reads giveaway! I was beginning to think they didn't love me anymore but I was wrong. Now I am excited!
3-12: Yay, it's here! It's here! Actually, it got here last week but I wasn't home. I am home now and it is here so I am reading! Hooray!
Review:
I was completely surprised by this book; I didn't expect to enjoy it quite this much. I expected it to be depressing and maybe even a little preachy. While it is definitely burdensome for the emotions, I was never actually down-and-out sad while reading it. Actually, the opposite often happened. Also, I never felt lectured in any way so I was both pleased with and entertained by this tale.
First, I liked the structure of this story; I liked it quite well. It took the shape I was so hoping for - the shape of a wrapped candy. Three separate lives come together for an instant (where the cellophane on the candy wrapper is twisted) then all spring away from each other and go their own ways in the same small area full of civil unrest leading into war (like where the cellophane is wrapped around the candy, a particularly yucky candy in this case) and then they all come together again. Just that shape made me ridiculously happy and I don't even know why. I guess because it was satisfying to see how their first interaction shaped their second interaction. Also, I'm so used to the funnel story where everyone is separate, then thrown together, then they are all in line for the rest of the story that this was a pleasant and refreshing tale-weaving.
Anyhow. I also enjoyed the language and style used in this book. It's not so foreign that it becomes incomprehensible to anyone who hasn't traveled to the Republic of Somaliland but there's enough not-America going on that you know you're not in America. Right, that sounds completely stupid; were I better at words, that would have sounded awesome. Just...you know this story takes place in Somalia.
Granted, my knowledge of Somalia is horribly limited. I read Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey of a Desert Nomad and I saw internet headlines about pirates and I know there's a Tom Hanks movie about said pirates that's being used as a commercial for some app or another. And that's it. That is my entire bucket of knowledge about Somalia which is pretty sad. I am woefully undereducated when it comes to anything to do with Africa.
So books like this help!
Ok, I'm really no more knowledgeable about Somalia now, though it was interesting to read about the civil unrest of the 80's now that I'm an adult. This all happened when I was a kid and Somalia was a scary place like Russia but for different reasons. Now I know why it was so terrible, whereas I didn't when it was all actually happening.
I learned the why through the eyes of Deqo, Kawsar, and Filsan.
I loved these characters. I loved Deqo for the same reason I love Scout (To Kill a Mockingbird) and Byrd (The Witch of Belladonna Bay) - these are kids I would want, girls who have moxy, children who see the world the way they see it, not as adults tell them to see it. Deqo is free-spirited but kind, gentle but savvy. She's a fighter but only when necessary and she still sees wonder in the world even though the world is a terrifying place that is falling down around her.
I hated Filsan but I understood why she was such a little monster. It made her ending all the more satisfying. The path to get there was also the most horrific because she had so much to figure out and needed a lot of kicks to her teeth.
And Kawsar. I liked her and rolled my eyes at her. Privileged but not a bad person, mostly haunted by memories. She'd given up but somehow continued on. I respected her toughness.
It's a sad story yet it's also uplifting. There are tons of beautiful moments, sentences that ooze description and depiction. Here's the first one I marked (and my ARC, here, is all marked up):
The myriad buildings that Deqo is slowly learning the names and purposes of appear in the edges of her vision as she steps into the pitted road. The library for keeping books to learn from, the museum for interesting objects from the past, the schools in which children are corralled and tamed, the hotel for wayfarers with money in their pockets - the existence of all these places brings pleasure, despite her belief that as a refugee she is not welcome inside.
See? The writing is not difficult to understand but that passage made me feel this young orphan's longing to belong while also explaining everyday things from the perspective of an outsider.
This review is so incoherant but I can't sit on it anymore; I need to have something up here because I said I would. This is the muddled result.
Abridged version: I liked this book a lot. It has strong, interesting characters, it describes a time I remember but know little about, it's a good story, and I am glad I got to read it.
3-12: Yay, it's here! It's here! Actually, it got here last week but I wasn't home. I am home now and it is here so I am reading! Hooray!
