We Are All That's Left

by Carrie Arcos

Two lives. Two worlds apart. One deeply compelling story set in both Bosnia and the United States, spanning decades and generations, about the brutality of war and the trauma of everyday life after war, about hope and the ties that bind us together.

Zara and her mother, Nadja, have a strained relationship. Nadja just doesn't understand Zara's creative passion for, and self-expression through, photography. And Zara doesn't know how to reach beyond their differences and connect to a closed-off mother who refuses to speak about her past in Bosnia. But when a bomb explodes as they're shopping in their local farmers' market in Rhode Island, Zara is left with PTSD--and her mother is left in a coma. Without the opportunity to get to know her mother, Zara is left with questions--not just about her mother, but about faith, religion, history, and her own path forward.

As Zara tries to sort through her confusion, she meets Joseph, whose grandmother is also in the hospital, and whose exploration of religion and philosophy offer comfort and insight into Zara's own line of thinking.

Told in chapters that alternate between Zara's present-day Providence, RI, and Nadja's own childhood in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War of the 1990s, We Are All That's Left shows the ways in which, no matter the time and place, struggle and tragedy can give way to connection, healing and love.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, War, Historical, Fiction, Family

387 pages, Hardcover

First published May 15, 2018

About the author

Carrie Arcos is a National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature for OUT OF REACH; her fifth novel SKYWATCHERS will be available August 2020. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. For more information, check out her website: carriearcos.com

Reviews

[Brooke — brooklynnnnereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a harrowing and beautiful novel surrounding war, culture, family, genocide, terrorism, prejudice, PTSD, and countless other topics. Seriously, I am just naming a few of the many topics discussed in this novel. It was a very powerful and emotional read that I feel the need to leave a disclaimer for readers to be mindful and cautionary of.

As mentioned, this was a very emotional read. I could not imagine facing the horrors that Zara (along with her mother Nadja) encounter.

It was a very educational read in the sense that yes, this is history, but unfortunately, it’s also the present. I wish it was not. This is an informative read that really hits the message home that many people are dealing with an unknown, invisible struggle which may not be verbalized.

As well, it’s educational in the fact that it exposes war in a way that the general public may not acknowledge or know about. It shows not only the impact of war on an individual person but also the generational impact and how a family can be impacted.

This was a beautifully written (yet terrifying) novel unlike any that I have read before. I hope that many will pick up and read this novel as it’s an important one that is especially important in the current world that we are living in.

***Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for sending me an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review***

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I want to thank Penguin Random House for allowing me to take part on the blog tour and providing an ARC of this book. This, by any means, did not affect nor influence my review.***

Trigger/Content warning: death, discrimination against Muslims, bombings, war, fascism, genocide, terrorism, sexual assault, PTSD

We Are All That’s Left is a powerful, hopeful, truthful, inspiring, no holds barred book about war, love, family, forgiveness, recovery, trauma, acceptance, religion, terrorism, survival and emerging from the darkest depths of your life.

I had no idea I would be introduced not just to another culture but to a remarkable yet horrific event in history, different beliefs, inspiring and brave people, and more.

If you want a painful book:

If you want an inspiring book:

If you want an honest book:

If you want a lesson-filled book:


This book introduced me to the culture of Bosnia, its people, and its horrific past – which I was really not that familiar with before. It is both set in Bosnia and America with altering point of views of Zara, which is set in the present and Nadja, her mom, which is set in the past when she was still young. I loved the altering of point of views along with the setting, it made me feel like this is a historical fiction and realistic fiction at the same time.

I loved all the characters in this book – especially the main characters Zara and Nadja and how real and flawed they are as well as their relationship with each other. I also liked the romance between Zara and Joseph, it wasn’t the highlight of the story but I liked the contribution it made to Zara’s life and the whole story. They also complement each other. All of the characters are survivors. Everyone is brave and inspiring in their own ways and a survivor of their own battles.

This is certainly though-provoking. For me, this is one of the books that should be studied in school. The story everyone must hear. A story based on real events. Where questions in the characters’ mind can also be answered our discussed by the students. Or where they raised questions about the book themselves.

Aside from war, terrorism and survival, a huge part of this book is about the maternal relationship of Zara and Nadja. I loved their journey of knowing, accepting and forgiving each other. I loved how flawed they are as individuals and as a daughter and a mother. I loved how honest they are. I just loved their story so much.

Everything was so heartfelt. Literally every emotion the characters felt, I also felt. And this is the kind of book that will make you wish and wish and wish “I hope this world is a better place.” I hope this world would be a better place.

Overall, this book is a blessing for me. This is nothing like what I’ve read before. It’s an eye-opener. As my first read from Carrie Arcos, I am so impressed. I highly recommend.

[Sara (sarabara081) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can find more of my reviews at Forever 17 Books.

4.5 stars!

This is going to be one of those reviews where I have a hard time organizing my thoughts together to adequately convey just how amazing the story was. It’s a story about war. It’s a story about what it means to be a survivor. It’s a story about family.

The story follows Zara, a budding photographer who always has a camera on hand. Unfortunately her mother, Nadja, doesn’t quite understand her creativity. The two have a complicated relationship, to say the least. Zara feels very closed off from her mother, not knowing much at all about her childhood and past in the Bosnian War. When they are victims of a bombing at a farmers’ market that leaves them injured, her mother in a coma, Zara is left with questions not just about her mother but also about her own faith.

Zara is absolutely the main focus of this novel but it also alternated with chapters that follow her mother Nadja as a teen and her survival during the war. I have to say, I really didn’t know much about the Bosnian War before reading this novel and reading this was such an eye-opener. My heart ached for Nadja and all the terrible things we see her go through like losing family members, the ethnic cleansing of her people, being near starvation, and seeing her almost sensitized to the trauma around her. But it was so much more than just the character of Nadja. Thinking about the people who lived through this in the real world is so heartbreaking.

There were parallels between both the past and the present and I found myself equally committed to both, anxious to know how Nadja survived back then and anxious to know if she would in the present after everything she went through and the impact it was having on Zara. Zara showed such strength in a time so tragic to her and her family. She is desperate to know more about her mother, afraid she may have lost the chance. She takes this terrible circumstance and uses it to bridge the gap between her and her mother and I admired that determination to do so. But it’s not just that, it’s about learning more about herself and her own faith in the process. And I have to mention the amazingly sweet boy she meets along the way, Joseph, who is sort of on his own quest of discovering faith. Zara isn’t so interested in a new friend at first but Joseph doesn’t give up on her and I loved him for it. The become a great support system for each other in their own personal journeys.

We Are All That’s Left is not my typical read but one I’m so thankful I did. I loved how both parts of the story came together so perfectly at the end. It’s deep and moving, beautiful and tragic. It made me feel so many things and is one I will not forget. This is absolutely a read worth checking out!

[Marochka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Очень тяжелая, но при этом красивая и философская книга.
Автор пишет просто великолепно. Я прочитала книгу с огромным удовольствием, половину времени проплакав.
До этой книги я знать не знала о Боснийской войне, несмотря на то, что она случилась, когда я уже родилась. Все ужасы, описанные автором (а она клянется в их достоверности), шокировали и поразили меня. Вся эта ситуация очень похожа на холокост времен Второй Мировой. И, хотя он тоже был не так уж давно, все-таки Боснийская вона происходила буквально 25 лет назад… и это меня особенно поразило.
Я не настолько наивна, чтобы не понимать, что всякие ужасы творятся в мире до сих пор, но все равно меня шокирует, что люди могут вести себя как животные (в таких масштабах) практически в наше время. Книга сама по себе отличная, но это меня особенно зацепило.
Мне очень понравились параллели, которые провела автор между нашим временем и событиями 90-ых годов. Понравились параллели между Зарой и Надей.
Меня вообще впечатляет, когда авторы создают героев, которые совершенно друг друга не понимают, и, раскрывая их истории, показывают, что, на самом деле, не такие уж они и разные. И если они узнают эти истории, то станут по-настоящему близки.
Книга со смыслом. Не глупый романчик (с романтикой тут вообще все непросто), а очень тяжелая книга.
С одной стороны, жаль, что книга не особо популярна. Всего 387 голосов на Goodreads (зато рейтинг нереальный 4,34). С другой, я прекрасно понимаю, почему так вышло. Книга по описанию на любителя. И я бы в жизни ее добровольно не выбрала, хоть она мне, в итоге, очень понравилась. Сразу видно, что она тяжелая. И не совсем, если уж на то пошло, YA. Большинство такие книги не любит. Точнее не рвется (как я) их читать. Для них нужно особое настроение.
Но если уж взять книгу в руки, практически с первых страниц понимаешь, что она очень качественная и достойная. Только все-таки для аудитории постарше.