Review:
I was completely surprised by this book; I didn't expect to enjoy it quite this much. I expected it to be depressing and maybe even a little preachy. While it is definitely burdensome for the emotions, I was never actually down-and-out sad while reading it. Actually, the opposite often happened. Also, I never felt lectured in any way so I was both pleased with and entertained by this tale.
First, I liked the structure of this story; I liked it quite well. It took the shape I was so hoping for - the shape of a wrapped candy. Three separate lives come together for an instant (where the cellophane on the candy wrapper is twisted) then all spring away from each other and go their own ways in the same small area full of civil unrest leading into war (like where the cellophane is wrapped around the candy, a particularly yucky candy in this case) and then they all come together again. Just that shape made me ridiculously happy and I don't even know why. I guess because it was satisfying to see how their first interaction shaped their second interaction. Also, I'm so used to the funnel story where everyone is separate, then thrown together, then they are all in line for the rest of the story that this was a pleasant and refreshing tale-weaving.
Anyhow. I also enjoyed the language and style used in this book. It's not so foreign that it becomes incomprehensible to anyone who hasn't traveled to the Republic of Somaliland but there's enough not-America going on that you know you're not in America. Right, that sounds completely stupid; were I better at words, that would have sounded awesome. Just...you know this story takes place in Somalia.
Granted, my knowledge of Somalia is horribly limited. I read Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey of a Desert Nomad and I saw internet headlines about pirates and I know there's a Tom Hanks movie about said pirates that's being used as a commercial for some app or another. And that's it. That is my entire bucket of knowledge about Somalia which is pretty sad. I am woefully undereducated when it comes to anything to do with Africa.
So books like this help!
Ok, I'm really no more knowledgeable about Somalia now, though it was interesting to read about the civil unrest of the 80's now that I'm an adult. This all happened when I was a kid and Somalia was a scary place like Russia but for different reasons. Now I know why it was so terrible, whereas I didn't when it was all actually happening.
I learned the why through the eyes of Deqo, Kawsar, and Filsan.
I loved these characters. I loved Deqo for the same reason I love Scout (To Kill a Mockingbird) and Byrd (The Witch of Belladonna Bay) - these are kids I would want, girls who have moxy, children who see the world the way they see it, not as adults tell them to see it. Deqo is free-spirited but kind, gentle but savvy. She's a fighter but only when necessary and she still sees wonder in the world even though the world is a terrifying place that is falling down around her.
I hated Filsan but I understood why she was such a little monster. It made her ending all the more satisfying. The path to get there was also the most horrific because she had so much to figure out and needed a lot of kicks to her teeth.
And Kawsar. I liked her and rolled my eyes at her. Privileged but not a bad person, mostly haunted by memories. She'd given up but somehow continued on. I respected her toughness.
It's a sad story yet it's also uplifting. There are tons of beautiful moments, sentences that ooze description and depiction. Here's the first one I marked (and my ARC, here, is all marked up):
The myriad buildings that Deqo is slowly learning the names and purposes of appear in the edges of her vision as she steps into the pitted road. The library for keeping books to learn from, the museum for interesting objects from the past, the schools in which children are corralled and tamed, the hotel for wayfarers with money in their pockets - the existence of all these places brings pleasure, despite her belief that as a refugee she is not welcome inside.
See? The writing is not difficult to understand but that passage made me feel this young orphan's longing to belong while also explaining everyday things from the perspective of an outsider.
This review is so incoherant but I can't sit on it anymore; I need to have something up here because I said I would. This is the muddled result.
Abridged version: I liked this book a lot. It has strong, interesting characters, it describes a time I remember but know little about, it's a good story, and I am glad I got to read it.
March 18, 2025
Hi, so I started reading this book as a sort of way to reconnect with my heritage in a way only a diaspora could. To premise, all my experiences and understanding of Somalia are based on everything my mother has taught me: idealistic and naive, this book made me confront the bitter truths about the land I had only visited once shedding a unique experience during the tenure of Siad Barre.
The book focuses on the extremely different lives of soldier Filsan, orphan Deeqo and widow Kawsar. Mohamed brings to light important issues such as FGM, the role of patriarchy in Somali society and despite how progressive it seemed, the fact that it was all a brutal lie. The emancipation of women in the Novel is predicated on the nation's stability. Notions such as honour, sex, alcohol and suicide are all touched upon by the book, painting a more human understanding of the society it takes place.
Overall; this book showed the deep-rooted issues faced by the people of Somalia both past and present. It was an extremely enjoyable read and left a lasting powerful impression on me emboldening me to read and connect more with my heritage!
The book focuses on the extremely different lives of soldier Filsan, orphan Deeqo and widow Kawsar. Mohamed brings to light important issues such as FGM, the role of patriarchy in Somali society and despite how progressive it seemed, the fact that it was all a brutal lie. The emancipation of women in the Novel is predicated on the nation's stability. Notions such as honour, sex, alcohol and suicide are all touched upon by the book, painting a more human understanding of the society it takes place.
Overall; this book showed the deep-rooted issues faced by the people of Somalia both past and present. It was an extremely enjoyable read and left a lasting powerful impression on me emboldening me to read and connect more with my heritage!
February 1, 2021
I read this book as part of my quest to read a book written by an author from every country in the world. The author of this book is from Somalia.
The author of this book grew up in Hargeisa, which is a city in northern Somalia. Somalia is located in the eastern part of Africa, in the horn. It has the longest coastline of any country in Africa.
At the end of the 19th century, Italy took over the reign of Somalia. In 1941, the British were able to overtake the country. The Somali Civil War broke out in the 1980's and is still being fought today. This novel is set during the Civil War. Up to 90% of Hargeisa, the author's home city, was destroyed by the Somali government in 1988.
The novel is about 3 females and how they are affected by war in their country. It is sad and hard to read of the fear, abuse, and poverty that the citizens live through.
The author of this book grew up in Hargeisa, which is a city in northern Somalia. Somalia is located in the eastern part of Africa, in the horn. It has the longest coastline of any country in Africa.
At the end of the 19th century, Italy took over the reign of Somalia. In 1941, the British were able to overtake the country. The Somali Civil War broke out in the 1980's and is still being fought today. This novel is set during the Civil War. Up to 90% of Hargeisa, the author's home city, was destroyed by the Somali government in 1988.
The novel is about 3 females and how they are affected by war in their country. It is sad and hard to read of the fear, abuse, and poverty that the citizens live through.
August 24, 2015
Just phenomenal. Beautifully written story about three Somalian women whose lives intersect in the days before the 1987 revolution.
May 17, 2020
Nadifa Mohamed stworzyła ciekawy obraz somalijskiej rzeczywistości podczas wojny domowej w latach 80. Zawiłości konfliktu między wojskową dyktaturą a frontem wyzwolenia stanowią tło dla opowieści o trzech kobietach. Pierwsza z nich to jeszcze dziewczynka o imieniu Deqo. Dziesięciolatka nie zna swojego pochodzenia, żyje w obozie uchodźców samotnie, spędza czas z koleżanką i irlandzką zakonnicą, która troszczy się o setki dzieci.
Deqo wiele tygodni ćwiczyła taniec na występ podczas wizyty prezydenta. Owa wizyta jest ogromnym wydarzeniem propagandowym, na które spędzeni zostają wszyscy mieszkańcy okolicy. Muszą, przyodziani w najlepsze stroje, wiele godzin siedzieć w spiekocie na trybunach i obserwować występy i słuchać przemów. Występ Deqo okazuje się być katastrofą, a wszystkie jej marzenia o wspaniałym tańcu nikną pod razami nauczycielek. Tę scenę z trybun obserwuje Kawsar - samotna wdowa, która wstawia się w obronie dziecka. Ten gest kończy się dla niej więzieniem, gdzie dotkliwie zostanie pobita przez Filsan. Ta ambitna żołnierka wierzy w reżim, wychowana przez samotnego ojca - polityka, na posłuszną dziewczynę.
Mohamed opowiada historię tych trzech kobiet, których życie naznaczone jest przez wojnę domową, każda decyzja zależy od sytuacji w kraju, większości nawet nie mogą same podjąć. Początkowo poszczególne charaktery mnie intrygowały, jednak z czasem zbledły, tworząc z trzech kobiet jedne z wielu.
Ciąg dalszy: https://przeczytalamksiazke.blogspot....