Итоговая оценка: 9/10

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cool factoid that I was not aware of that this author actually was born here in Albany, NY. Love that though now she's on the West Coast.

Anyway. So. All the feelings erupted on this one. I read a few pages and thought I might want to speed it up a bit because it didn't draw me in at the first line or necessarily the first few pages, then, the emotional climate that Arcos was building hit the peak and I was invested. I think because Arcos didn't yet set the stage for how important the lack of the relationship between Zara and her mom was because she came at it from the disconnect over Zara's passion for photography, but then it worked and I was hooked. This is a beautiful story and the past and present timelines DEFY words for how it works for this novel. Understanding culture, history, religion, prejudice click into place like interlocking puzzle pieces and the usually-never-covered-in-YA-lit Bosnian War takes center stage to lend special significance to this part of history that unless lived isn't usually read about for teens.

Though I could have done without the romance. Why must there always be romance? I see how it worked (foiling Nadja's draga, Marko) and it was okay, but truly this could have been a generational story and been amazing.

I was particularly mesmerized by the past and being in Nadja's shoes as it reminds me of other YA lit stories in which the children must understand the trauma of the parents like I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, etc. Then building to the culminating photos (which is why I will always adore that motif from Flash Burnout) was icing on the cake. Well done and I'm just trying to figure out WHO of my students I want to give it to first!

Reviewed on my blog: What's left of me after reading We Are All That's Left

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this review and more on my blog.The Book Return Blog
Zara feels shut off from her Bosnian born mother. She knows that her mother survived some horrible things in the Bosnian war but Zara wants desperately to understand who her mother is. So when Zara, her mother, and her little brother are victims of a tourist attack, Zara begins to understand what emotional and physical trauma can do to a person and a family.

I really love a good historical fiction. Good historical fiction is entertaining while at the same time teaches us about significant events. I have noticed that much of the historical fiction out there covers the really well-known periods of history. For example: the Tutor period, the American Civil War, WWI, and especially WWII. I really love it when I find a novel that explores world events that are lesser known . When I read the synopsis of, ‘We Are All That’s Left’, I knew this was a book that I had to read.

‘We Are All That’s Left’, alternates between Zara dealing with the aftermath of a present day terror attack and Zara’s mother, Nadja, living in war-torn Bosnia in the past. Going into the story, I did know a little about the Bosnian war. I remember watching the Sarajevo Olympics. I then remember hearing that during the Bosnian war that Sarajevo was ripped apart. I, however, had no idea that such human atrocities had taken place during the war.

‘We Are All That’s Left’ is one of the most amazingly well done books I have ever read. Arcos really brings alive not only the atrocities and ugliness of the Bosnian war but contrasts this with the beauty of the Bosnian countryside. A excellent example of this is her descriptions of the river Drina and its beautiful white stone bridge. Both the majestic river and the bridge host some of the most horrible atrocities of the war.

I really loved both the characters of Zara and Nadja. Even though Nadja is closed off and cold, I found her to be a very relatable character. As her background unfurls within the story, I found myself loving Nadja more and more. In the beginning I found myself being more interested in Zara’s story, as I felt we already knew what would happen with Nadja. As the story moved along more and more surprises from Nadja’s past presented themselves and I became totally wrapped up in her story.

While stories of the holocaust and WWII are vital for us all to learn and understand , we, as a society, really need to take a closer look at many of the lesser known points in history. The world really needs to know that terrible things like genocides are not only events of the past but also events of today. That is why ,’ We Are All That’s Left’, is a book that we all should all be reading.

[Kaci Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

cry count: 3

I think this is my current favorite book it was SO GOOD. I can't even explain it, just the messages, and writing, the 2 povs.