Deqo wiele tygodni ćwiczyła taniec na występ podczas wizyty prezydenta. Owa wizyta jest ogromnym wydarzeniem propagandowym, na które spędzeni zostają wszyscy mieszkańcy okolicy. Muszą, przyodziani w najlepsze stroje, wiele godzin siedzieć w spiekocie na trybunach i obserwować występy i słuchać przemów. Występ Deqo okazuje się być katastrofą, a wszystkie jej marzenia o wspaniałym tańcu nikną pod razami nauczycielek. Tę scenę z trybun obserwuje Kawsar - samotna wdowa, która wstawia się w obronie dziecka. Ten gest kończy się dla niej więzieniem, gdzie dotkliwie zostanie pobita przez Filsan. Ta ambitna żołnierka wierzy w reżim, wychowana przez samotnego ojca - polityka, na posłuszną dziewczynę.
Mohamed opowiada historię tych trzech kobiet, których życie naznaczone jest przez wojnę domową, każda decyzja zależy od sytuacji w kraju, większości nawet nie mogą same podjąć. Początkowo poszczególne charaktery mnie intrygowały, jednak z czasem zbledły, tworząc z trzech kobiet jedne z wielu.
Ciąg dalszy: https://przeczytalamksiazke.blogspot....
April 29, 2014
The Orchard of Lost Souls starts with the 18th anniversary that brought the current military dictator in Somalia to power. We are introduced to Kawsar, a widow in her 50's. She seems well off. Deqo, a young orphan who was abandoned at a refugee camp. And, Filsan. Filsan is a young female soldier whose father was also in the military. But now, is disgraced. She is very dedicated. But her gender, and fathers shame keeps her from attaining any sort of higher position in her career. The three parts of the book are told from each characters point of view. The characters interconnect. I liked Deqo's character the most. I kept hoping nothing would happen to her. Kawsar is scarred by her daughters death. This was after multiple still births. Her husband (who was chief of police. But refused to be corrupted) also died. Leaving her alone. She was hardened, but still soft when needed. Filsan was a character that was unlikeable. But, kind of redeemed herself at the end. Kawsar tells most of her story from her bed. After Filsan fractures her hip. She beat her for trying to save Deqo from a beating. We are told their stories in the present and in flashback as war looms near. Very engrossing.
April 14, 2014
A book by Somalian author Nadifa Mohamed set in Somalia in the 1980s. The lives of three generations of women from different social standings are interwoven and relate the events of this period of civil war - An orphan girl who escapes from a refugee camp, a soldier trying to find her space/voice in a new regime and an older woman who reflects back on her life and ponders the cost of civil war.
Whilst there is much devastation and death on the streets, these three women hold on to hope which inevitably leads them to each other
Enjoyable reading
Whilst there is much devastation and death on the streets, these three women hold on to hope which inevitably leads them to each other
Enjoyable reading
April 28, 2014
My friend Anisa is originally from Somalia so I have wanted to learn more about its history and the civil war. I learned about it through the eyes of three women. Stories of loss and bloodshed are hard but widened my perspective. Nadifa Mohamed is a talented writer.
September 10, 2022
The 5 stars reflect my own personal impression the book left on me. It was haunting and kept me thinking about the characters even after I finished. The Orchard of Lost Souls takes place in Hargeisa, Somalia in 1988, at the brink of the civil war and tells the story of 3 women, one a child really, and how their lives intersect. Dego, around 9, is an orphan born in a refugee camp. Kawsar is a widow in her late 50s who is still grieving her daughters suicide. Filsan is a female soldier in her late 20s originally from Mogadishu.
At a a rally to honour the regime of the then president, general turned dictator Mohamed Siad Barre, Dego has been brought with other orphans to perform a dance at the stadium. Because of stage fright she fumbles one of the dance steps and is brutally beaten for it. Kawsar has been brought to the rally with other women from the neighbourhood to cheer and clap, however she sees Dego getting beaten and confronts the guards. Dego manages to escape but Kawsar is brought to the police station and beaten so badly her hip breaks and she’s unable to walk. Filsan who’s father was also in the military, has been brought up to believe in the regime. She is the one who beats up Kawsar, however she later shows compassion to Dego when the later is also brought in the police station.
The story alternates between the perspectives of the 3 characters until the last chapter where they meet again.
This novel is riveting and kept me engaged until the end. There is a lot of brutality and violence because it’s realistic and wars are brutal and violent. I learned a lot about Somalia, which I must admit I did not know much about before. I will definitely read other books by the author Nadifa Mohamed,
At a a rally to honour the regime of the then president, general turned dictator Mohamed Siad Barre, Dego has been brought with other orphans to perform a dance at the stadium. Because of stage fright she fumbles one of the dance steps and is brutally beaten for it. Kawsar has been brought to the rally with other women from the neighbourhood to cheer and clap, however she sees Dego getting beaten and confronts the guards. Dego manages to escape but Kawsar is brought to the police station and beaten so badly her hip breaks and she’s unable to walk. Filsan who’s father was also in the military, has been brought up to believe in the regime. She is the one who beats up Kawsar, however she later shows compassion to Dego when the later is also brought in the police station.
The story alternates between the perspectives of the 3 characters until the last chapter where they meet again.
This novel is riveting and kept me engaged until the end. There is a lot of brutality and violence because it’s realistic and wars are brutal and violent. I learned a lot about Somalia, which I must admit I did not know much about before. I will definitely read other books by the author Nadifa Mohamed,
February 12, 2021
Parafraseando a Tolstoi ¿será que todas las revoluciones se parecen, generan la misma tristeza y destrucción?
Tres mujeres, muy distintas entre ellas: una niña huérfana viviendo en la calle, una anciana sola y una soldado, terminan compartiendo su destino obligadas por la violencia, la revolución y la guerra intestina en Somalia. Ninguna de las mujeres me interesó particularmente, la descripción de sus vidas, antes de reunirse, me parecieron largas y no logré identificarme o preocuparme por ninguna de ellas. Hacia el final mejora el ritmo de la narración.
Tres mujeres, muy distintas entre ellas: una niña huérfana viviendo en la calle, una anciana sola y una soldado, terminan compartiendo su destino obligadas por la violencia, la revolución y la guerra intestina en Somalia. Ninguna de las mujeres me interesó particularmente, la descripción de sus vidas, antes de reunirse, me parecieron largas y no logré identificarme o preocuparme por ninguna de ellas. Hacia el final mejora el ritmo de la narración.
August 10, 2017
"The tanks, the planes, helicopters, armoured vehicles and cannons have been put to bed and the few songbirds that haven't fled begin to trill, calling out disoriented, despondent songs to one another for comfort. They will have to be the poets recording what happened here, indignation puffing their chests and opening their throats wide, the sorrowful notes catching in the trees and falling, if life returns, like dust over heads that would rather forget." This passage is indicative of how the book is written, beautifully and powerfully. Another: "Both she and Guryo Samo have reached the end of their time; the soldiers will return the street to the desert, unplug the stars, shoot the dogs, and extinguish the sun in a well." Wow. Mohamed is such a gifted writer, and as this is the first I have read of hers, I look forward to reading more. The Orchard of Lost Souls is the story of three women, Kawsar, an older widow, Filsan, a thirty year old who is a soldier in the Somali army, and Deqo, a child who is an orphan, who has only recently fled from the refugee camp in which she lives. The story is set in northwest Somalia, in the town of Hargeisa, as the country slides towards civil war in the late 1980s. The characters drive the story: Kawsar, who was brutally beaten in jail and can no longer walk, Deqo, who must survive in any way she can because she is completely alone, and horrible Filsan, who has neither compassion nor empathy for anyone with whom she comes into contact. I loved the story, even the almost impossible-to-read passages about the horrors of war, and the weirdly hopeful ending only made the story that much better. HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend!
October 20, 2016
Anyone who argues that government should be abolished should read this book. It chronicles the descent of Somalia when a working government disappeared, a chaotic hell of competition for power, inhuman brutality, and despair.
Three women endure this period: one, a woman of means and education, is an elder whose friends and neighbors disappear throughout the book. The second is a younger woman of means and education who has joined the Army to ensure that what the Somali people needed -- liberation from the British colonialists -- continues to grow and thrive. The third is a child who was born in a refugee camp, an orphan who knows neither parent. Through their eyes and minds, you see a world without government, a sort of Lord of the Flies world where competing interests and fears translate into death, destruction, starvation, and a terror not imaginable for those of us whose concerns include what to eat and what not to eat each day.