I've read it before a couple years ago but I think the fact that I didn't even remember reading it when I picked it up from my library shows that I was too young to read it. Now that I'm older and more mature I definitely appreciate it more and am able to absorb it in. Though I do wonder if I wasn't reading it in the part of my life I'm in now or during the Ukraine-Russia War if it would've had such an effect on me.

[AP · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

[hanna ‎هانا · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Are All That’s Left is a powerful and inspiring story about resilience, family, trauma and connection. It follows Zara and her mother’s journey to recovery and understanding. At the begging of the story, Zara and her mother have a very distant and strained relationship, her mother, Nadja, does not understand Zara’s passion for photography and Zara doesn’t know how to reach her mother beyond their differences. Nadja refuses to speak of her experiences during the Bosnian war.
But when Zara, her brother and her mother are caught in a terrorist attack while at a farmers market, Zara is left with PTSD, and her mother left in a coma. Zara tries to rediscover herself though she feels like she will never be the same. She meets Joseph, whose exploration of religion and philosophy help to give insight to Zara and her mother’s personal struggles.
She discovers more about her mother slowly and through the understanding of Nadja’s childhood and past experiences, they become more connected and understanding of her mother’s identity.
This story is told between alternating chapters, Zara’s perspective in present day US, and Nadja’s perspective as a child in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
I felt that this story was about the understanding of generational recovery and the brutality of war, as well as hope.

[t a y r e a d s ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing book! This book is written with so much emotion. This is a story of trauma, which became power!

[Carol Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy sharing amazing books and a young adult author who I'm unfamiliar with. That's what you'll find if you read, or listen to, Carrie Arcos' book, We Are All That's Left (Philomel, 2018). Both narrators, Laura Knight Keating and Elisabeth Rodgers, perform the book with clarity, fervor, and excellence. (Please keep in mind that quotes may not be exact; I took notes as I did other tasks.)





REVIEW

Told in dual points of view, Ms. Arcos provides readers with an intimate look at the effects of the Bosnian War as well as a very personal experience with modern day terrorism. If you're not familiar with this civil war, you might want to read about it first.

The book opens with a view of the River Drina and the bridge that crosses it. The bridge plays an important part in the story and also symbolizes the connection between Zara and her mother, Nadja.

Quickly, the reader discovers that Zara feels shut out from her mother's life. Although Zara knows that her mother lived through the Bosnian War and she hears the screams from her nightmares, Nadja never speaks about it. Zara doesn't go anywhere without her camera, but her mother can't stand the sound of a camera clicking. Zara concludes, We have nothing in common except our sea green eyes.

Then, a terrorist attacks.

On a summer day, Zara and her brother Benny are at a farmer's market with their mother. Without warning, a bomb goes off, their lives are shattered, and Zara is left holding her mother's yellow ballet slipper.

At that point, the novel switches to Nadja's story in 1992. She's a teenager in love with a Serb teen photographer, Marco. They both plans to study in Sarajevo. And even though they are different ethnically, who cares? They are both Bosnians.

Then, war breaks out.

The story flits back and forth between the present in which Zara deals with severe physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological wounds, and Nadja's heart-rending, horrific story. Nadja is in a coma as a result of the attack and Zara experiences a wide range of emotions. Their silence seems no different than what is normal between them, but Zara fears that her mother will die and they'll never truly know each her.

Before the attack, Zara had enrolled in a photography class. Although she feels like a freak with bandages across her face, she decides to attend. Each student must create a photo story. The instructor prompts: "What do you want the viewer to feel? Look for stories around you. What story are you in?"

Zara finds a box full of old letters and photos that Marco took. She feels like she's discovered a treasure which leads her to anger and grief over the grandparents (and uncle) she never knew. I’ve peaked over an abyss I didn’t know existed.

The book holds a sense of timelessness. The events are different in time and place, but Zara grapples with the violence her mother experienced and the ISIS attack against her community haunt her day and night. My emptiness is all that's left.

Zara meets Joseph who is also searching for meaning in suffering. Zara wonders how God allows terrorist attacks. Joseph shares his spiritual journey, but more than anything, becomes a friend with whom Zara can unburden herself. By listening and understanding he helps Zara put back together the pieces of her broken self and her shattered life.