Mohamed's prose is lyrical, perhaps too lyrical, in that it draws the pictures of these women's lives and thinking so clearly that, at the end of the novel, they will live inside the reader for a very long time. There are quite a few Somalis here in the U.S. (Mohamed is one of them), and I will never look at them again without thinking that, perhaps, they have endured unspeakable horror...and that I should do everything in my power to make our interaction as positive and helpful as I can.
This is a powerful book, a beautiful book. I finished it yesterday, and today, I'm wondering how these three women are doing...
Three women endure this period: one, a woman of means and education, is an elder whose friends and neighbors disappear throughout the book. The second is a younger woman of means and education who has joined the Army to ensure that what the Somali people needed -- liberation from the British colonialists -- continues to grow and thrive. The third is a child who was born in a refugee camp, an orphan who knows neither parent. Through their eyes and minds, you see a world without government, a sort of Lord of the Flies world where competing interests and fears translate into death, destruction, starvation, and a terror not imaginable for those of us whose concerns include what to eat and what not to eat each day.
Mohamed's prose is lyrical, perhaps too lyrical, in that it draws the pictures of these women's lives and thinking so clearly that, at the end of the novel, they will live inside the reader for a very long time. There are quite a few Somalis here in the U.S. (Mohamed is one of them), and I will never look at them again without thinking that, perhaps, they have endured unspeakable horror...and that I should do everything in my power to make our interaction as positive and helpful as I can.
This is a powerful book, a beautiful book. I finished it yesterday, and today, I'm wondering how these three women are doing...
December 25, 2015
Man, this woman can write. I had never heard of Nadifa Mohamed until I wandered into the library one afternoon and casually picked up this book.
The setting of this book is one that I have to admit that I knew very little about, Somalia in the late 1980s. The country was pretty much under a Communist dictatorship until they were attacked by rebel forces with innocent civilians caught in the middle. All of these events foreshadow the widespread famine and the "Black Hawk Down" disaster that most Americans are familiar with, and I enjoyed the fact that even though the book was fiction, it was somewhat of a history lesson as well without being boring or coming off too preachy.
The book is told through Deqo, a young orphan, Kawsar, a well off woman who is treated brutally by the police, and Filsan, a female officer within the ranks of the Somalian armed forces. The book started off a bit slow and difficult to follow at first, but once the voices of three main characters became more distinct I could not put this book down. This book has a quick pace and the stories are fascinating, and Mohamed does an excellent job with making you actually feel like you're right there in the middle of the village of Hargeisa with her. Of course I don't want to give the book away, but it was certainly a worthy read for me.
The setting of this book is one that I have to admit that I knew very little about, Somalia in the late 1980s. The country was pretty much under a Communist dictatorship until they were attacked by rebel forces with innocent civilians caught in the middle. All of these events foreshadow the widespread famine and the "Black Hawk Down" disaster that most Americans are familiar with, and I enjoyed the fact that even though the book was fiction, it was somewhat of a history lesson as well without being boring or coming off too preachy.
The book is told through Deqo, a young orphan, Kawsar, a well off woman who is treated brutally by the police, and Filsan, a female officer within the ranks of the Somalian armed forces. The book started off a bit slow and difficult to follow at first, but once the voices of three main characters became more distinct I could not put this book down. This book has a quick pace and the stories are fascinating, and Mohamed does an excellent job with making you actually feel like you're right there in the middle of the village of Hargeisa with her. Of course I don't want to give the book away, but it was certainly a worthy read for me.
December 20, 2019
Haunting. The Orchard of Lost Souls weaves together stories universal to all women: family, love, motherhood, friendship and layers them into the tragic horrific history of the Somali civil war. When the book ended I audibly gasped and cried. Historical fiction is a favorite genre of mine, but is dominated by European and American themes. My pursuit of reading a book from every country in the world has brought to view the conflicts, struggles and histories of a much wider swath of humanity. I am struck, not surprised though, by the universal themes and conflicts. I am edified by learning the details of regions rarely depicted in our news feeds. This book, by an exiled Somali woman, is written with prose that had me often stop and reread sentences just for the artistry and beauty of the language. In places this book describes the normal (and often dysfunctional as lives are0 day to day lives of the protagonists. Then, the descriptions of the brutality and trauma of war are layered on top. This is how war is - an insidious and also abrupt disruption of normal.