I listened to this at the same time that I was reading For Black Girls Like Me. Mother abandonment is a theme in both books and both fathers are overwhelmed and not quite sure how to help their daughters. At one point Zara's father tells her: "People fear what they do not know." Even though it is true, that hardly satisfies her emotionally.

Zara's photography teacher asks the class to consider their photo stories and ask, "What is the character’s narrative and is it true?" Her photography project bridges the gap between mother and daughter and brings healing to their relationship.

When Nadja comes out of the coma, Zara spends hours in the hospital talking to her and hearing her mother's story. Zara concludes, "Maybe God is love. I have no choice but to use the suffering. Love and forgiveness go hand in hand. I survived and am still surviving."

Book giveaway ends January 20. Leave a comment on cbaldwin6@me.com to win this audio book.

[Kitkat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this story. I didn't know about the genocide that happened Bosnia. I really liked learning about it and the struggle to keep living after a life changing event happens. The story starts with Zara practicing her photography and her mother Nadja getting mad. Zara, Zara's little brother Benjamin, and Nadja go to the grocery store. A bomb blows the grocery store leading her mother into a coma. Zara is constantly haunted by the the bodies she saw and the horror of seeing her mother. I felt so badly and sad that Zara went through. But I felt even worse for Nadja through the genocide. Eventually Zara finds box full of all Nadja's belongings from the war. Zara reads about what Nadja went through and visits her mother. When she visits she meets a boy named Joseph. Joseph is super kind and becomes a love interest. I liked their relationship but I love the mother, daughter relationship. How Zara screams in her sleep like her mother is really interesting.

Nadja has a difficult childhood. She falls in love with a boy who is a photographer. How she dislikes Zara makes much more sense. Nadja is reminded by her pain of losing him. I felt terrible and it made me understand her character more. Nadja's father and brother Benjamin are taken away and her mother goes after them. However the mother is taking to a gas chamber that used to be a spa. I felt terrible because she had to run with her boyfriend who she never saw again. She reaches a city with family friend that takes her in. She lives and sees snipers shooting everyone. Eventually they have to escape to America.

I loved how Nadja fought to speak again and move after her coma. Then she met her friend from the war and they hugged kissing. It made me so happy. How Nadja and Zara are going to fight to get past their PTSD. I'm really glad that I read this book because it was amazing. It gave me an insight on the genocide in Bosnia.

[Dalal · Rating 3 out of 5]

im rlly neutral about this book. it was ok. but I like her message here. it just wasn't written great. so it was about a girl getting to know herself after a terrorist attack at the farmers market which she, her brother, and mom were involved in. she was left with 67 stitches in her back and a bad scab on her cheek. her brother was bruised, and her mom was left in a coma. the mc is discovering herself and who she is.
i think it was... ok. the was a lot of Muslim rep (maybe not that good, but at least thr was). it talked about the moms tragic past and PTSD from the Bosnian war (which she was involved in, her family killed). the mom and her family were targeted bcs they were Muslims. the author also brought up a good point: Islamaphobia and injustice didn't start after 9/11. it existed way b4, and ppl often forget that. Muslims were definitely hated on and thought to be bad and dangerous way before 9/11. ppl would forget about that, and i love how the author mentioned it. overall the book wasn't bad. i would've preferred she wrote it in a different way tho. would recommend.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t normally love when books switch back and forth between perspective and timelines, but this was excellently some. It wasn’t ever confusing, even when I forgot to pay attention to the date at the top of the chapter.

This was a beautifully written story of pain, loss and love. Nadja and Zara are not going to be easy to forget!

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
Starts off a little slowly, but overall, a powerful story.

[Michelle]

I tried real hard, but I just couldn't make it through this one. Maybe it was the going back and forth between then and now, maybe it was because I mostly read it at night. I might try it again later.

[Liilaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The religious stuff was kind of iffy, but otherwise this book really taught me a lot.

[Lejla Ramic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the book would have been better if it actually told the stories of the Bosnian people and not the authors own story. I also think factually a few things were incorrect or really down played to show what the Bosnian people went through. Either way, Nadja’s story made the book.

[Justine Roskovich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved Nadja story and the history of Bosnia. Kind of felt like the other story added an unnecessary source of drama.

[Krys · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad! I really appreciated how the author reflected the devastating effects of war and trauma (especially what happened in the 90s) in a manner of respect. Arcos made the mother-daughter relationship the limelight of the story, however, I wanted a little more. I think because of the restriction of a young adult audience, the brutality of the story could not be explored further (does that make sense?) I wanted a little more from the story, but I really enjoyed this introduction on a conflict/war that has largely been swept under the rug.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is ok, but I could not connect with any of the characters.

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just noticed I didn't write a review for this one. I'm sorry to say that I must have liked it, but don't recall enough details to fill in the blanks.

[Patricia Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The voice of Zara, an aspiring teenaged photographer in Rhode Island, alternates with the story of her mother, Nadja who survived the 1990s Yugoslav War in “We Are All That’s Left” (Philomel 2018), a novel by Carrie Arcos.

The Yugoslav War led to the breakup of the former nation of Yugoslavia. Serbs and Croats were bent on “ethnic cleansing” and ridding their country of Muslims. Nadja’s family, non-practicing Muslims, were all shot and killed as teenaged Nadja watched—hidden. She managed to escape to war-torn Sarajevo with the help of her non-Muslim boyfriend Marko. But he was gone now.

In Sarajevo, Nadja heard people screaming. “She decided if she were to get shot, she would not scream. She would not make a sound. She would be . . . silent and strong, like a large willow tree near the river.” It was no wonder she’d closed off. But after some harrowing years, she made her way to the U.S. and married an American physician. Considering her background, it’s clear to see why Nadja’s mothering skills were less than stellar. Zara is not close to her mother, but she longs to be loved.

Arcos begins the book with terrorist attacks in Rhode Island and around the U.S. Zara and Nadja happen to be at the farmer’s market when a terrorist’s bomb explodes, seriously injuring Zara and putting Nadja in a coma. Zara has the shrapnel excised from her back and face and returns home to her brother and attending grandparents. Her father spends much of his time in the hospital keeping busy and checking on his comatose wife.

Almost a universal experience among survivors, Zara says, “I think of . . . the people who lost limbs. Those who died. Why did I survive? . . . Nothing makes sense . . .” Not long before the attack Zara had refused to talk to her seemingly cold mother. “I wanted to be mad because I felt like it was justified, like anger gave me a strength to fight the loneliness and hurt I felt.” At the time her mother had the wisdom to say to her daughter, “It takes a stronger person to let others in.”

But now Nadja is in a coma. Zara longs to let her mother in—to know her. She wants to know about the war years. In her mother’s closet, Zara finds a box filled with mementos from the war—objects we have become privy to, as we read Nadja’s story.

Wise, handsome Joseph befriends Zara at the hospital. He studies world religions in order to deal with his own traumatic life experience and paraphrases Rumi, the Muslim mystic, saying, “The wound is the place where the light enters you.”

Zara is wounded inside and out. Eventually she realizes, “Scars . . . don’t diminish our lives, but make them richer somehow.” This is a story of mother and daughter, of love and bonding, as well as of survival.

Patricia Hruby Powell is author of the young adult documentary novel Loving vs. Virginia and Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker among other books talesforallages.com

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

As is the case for many Americans, I don't know a great deal about the Bosnian War. I have a friend whose family endured the conflict, eventually fleeing for the United States and then finally returning to the area. And I've read a picture book that focuses on that period but never a novel. Although I cannot attest to its accuracy due to my own ignorance, I have to say that this account was outstanding even while revealing the effects of trauma and the scars of the past. Told in two voices, that of Zara, a talented photographer living in Providence, Rhode Island, and her mother, Nadja who grew up in Bosnia and Herzegovina and was a teen during the conflict. Zara has always felt some distance between her mother and her, but after she is injured and her mother is in a coma during a terrorist attack at an open-air market, they find their way back to one another. Desperate to find a way to connect to her mother, Zara stumbles upon a box with writing, photographs, and objects, all of which have great significance to her mother. As I read the passages set in Visegrad and Sarajevo, my heart broke for what Nadja had endured and I wondered again about humans' inhumanity to one another. The scenes of violence are shocking, and the point of all the conflict seems meaningless. The author has effectively captured Zara's own recovery as she uses her camera and photographs to tell an important story, one of love, hope, and forgiveness. While she's looking for answers, so is Joseph, the young man she happens to meet in the hospital. As it turns out, he is caring guilt and sorrow of his own even while trying to make sense of everything and why things happen as they do. Many teens and adults try to understand why bad things happen to good people, which added authenticity to his journey. I was emotionally drained by the time Nadja was ready to head to the United States and feared for any more traumatic events ahead of her. I also found it interesting that even though she tried to leave her past behind, it was always with her, affecting her relationship with Zara. Ah, and while there is love ahead for her, even after her first love with Marko, how difficult would it be to trust again? This book's title is perfect since in the end, that's true for Nadja; having lost almost everyone and everything that mattered to her, all she has is the small family she has created in her new homeland. I highly recommend this book, which will most likely prompt readers to want to learn more about this war and these places.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Are All That's Left by Carrie Arcos, 376 pages. Philomel Books, 2018. $18.

Language: R (4 swears, 9 "f"); Mature Content: PG-13 (attempted rape-not graphic; smoking); Violence: R (terrorist attack with description of aftermath and wounds, sniper shooting deaths, executions during genocide, bombings).

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Zara and her mother, Nadja, can't seem to agree on anything. Zara loves photography and her mother seems to hate it. She is frustrated that her mother seems cold and unwilling to talk about her past. When Zara, her mother, and her younger brother are at a farmer's market near their home in Rhode Island, a terrorist attack leaves the kids wounded and scared and their distant mother in a coma. As Zara tries to learn about the mother she might lose by digging through personal items from Nadja's past, she also is dealing with her own PTSD. She struggles to find the strength to pick her camera up again and rejoin the world. Through this process, she makes new connections and learns how to heal, both inside and out.

This book was beautifully written and both heart-wrenching and hopeful in its message. The story goes back and forth between 17-year old Zara's perspective in present-day Rhode Island and her mother, Nadja's experiences at the same age in war-torn Bosnia from 1992 through 1995. It was well-researched and the author even visited Sarajevo and the surrounding area to try to understand what happened there. Through Zara's journey to heal from the terrorist attack and desire to will Nadja awake from her coma, she interacts with memorable characters who help her gain insight and wisdom. Her photography helps her reflect on her experience and as her teacher, Mr. Singh says, "Sometimes our art is the only way out of the dark." If not for the "f" words, this book would definitely be essential for high school readers. It gives insight into modern-day genocide, terrorism, and the resulting PTSD, and more importantly, the strength and love it takes to heal and move on from such tragedy. So memorable and powerful.

Reviewer: Stacee S., Reading Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

We Are All That's Left is a dual-timeline story that is split between Zara and her mom Nadja. Zara's storyline is present-day Rhode Island and focuses on her and her mom's relationship, which is rocky at best. Zara blames this rockiness on the fact that Nadja keeps Zara at a distance and doesn't really share what's on her mind and in her heart except to criticize. Zara knows this is mostly because Nadja was a teenager during the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993-1994. But, still, Zara wants her mom's love and acceptance. But Zara's life is turned upside down her she, her mom, and her younger brother are caught in a terrorist bombing at the farmer's market. Zara's face and her back are badly wounded from shrapnel. Worse, though, is her mom, who is marked by a traumatic brain injury and is in a coma. Will her mother live? And how will this affect Zara and Nadja's relationship?

Nadja's narrative is from 1993-1994 and the beginning of the genocide and her time as an orphan in Sarajevo. It details the horror, starvation, violence, and devastation that Nadja and many, many other Muslims in BiH suffered. As Nadja's story progresses, we learn why adult Nadja is so closed-off and distant with Zara.

The B-story is of a friendship that Zara develops with Joseph, whom she meets at the hospital. Joseph has also experienced a trauma (although a very different one that Nadja and Zara), which has led him on a path to explore God, religion, and spirituality. In the end, the message of love that Zara helps Joseph settle on is beautiful (and beautifully Lutheran).

We Are All That's Left is slow. Painstakingly slow. It took me more than a week to read, which is pretty pathetic for me. I did like the discussion on love and religion, and I enjoyed learning about the genocide in BiH, which I knew absolutely nothing about prior to reading WAATL.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning-some F bombs. — I like the book, I like the story. I like how the author makes you reflect on how trials can make you a better person. There is a quote in the book that goes something like— your wounds are places where you can let the light in. I like that when we have hard times, we are weak in places and that is where Christ’s light can enter and help us, and make us better people. **stop here for spoilers***. The story goes between the daughter’s life in present day USA, and the mother’s life in Bosnia. The story tells us how both girls went through hard times and their lives changed. The mother witnesses her father, mother, and brother being shot. She also finds out that her boyfriend Marco, is dead from the war. she escapes and lives with another family. They adopt her and they come to America. She marries a doctor. Her daugther likes to take photos- so the story tells us about how we can capture a moment of life and tell a story through pictures. In a farmers market one day a terrorist sets off a bomb and the daugther is injured, and also the brother. The mother is really hurt and in a coma for a long time. The daugther was not close to the mom, and now regrets it. She goes looking for something to learn, or feel about her mom at home in her closet and finds her “box” full of old treasures from her previous time in war in Bosnia. She learns about what her mother lived through. When the mom comes out of the coma they talk and get to know each other better. The give each other grace and learn to better cope. They have a therapist. The author shows what trauma does to a person very well. The reader feels like he/she is in the scene and it happened to us. It’s powerful. Sad. Uplifting and gives us hope. Read it.

[Aminda Zou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zara struggles to get her mother to open up about her Bosnian past and her time during the war. Suddenly, a terrorist attack strikes the farmers market, leaving her family with trauma: her brother bruised, herself scarred on her back, and her mother with permanent brain damage. The novel is told from two alternating settings, Nadja's, Zara's mother's, perspective during the war and Zara's present-day view tied together with aspects of photography, inner-struggles, and romance.

The novel is well written regarding language and description but shares the same plot line as many other historical war fictions--a mother boxing away her memories in war, suffers trauma, and then finally opening up about her experiences to her family. Although the novel is based on a perpetual plotline, the author added a few captivating additions to it, bringing a new perspective to a repeated story. I am not a fan of war fiction, but this is a great book to read as a pastime, definitely a fascinating piece of travel fiction.

For some readers, this might be a challenging piece of writing to read. I took my time reading this book because certain parts of the book can be very emotional, even to the verge of tears, but overall, I enjoyed the process of reading this book. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

[A.L. Sirois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zara, a 17-year-old aspiring photographer, has a difficult relationship with her mother, Nadja, a native of Bosnia who lived through the conflict there but won't discuss it. Zara has all but given up trying to communicate with Nadja, but then they are caught in a terrorist bombing at a local farmers market. Zara is injured but her mother ends up in a coma. Her father, who is a doctor, does his best to watch over the traumatized Zara and her younger brother Benny while overseeing Nadja's care. Zara;s discovery of a box of memorabilia from Nadja's youth in Bosnia propel her into a search for the truth about Nadja's own horrific wartime experiences. This is an unsparing book that presents the stress and helplessness of PTSD sufferers from the inside. There are a few flashes of humor throughout, but in the main this is a serious story. It is a remarkable book with remarkable and (dare I say) unforgettable characters. Zara's journey is moving and completely believable. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to understand what it's like to live in a war zone, or how difficult it can be to come back from a truly traumatic experience and once more take up living.

[Catherine Linka · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning, powerful, significant story that will linger with the reader.

It wasn’t the acts of genocide or terrorist bomb attack that brought me to tears in this story of survival and connection, it was the underlying belief that “Through the good, through the most heinous of acts, love is the greatest weapon against the darkness.”

The characters in Arcos' story question God and history, looking for solace and answers in the face of great suffering. And the result is a book that offers hope and resolution.

I was grateful for the author’s restraint. She shows you how neighbors turn on each other, how people scramble to survive, a beautiful Christmas eve is shattered, but Arcos does not force you to witness every atrocity.

And because she does not let the violence overwhelm the story, we can focus on the relationship between the mother and daughter as both begin to heal. In the end, there is love.