If you enjoy historical fiction this book should be added to your to-read list.
If you enjoy historical fiction this book should be added to your to-read list.
October 8, 2021
A novel about Somalia featured by three main characters: a small girl who flees a refugee camp, a young adult policeman, and an elderly widow. Women are mostly responsible for feeding their families and earn money in any way possible because young men are usually kidnapped to go and fight and older men are conscripted. For years, Somalia has been one of the poorest countries in the world, always at war and ravaged by the corruption of its dictators. The living conditions are terrible and there is little people can do to improve their lot. In addition to being appalled by the horror and tragedy endured by these people, what I found most discouraging is to see how people who have nothing to lose, who live worse than our animals, and who have no hopes whatsoever, with time lose any empathy and compassion for others. They get so used to seeing people tortured or killed, of finding corpses in the street, of seeing how children's organs are traded that they become usual everyday happenings. Crying, yelling, fighting is secondary. Their only task is to survive one more day.
October 25, 2016
Bildgewaltig, brutal und trotzdem voller Hoffnung. Das Buch zieht einen mitten hinein in eine unbegreifliche Realität, die jeder anders erlebt und doch alle verändert.
Stellenweise hatte es seine Längen, aber ansonsten eine Empfehlung.
Stellenweise hatte es seine Längen, aber ansonsten eine Empfehlung.
October 31, 2014
A haunting, beautiful, and (ultimately) uplifting story of love, betrayal, and hope, as seen in the lives of three women during the civil war that tore Somalia apart during the late 1980s.
December 6, 2015
This is a wonderful book that tells the story of three women during the Somalian Civil War. Strongly recommend.
August 1, 2022
Tradução: Otacílio Nunes (também traduz Patricia Cornwell)
Estória ficcional construída sobre base real da guerra civil na Somália, O Pomar das Almas Perdidas trata dos arcos de Deqo, Filsan e Kawsar, mulheres de situações diferente envolvidas na mesma guerra.
Kawsar é uma viúva idosa e solitária depois da morte da única filha, Hodan. Apesar das dores e sofrimentos que passou é uma pessoa amarga, cheia de manhas e vontades que raramente se coloca no lugar do outro, mesmo sabendo que está sendo cruel ou ingrata. Odiei essa criatura com todas as forças.
Filsan é uma jovem militar a serviço do governo que não hesita em cumprir as ordens mais estapafúrdias e o faz de maneira totalmente insensível e desinteressada, não se importando se é pra matar ou torturar. Aliás, ela sempre se esforça para fazer "um pouco a mais" do que lhe é determinado e, ao final, só se importa com sua estória mal desenvolvida com seu pai e seus próprios sentimentos. Zero empatia por ela.
Deqo é uma criança órfã que se vê diante da brutalidade de funcionários do governo tendo como única saída a fuga e a tentativa de sobrevivência por meios próprios. Ela se sai muito bem. Tão bem que deixa de ser crível. Uma criança de 9 anos que viveu a vida toda em campo de refugiado de repente se dá melhor que as crianças que vivem nas ruas da cidade.
A escrita da autora é boa, fluída, interessante, mas a forma como ela escolheu contar essa estória não acompanha a escrita. Alguns pontos são maçantes, entediantes, outros são revoltantes.
Não consegui me conectar em momento algum com a estória, por mais tocante que fosse a passagem. Única alegria que tive com essa leitura foi em terminá-la.
Estória ficcional construída sobre base real da guerra civil na Somália, O Pomar das Almas Perdidas trata dos arcos de Deqo, Filsan e Kawsar, mulheres de situações diferente envolvidas na mesma guerra.
Kawsar é uma viúva idosa e solitária depois da morte da única filha, Hodan. Apesar das dores e sofrimentos que passou é uma pessoa amarga, cheia de manhas e vontades que raramente se coloca no lugar do outro, mesmo sabendo que está sendo cruel ou ingrata. Odiei essa criatura com todas as forças.
Filsan é uma jovem militar a serviço do governo que não hesita em cumprir as ordens mais estapafúrdias e o faz de maneira totalmente insensível e desinteressada, não se importando se é pra matar ou torturar. Aliás, ela sempre se esforça para fazer "um pouco a mais" do que lhe é determinado e, ao final, só se importa com sua estória mal desenvolvida com seu pai e seus próprios sentimentos. Zero empatia por ela.
Deqo é uma criança órfã que se vê diante da brutalidade de funcionários do governo tendo como única saída a fuga e a tentativa de sobrevivência por meios próprios. Ela se sai muito bem. Tão bem que deixa de ser crível. Uma criança de 9 anos que viveu a vida toda em campo de refugiado de repente se dá melhor que as crianças que vivem nas ruas da cidade.
A escrita da autora é boa, fluída, interessante, mas a forma como ela escolheu contar essa estória não acompanha a escrita. Alguns pontos são maçantes, entediantes, outros são revoltantes.
Não consegui me conectar em momento algum com a estória, por mais tocante que fosse a passagem. Única alegria que tive com essa leitura foi em terminá-la.
August 29, 2020
This was a challenging, but wonderful read. Set in what is now Somaliland (effectively a self-governing territory in Somalia) in the late 1980s, three women's lives collide in a city that will soon be at the centre of the civil war. 9-year old Deqo is an orphan, abandoned as a baby in the nearby refugee camp. She is selected to participate in the independence day celebrations where she disappears into the city after being beaten by some of the organisers. She is given some protection by local prostitutes where she cleans in return for a place to stay. 30-year old Filsan is the daughter of a general in the Somali army and one of the first female members of said army. She is single and not reconciled to her family or role as corporal in the army. Kawsar is a widow, her daughter and husband dead and lives by herself in a small house. The orchard is in her garden where she planted trees each time she lost a baby due to a miscarriage. At the independence day celebrations, she tries to intervene in Deqo's attack, but ends up with a broken hip herself and is bed-ridden for the last few months of the year.
The story focuses on the last few months of 1987 as the Somali government starts attacking rebel holdings around the city. War time violence leaves many dead and households shattered. It tells the story from the perspective of each women and then their lives collide again in the final attack on the city.
Complex characters, beautifully written and a setting not often encountered. So glad I read this, highly recommend.
Here's an interview with the author: https://granta.com/granta-video-nadif...
And a review by Aminatta Forna: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/bo...
The story focuses on the last few months of 1987 as the Somali government starts attacking rebel holdings around the city. War time violence leaves many dead and households shattered. It tells the story from the perspective of each women and then their lives collide again in the final attack on the city.
Complex characters, beautifully written and a setting not often encountered. So glad I read this, highly recommend.
Here's an interview with the author: https://granta.com/granta-video-nadif...
And a review by Aminatta Forna: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/bo...
August 2, 2020
1980s Somalia:
A time in history I realise I knew nothing about. The three very different women/girls whose stories this book tells are rounded characters, immensely likeable even when they aren't! Although I generally find stories trite when they circle round on themselves, this one simply felt right - a family. Highly recommended.
A time in history I realise I knew nothing about. The three very different women/girls whose stories this book tells are rounded characters, immensely likeable even when they aren't! Although I generally find stories trite when they circle round on themselves, this one simply felt right - a family. Highly recommended.
Read
January 14, 2026Three generations of woman, bound by an unknowable series of coincidences, navigate the dissolution of Somalia. I can think of a lot of other books that fall within this general literary subgenre, but few that I enjoyed as much. The characters are deftly written and the narrative keeps to a good clip.
April 9, 2021
(3.5)
may come back to rerate, that ending was a lot to think about
Rep: Somali characters & setting
CWs: sexual assault, police brutality, eye horror, miscarriage, child death, mentions of fgm, implied rape, self immolation, child abuse
may come back to rerate, that ending was a lot to think about
Rep: Somali characters & setting
CWs: sexual assault, police brutality, eye horror, miscarriage, child death, mentions of fgm, implied rape, self immolation, child abuse
Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews