What do you think?
Rate this book
Escape from Aleppo
“Filled with kindness and hope…Heartbreaking…Necessary.” —Booklist (starred review) Nadia’s family is forced to flee their home in Aleppo, Syria, when the Arab Spring sparks a civil war in this timely, “harrowing” (Publishers Weekly) coming-of-age novel from award-winning author N.H. Senzai.Silver and gold balloons. A birthday cake covered in pink roses. A new dress. Nadia stands at the center of attention in her parents’ elegant dining room. This is the best day of my life, she thinks. Everyone is about to sing “Happy Birthday,” when her uncle calls from the living room, “Baba, brothers, you need to see this.” Reluctantly, she follows her family into the other room. On TV, a reporter stands near an overturned vegetable cart on a dusty street. Beside it is a mound of smoldering ashes. The reporter explains that a vegetable vendor in the city of Tunis burned himself alive, protesting corrupt government officials who have been harassing his business. Nadia frowns. It is December 17, 2010: Nadia’s twelfth birthday and the beginning of the Arab Spring. Soon anti-government protests erupt across the Middle East and, one by one, countries are thrown into turmoil. As civil war flares in Syria and bombs fall across Nadia’s home city of Aleppo, her family decides to flee to safety. Inspired by current events, this novel sheds light on the complicated situation in Syria that has led to an international refugee crisis, and tells the story of one girl’s journey to safety.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 2, 2018
About the author
N.H. Senzai
8 books183 followersI grew up speaking two languages, balancing life lived on the edge of two cultures, and, happily, two cuisines—tandoori chicken and hot dogs, grilled side by side on the 4th of July. I got on a plane for the first time at two months, in Chicago, IL, where I was born, and have been travelling ever since. I grew up in San Francisco, Jubail, Saudi Arabia, and attended boarding school in London, England where I was voted “most likely to lead a literary revolution” due to my ability to get away with reading comic books in class. I’ve hiked across the Alps, road-tripped through Mexico, swum with barracudas in the Red Sea, taken a train across the Soviet Union, floated down the Nile, eaten gumbo in New Orleans and sat in contemplation at the Taj Mahal. Somewhere along the way I attended UC Berkeley and Columbia University, picked up a couple of degrees, while pursuing my passion for writing. I’ve landed back home in San Francisco where I live with my husband, a professor of political science, my son, and a cat who owns us. During the day I can be found working for a consulting firm that helps companies with their inventions and patents.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews
October 26, 2019
"these kids recognized the sounds that accompanied death"
A true heart rending must read tale of love loyalty and resilient optimism, this book puts a human face on the bleeding wound that is Syria, this story of a girl n 2 young Syrian boys risking it all to make it out of the country and their resilience along the way goes a long way to show how Syrians have fought and suffered in the face of bloody war, brutality n indifference of the world leaders!
A true heart rending must read tale of love loyalty and resilient optimism, this book puts a human face on the bleeding wound that is Syria, this story of a girl n 2 young Syrian boys risking it all to make it out of the country and their resilience along the way goes a long way to show how Syrians have fought and suffered in the face of bloody war, brutality n indifference of the world leaders!
May 11, 2018
I really wanted to love this, because there's not nearly enough books on our shelves with Muslim main characters or set in Arab countries, but I'm afraid it's one of those books that adults will like for kids rather than a book most kids will actually enjoy. There's way too much exposition and info dumping here, and not enough storytelling and character development. The story seems like a thinly veiled excuse to offer expertise; characters are constantly spouting off as though they are teachers, newscasters, or human encyclopedias. However, there is a LOT of useful and worthwhile information, and a kid who truly wants to know about the horror of what is happening in Syria, the Arab Spring, and/or Syrian history and culture, might enjoy reading this book as a way of learning about those very important topics. But to try to sell this story to a middle schooler as a "gripping read" or a "page turner" or an "action-adventure" story .... well, as much as I wish it were, it just isn't any of those things. Having said all that, I'll still put it in my middle school library because the information and point of view it contains is so valuable.
June 10, 2018
"Like Nadia, these kids recognized the sounds that accompanied death." (p. 43)
"And it was all burning, centuries of history and culture turning into ash." (p. 239)
"What had taken five thousand years to build had taken less than two to ravage." (p. 289)
A devastating story of one young girl trying to find safety and her family in the midst of the war in Syria.
"And it was all burning, centuries of history and culture turning into ash." (p. 239)
"What had taken five thousand years to build had taken less than two to ravage." (p. 289)
A devastating story of one young girl trying to find safety and her family in the midst of the war in Syria.
January 18, 2018
Nadia is a typical pre-teen---enjoying spending time with her friends and family, delighted about being selected to appear in a tv commercial, celebrating her twelfth birthday---and then she is not. Suddenly, a man appears on tv and sets himself on fire, and Syria is at war, and Nadia's world becomes a world of bombings and soldiers and fear. Her family decides they must escape to a safer place, and Nadia unexpectedly gets separated from them and must make her own way out of the turbulent city, Aleppo, she has called home all her life.
This is an important story for children, both those who have lived through these horrors and those who have only heard of such events through the media.
This is an important story for children, both those who have lived through these horrors and those who have only heard of such events through the media.
November 27, 2017
What an amazing and sad and important book! I was entranced by Nadia’s story, and I learned more about the events in Syria than I’d known before. I feel so lucky that I was able to meet the author and get an ARC of the book for my class.
April 4, 2018
Even though the writing was a bit uneven, I enjoyed the story and was invested in how Nadia's journey unfolded. This reminded me of Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz, and I can see my 6th graders enjoying this book as they did Prisoner, while becoming interested in the current refugee crisis as well. This title is certainly a better choice for discussing current events than Refugee, also by Alan Gratz. My quibbles with the writing didn't totally detract from my enjoyment of the story, but they were there:
Nadia faded into being a secondary character/narrator once she met Ammo Mazen. This was a story about him that was told through her eyes rather than a story that focused on her character development. Some of Nadia's problems (PTSD about going outside, the pain in her leg from a bombing injury) should have been crucial plot points throughout the book, as they were in the beginning. But, she seemed to all of sudden and without explanation get over her fear of going outside once Ammo Mazen entered the picture, and there was barely a mention of her aching leg again until the end of the book. Neither issue affected her or her journey at all.
The explanations of historical circumstances that led to the conflict in Syria and information about current events during the war seemed awkwardly crammed in. Usually it was posed as dialogue between the adult characters, but it read as if they were taking turns reading a news article out loud. I don't know that younger readers would notice the awkward info dump and how it made some of the dialogue and narration unrealistic, since it did provide enough but not too much information in a simple and straightforward manner.
The pacing slowed toward the end, even though it was supposed to be building the climax. I found myself skimming many of the awkward historical explanations and also Nadia's flashbacks, since they didn't really add anything to the plot.
Nadia faded into being a secondary character/narrator once she met Ammo Mazen. This was a story about him that was told through her eyes rather than a story that focused on her character development. Some of Nadia's problems (PTSD about going outside, the pain in her leg from a bombing injury) should have been crucial plot points throughout the book, as they were in the beginning. But, she seemed to all of sudden and without explanation get over her fear of going outside once Ammo Mazen entered the picture, and there was barely a mention of her aching leg again until the end of the book. Neither issue affected her or her journey at all.
The explanations of historical circumstances that led to the conflict in Syria and information about current events during the war seemed awkwardly crammed in. Usually it was posed as dialogue between the adult characters, but it read as if they were taking turns reading a news article out loud. I don't know that younger readers would notice the awkward info dump and how it made some of the dialogue and narration unrealistic, since it did provide enough but not too much information in a simple and straightforward manner.
The pacing slowed toward the end, even though it was supposed to be building the climax. I found myself skimming many of the awkward historical explanations and also Nadia's flashbacks, since they didn't really add anything to the plot.
February 8, 2018
Twelve year old Syrian, Nadia along with her family try to flee Aleppo before the anti-government protesters break out and bombs start to fall. It's too late, and her family fear that Nadia did not survive an air raid. Here is her journey, traveling through a war torn country in hopes to reconnect with her loved ones; along the way finding friendship and unearthing Syria's rich history and rediscovering the culture of her people.
March 14, 2018
(www.islamicschoollibrarian.wordpress.com)
N.H. Senzai's newest book (published in January 2018), gives a face and a voice to the grave situation in Syria. Like Senzai's other books, she uses the rich culture and history of a country to inform the reader, and a compelling front story to keep middle school readers entertained. This 336 page book is not in the AR data base yet, but fourth grade and up should be able to follow the story and be able to handle the violence and destruction presented. The story is unique in the genre, in that it doesn't focus on getting to a safe country, but rather on the heroine's journey to simply get out of a dangerous one, Syria. The storyline is fairly linear with flashbacks of life before the war making the story informative, but not necessarily gripping. I wanted to love it, but found myself forgetting about it when I stopped reading.
SYNOPSIS:
Fourteen-year-old Nadia, has a fun full life in Syria: a large extended family, she stars in a commercial, has good friends, and a lot of opportunity and perhaps privilege. All that, however, slowly disappears as civil unrest and ultimately war consume the country. As a child she gets glimpses of the changes coming, but is able to still hide in her ignorance and focus on things like her nail polish and Arab Idol. As food gets short however, she sneaks out to get bread with some cousins, and is hit by shrapnel. While, her leg is able to heal, her anxiety of going out alters her life and makes her family's attempt to get to the Turkish border later, a hard mental obstacle she must face. Her inability to move quickly with the family on their covert escape route, and the bomb that hits their home, separates her from her family and leads to her getting left behind. As she tries to remember how to get to the designated meeting location, she must navigate Syrian soldiers, rebel factions, ISIS, secret police, violence, hunger, and being lost. With her cat, Mishmish, for companionship, Nadia reaches the location only to find that her family has left for Turkey and will wait on the border for her. Luckily for Nadia, amidst this devastating news, she meets an old man, Ammo Mazen, and his Donkey, Jamilah, willing to help her reach the border. Along the way the two face long odds of surviving, not only from the war around them, but also the weather, the old man's illness and lack of food and water. As they journey through Aleppo, snippets of history and culture are shared, two more children join their journey and mysteries as to who Ammo Mazen really is come to light.
WHY I LIKE IT:
The book's premise is simple, allowing the reader to focus on Nadia and her companions and not get bogged down in the political factions and names and alliances. The book is not about all of the aggressors, it is about a girl trying to reach her family, and the growth and ability to choose kindness that she learns along the way. The girl is not religious, but culturally it is a part of her environment. Her companion Tarek, is religious and he spouts Islamic tidbits as they journey, adding some knowledge to be conveyed about Islam which is sometimes informative and sometimes comical as his character is often a bit awkward.
I love the cultural beauty that is conveyed, and the heaviness in Syrian's heart that "What had taken five thousand years to build had taken less than two to ravage." The saving of historical artifacts, the showing of cooperation between people of different faiths as the characters meet in mosques and churches and meet people of all backgrounds, makes the loss of humanity and history so palpable.
I also love that there is an Author's Note at the end. The whole book I kept having to shush my mind as I felt like this was the story of Mariam in Senzai's book Shooting Kabul. Yes that takes place in Afghanistan, but it was so similar in that it was a girl getting separated from her family in an escape attempt during a war, and sure enough she mentions that, that is where Nadia's story grew from.
FLAGS:
There is a lot of violence and death, but nothing gruesome or sensationalized.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
This would be a great Book Club choice, because it would encourage readers to keep at it and finish the book. While reading it, the book is wonderful, but for some reason, I had to urge myself to pick it up and start it again. Perhaps it is because I have read all of Senzai's books and I was pretty confident all would end well, or because I've read quite a few books now about war and refugees and Syria, but while it reads quick it did take me longer than it should to finish it. I think parts of the book that detail a lot of the skirmishes and fighting might be hard to visualize in the mind's eye so as an assignment or Book Club selection would benefit the readers to allow them to discuss all the mini climaxes, understand the terrain and architecture, and to really put themselves in Nadia's shoes. The transformation in Nadia from a brat, more or less, to a compassionate, strong, determined young woman is a journey that I would love to hear feedback from other kids about. I think they would definitely have thoughts and opinions that would really bring the humanity of us all out, and make us connect with the plight of those trying to get out of such horrific circumstances.
Publisher's Page: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books...
Teaching Guide: https://www.teachervision.com/teacher...
Author's Page: http://www.nhsenzai.com/escape-from-a...
N.H. Senzai's newest book (published in January 2018), gives a face and a voice to the grave situation in Syria. Like Senzai's other books, she uses the rich culture and history of a country to inform the reader, and a compelling front story to keep middle school readers entertained. This 336 page book is not in the AR data base yet, but fourth grade and up should be able to follow the story and be able to handle the violence and destruction presented. The story is unique in the genre, in that it doesn't focus on getting to a safe country, but rather on the heroine's journey to simply get out of a dangerous one, Syria. The storyline is fairly linear with flashbacks of life before the war making the story informative, but not necessarily gripping. I wanted to love it, but found myself forgetting about it when I stopped reading.
SYNOPSIS:
Fourteen-year-old Nadia, has a fun full life in Syria: a large extended family, she stars in a commercial, has good friends, and a lot of opportunity and perhaps privilege. All that, however, slowly disappears as civil unrest and ultimately war consume the country. As a child she gets glimpses of the changes coming, but is able to still hide in her ignorance and focus on things like her nail polish and Arab Idol. As food gets short however, she sneaks out to get bread with some cousins, and is hit by shrapnel. While, her leg is able to heal, her anxiety of going out alters her life and makes her family's attempt to get to the Turkish border later, a hard mental obstacle she must face. Her inability to move quickly with the family on their covert escape route, and the bomb that hits their home, separates her from her family and leads to her getting left behind. As she tries to remember how to get to the designated meeting location, she must navigate Syrian soldiers, rebel factions, ISIS, secret police, violence, hunger, and being lost. With her cat, Mishmish, for companionship, Nadia reaches the location only to find that her family has left for Turkey and will wait on the border for her. Luckily for Nadia, amidst this devastating news, she meets an old man, Ammo Mazen, and his Donkey, Jamilah, willing to help her reach the border. Along the way the two face long odds of surviving, not only from the war around them, but also the weather, the old man's illness and lack of food and water. As they journey through Aleppo, snippets of history and culture are shared, two more children join their journey and mysteries as to who Ammo Mazen really is come to light.
WHY I LIKE IT:
The book's premise is simple, allowing the reader to focus on Nadia and her companions and not get bogged down in the political factions and names and alliances. The book is not about all of the aggressors, it is about a girl trying to reach her family, and the growth and ability to choose kindness that she learns along the way. The girl is not religious, but culturally it is a part of her environment. Her companion Tarek, is religious and he spouts Islamic tidbits as they journey, adding some knowledge to be conveyed about Islam which is sometimes informative and sometimes comical as his character is often a bit awkward.
I love the cultural beauty that is conveyed, and the heaviness in Syrian's heart that "What had taken five thousand years to build had taken less than two to ravage." The saving of historical artifacts, the showing of cooperation between people of different faiths as the characters meet in mosques and churches and meet people of all backgrounds, makes the loss of humanity and history so palpable.
I also love that there is an Author's Note at the end. The whole book I kept having to shush my mind as I felt like this was the story of Mariam in Senzai's book Shooting Kabul. Yes that takes place in Afghanistan, but it was so similar in that it was a girl getting separated from her family in an escape attempt during a war, and sure enough she mentions that, that is where Nadia's story grew from.
FLAGS:
There is a lot of violence and death, but nothing gruesome or sensationalized.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
This would be a great Book Club choice, because it would encourage readers to keep at it and finish the book. While reading it, the book is wonderful, but for some reason, I had to urge myself to pick it up and start it again. Perhaps it is because I have read all of Senzai's books and I was pretty confident all would end well, or because I've read quite a few books now about war and refugees and Syria, but while it reads quick it did take me longer than it should to finish it. I think parts of the book that detail a lot of the skirmishes and fighting might be hard to visualize in the mind's eye so as an assignment or Book Club selection would benefit the readers to allow them to discuss all the mini climaxes, understand the terrain and architecture, and to really put themselves in Nadia's shoes. The transformation in Nadia from a brat, more or less, to a compassionate, strong, determined young woman is a journey that I would love to hear feedback from other kids about. I think they would definitely have thoughts and opinions that would really bring the humanity of us all out, and make us connect with the plight of those trying to get out of such horrific circumstances.
Publisher's Page: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books...
Teaching Guide: https://www.teachervision.com/teacher...
Author's Page: http://www.nhsenzai.com/escape-from-a...
January 1, 2018
It’s October 2013 and explosions from barmeela, bombs packed with shrapnel, are being dropped from helicopters by the Syrian army on Aleppo’s Salaheddine neighborhood where Nadia Jandali, 14, lives with her family, including aunts, uncles, and cousins. It’s time carry out their plan to leave the civil-war torn city and head for the Turkish border. But before they even get out of the parking lot, their apartment building is hit. Nadia, caught on the stairs, is knocked unconscious and buried under debris, so when her cousin Malik looks for her, he doesn’t find her.
Waking up later, Nadia realizes her family has left and decides to go to the dental clinic where they had agreed to head to. But it’s a long way, and the streets are unsafe. After walking for hours and getting lost, Nadia takes shelter in a destroyed pharmacy where she meets Ammo Mazan, a frail old man traveling with a cart and a donkey named Jamila. He offers to take her to the dental clinic, though Nadia isn’t sure if she should trust him.
Taking detours around the bombed out city, Nadia and Ammo Mazen finally reach the clinic, only to find it deserted. A note left for her there says her father will wait for Nadia at the Oncupinar border crossing between Syria and Turkey, and Ammo Mazen agrees to take Nadia to the border. Looking for shelter that will accommodate the cart and Jamila, the two make their way to an orphanage, where they find two young boys. After resting, they leave and the youngest boy, Basel, 8, goes with them, though Tarek, 15, decides to remain behind, waiting for the mother who gave him up.
As they travel north towards the Turkish border, Ammo Mazen makes various stops which reveal the kind of covert activities he has been up to even as his health continually begins to fail him. Eventually, Tarek rejoins the group. As their journey becomes more and more difficult due to the physical destruction of the country from constant bombing and shelling and the different warring factions found everywhere, Ammo Mazen’s health gets worse and worse, finally leaving him unconscious most of the time, and leaving the children to their own devices. Eventually, he must be left in the care of a healer, while the children, along with Jamila and the cart, make their way to the Oncupinar border crossing. And though Nadia does see her father on the other side, I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to Basel, Tarek, and Jamila now.
Escape from Aleppo is a book I wanted to read from the moment I first read about it and it is a fascinating story. Told in the third person from Nadia’s point of view, readers learn about what is happening in Syria from her, as she eavesdrops on the conversations of the adults around her, and begins to pay more attention to current events on television. She must also deal with some serious PTDS issues, afraid to leave her home after an earlier bombing incident that left her with a painful scar on one of her legs.
I paid close attention to what was happening in the Middle East once the Arab Spring began, and I think Senzai does an incredible job of folding in the history of those days, the later Syrian Civil War with the life of a young Syrian girl that time. Using strategically placed flashbacks, Nadia is at first shown to be a typical tween, more interested in watching Arab Idol on TV than she is in school, a girl who fixes her nail polish at the first sign of a chip. Yet, as she recalls her life and family, she begins to develop a new appreciation for them. And as Nadia travels through the now destroyed Aleppo and surrounding areas, she continually calls up memories of places she visited with family in happier times - the Palmyra Boulangerie, dress shops, mosques, the extensive world-famous 1,300 year old souq, the massive Citadel where her family picnicked - now all damaged, completely destroyed, and/or occupied, making Nadia aware that she not only has (hopefully just temporarily) lost her family, but has also lost the cultural and intellectual artifact's of her beloved country’s long history.
Escape from Aleppo is so much more than a coming of age story. At first, impatient with Ammo Mazen’s slowness and the necessary stops he must make, Nadia develops into a more compassionate, more take charge young lady able to comfort Basel with tales from an ancient copy of Alef Layla (One Thousand and One Nights), and to put Ammo Mazen’s needs over her own desires to get to Turkey, all over the course of just a few days, but a lifetime of experience. Thus, Escape from Aleppo is a story about empathy, hope, kindness and survival in the midst of war, as well as a harsh reminder of how quickly lives and history can be changed by those in power with an agenda.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
Waking up later, Nadia realizes her family has left and decides to go to the dental clinic where they had agreed to head to. But it’s a long way, and the streets are unsafe. After walking for hours and getting lost, Nadia takes shelter in a destroyed pharmacy where she meets Ammo Mazan, a frail old man traveling with a cart and a donkey named Jamila. He offers to take her to the dental clinic, though Nadia isn’t sure if she should trust him.
Taking detours around the bombed out city, Nadia and Ammo Mazen finally reach the clinic, only to find it deserted. A note left for her there says her father will wait for Nadia at the Oncupinar border crossing between Syria and Turkey, and Ammo Mazen agrees to take Nadia to the border. Looking for shelter that will accommodate the cart and Jamila, the two make their way to an orphanage, where they find two young boys. After resting, they leave and the youngest boy, Basel, 8, goes with them, though Tarek, 15, decides to remain behind, waiting for the mother who gave him up.
As they travel north towards the Turkish border, Ammo Mazen makes various stops which reveal the kind of covert activities he has been up to even as his health continually begins to fail him. Eventually, Tarek rejoins the group. As their journey becomes more and more difficult due to the physical destruction of the country from constant bombing and shelling and the different warring factions found everywhere, Ammo Mazen’s health gets worse and worse, finally leaving him unconscious most of the time, and leaving the children to their own devices. Eventually, he must be left in the care of a healer, while the children, along with Jamila and the cart, make their way to the Oncupinar border crossing. And though Nadia does see her father on the other side, I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to Basel, Tarek, and Jamila now.
Escape from Aleppo is a book I wanted to read from the moment I first read about it and it is a fascinating story. Told in the third person from Nadia’s point of view, readers learn about what is happening in Syria from her, as she eavesdrops on the conversations of the adults around her, and begins to pay more attention to current events on television. She must also deal with some serious PTDS issues, afraid to leave her home after an earlier bombing incident that left her with a painful scar on one of her legs.
I paid close attention to what was happening in the Middle East once the Arab Spring began, and I think Senzai does an incredible job of folding in the history of those days, the later Syrian Civil War with the life of a young Syrian girl that time. Using strategically placed flashbacks, Nadia is at first shown to be a typical tween, more interested in watching Arab Idol on TV than she is in school, a girl who fixes her nail polish at the first sign of a chip. Yet, as she recalls her life and family, she begins to develop a new appreciation for them. And as Nadia travels through the now destroyed Aleppo and surrounding areas, she continually calls up memories of places she visited with family in happier times - the Palmyra Boulangerie, dress shops, mosques, the extensive world-famous 1,300 year old souq, the massive Citadel where her family picnicked - now all damaged, completely destroyed, and/or occupied, making Nadia aware that she not only has (hopefully just temporarily) lost her family, but has also lost the cultural and intellectual artifact's of her beloved country’s long history.
Escape from Aleppo is so much more than a coming of age story. At first, impatient with Ammo Mazen’s slowness and the necessary stops he must make, Nadia develops into a more compassionate, more take charge young lady able to comfort Basel with tales from an ancient copy of Alef Layla (One Thousand and One Nights), and to put Ammo Mazen’s needs over her own desires to get to Turkey, all over the course of just a few days, but a lifetime of experience. Thus, Escape from Aleppo is a story about empathy, hope, kindness and survival in the midst of war, as well as a harsh reminder of how quickly lives and history can be changed by those in power with an agenda.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
February 6, 2018
Senzai mixes little snippets of history, facts about the conflict in Aleppo, and the history of Nadia all together. It is this amazingly cohesive mixture that rolls off your tongue. Let me just stop this review to say, if you're looking for profound touching MG books with rich characters stop what you're reading and go get this book. It is a wonderful historical fiction that not only sheds light on the history but also on ourselves. Nadia, and all the other characters around her, are really fantastic. I fell in love with each and every single one of them.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
March 18, 2018
The story line got confusing/long-winded it seemed, but I appreciated the recent history of Syria that was told through this book. Nadia is separated from her family after a bomb hits their apartment, and on her way to reunite with them, meets three other individuals that are trying to make their way out of Syria. Along the way, they run into soliders and rebel groups that either help or hinder their journey.
April 16, 2018
When I saw this book in my library, I picked it up. The cover is very compelling and the summary immediately drew me in. It was a quick book once it got going and I was riveted right up until the last page because while this was fiction, it also wasn't and I wasn't entirely sure how it was going to end.
Escape from Aleppo is about fourteen-year-old Nadia whose family are trying to escape from Aleppo into Turkey. She gets separated from them and then has to journey through the city she once knew in order to find her family and escape with them. During the book, the chapters switch between 2013, the present for them, and 2010 when everything started to happen. I think Senzai did a brilliant job of writing a child character who doesn't understand completely what is going on, she doesn't understand the ramifications for it, but she understands a lot more than people give her credit for. Nadia is a teenager and that shows up in her words and her actions but she has also been exposed to horrific sights, some throughout this book. On the way she meets up with two other children and an old man, all of which are trying to get out of the city.
What I think hit me the most was how Nadia didn't just grieve for the people she had lost or those she had seen killed, but also for her home, for Aleppo itself. She talks frequently about how she has good memories of that place or the other or how she had learnt about this part of history and you can feel her mourning what was being lost. There were buildings that survived thousands of years and are now destroyed. They meet people along the way who are trying to preserve the history and the culture of Aleppo, even risking their lives to do it and throughout the book, Nadia comes to understand why. She comes to realise that while people are the most important, the history of their home is important as well and should be preserved as much as possible.
This book was lovely even as it left me unbearably sad at the same time. Four stars!
Escape from Aleppo is about fourteen-year-old Nadia whose family are trying to escape from Aleppo into Turkey. She gets separated from them and then has to journey through the city she once knew in order to find her family and escape with them. During the book, the chapters switch between 2013, the present for them, and 2010 when everything started to happen. I think Senzai did a brilliant job of writing a child character who doesn't understand completely what is going on, she doesn't understand the ramifications for it, but she understands a lot more than people give her credit for. Nadia is a teenager and that shows up in her words and her actions but she has also been exposed to horrific sights, some throughout this book. On the way she meets up with two other children and an old man, all of which are trying to get out of the city.
What I think hit me the most was how Nadia didn't just grieve for the people she had lost or those she had seen killed, but also for her home, for Aleppo itself. She talks frequently about how she has good memories of that place or the other or how she had learnt about this part of history and you can feel her mourning what was being lost. There were buildings that survived thousands of years and are now destroyed. They meet people along the way who are trying to preserve the history and the culture of Aleppo, even risking their lives to do it and throughout the book, Nadia comes to understand why. She comes to realise that while people are the most important, the history of their home is important as well and should be preserved as much as possible.
This book was lovely even as it left me unbearably sad at the same time. Four stars!
October 24, 2017
In 2010, Nadia is overjoyed to be starring in a local commercial, loves watching her favorite singers on Arab Idol, and is meticulous about her polished nails. But on the day of her twelfth birthday party, Nadia’s world changes due to the start of Arab Spring, a wave of pro-democracy protests and uprisings that take place in the Middle East and North Africa.
Flash forward to 2013. In the middle of the night, Nadia is awoken by her older cousin Razan and told they are leaving their home in Syria. As her family is leaving their apartment building, Nadia hears the sound of helicopters. The force of an explosion sends Nadia tumbling down steps causing her to hit her forehead against a Jeep bumper. Fortunately, Nadia is able to crawl under the Jeep for safety but due to the ongoing bombing, her family cannot locate her and must make the painful decision to leave Nadia behind.
Once Nadia regains consciousness, she is faced with the realization that she is alone. A mix of trepidation and determination, Nadia begins her journey to find her family. Not long into her journey, Nadia meets Ammo Mazen, a former bookbinder who offers to help Nadia locate her family. Unsure of whether to trust him, Nadia makes the bold decision to accept the old man’s offer and becomes his travel companion.
Escape from Aleppo is Nadia’s story of courage, resolve, and faith to be safely reunited with her family. Like her teacher Ms. Darwish once told her, Nadia learns that she can accomplish great things if she puts her mind to it.
Special thanks to Naheed Hasnat Senzai for providing our #bookexcursion group with an advance reader copy of this amazing novel which is a window for me to better understand the traumatic experiences of Syrian families like Nadia’s who were forced to leave their homes in order to survive. Pre-order now, for Escape from Aleppo will be released in January 2018.
Flash forward to 2013. In the middle of the night, Nadia is awoken by her older cousin Razan and told they are leaving their home in Syria. As her family is leaving their apartment building, Nadia hears the sound of helicopters. The force of an explosion sends Nadia tumbling down steps causing her to hit her forehead against a Jeep bumper. Fortunately, Nadia is able to crawl under the Jeep for safety but due to the ongoing bombing, her family cannot locate her and must make the painful decision to leave Nadia behind.
Once Nadia regains consciousness, she is faced with the realization that she is alone. A mix of trepidation and determination, Nadia begins her journey to find her family. Not long into her journey, Nadia meets Ammo Mazen, a former bookbinder who offers to help Nadia locate her family. Unsure of whether to trust him, Nadia makes the bold decision to accept the old man’s offer and becomes his travel companion.
Escape from Aleppo is Nadia’s story of courage, resolve, and faith to be safely reunited with her family. Like her teacher Ms. Darwish once told her, Nadia learns that she can accomplish great things if she puts her mind to it.
Special thanks to Naheed Hasnat Senzai for providing our #bookexcursion group with an advance reader copy of this amazing novel which is a window for me to better understand the traumatic experiences of Syrian families like Nadia’s who were forced to leave their homes in order to survive. Pre-order now, for Escape from Aleppo will be released in January 2018.
June 11, 2018
A BOOK TO WAKE YOU UP!!
The book Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai is a coming of age novel that tells us a story about a girl who stuck in the middle of the civil war in Syria. When the complications in the Middle East begin, the main character, Nadia, and her family are also affected by events. As the civil war sparks in Syria, the lives of Nadia and her family fall into danger. So, they decide to flee to Turkey. This story tells us the struggle of a girl trying to escape from a cruel war.
The book creates a really good view of an understanding of what is going on in Syria. We should never see a war by the point of views of adults or politicians. Especially, if it is a civil war. The actual innocent victims of this war are the children. They don't deserve this. The first person POV of this book is Nadia, a twelve years old kid. Also, the author later adds characters as an old man and two other kids, which are also symbolizing innocence. This book reminds me of all the neglectful people in this world because we are unaware of the massacre that took three hundred forty thousand souls in seven years. I was hearing lots of news about Syria from everywhere. However, the beginning of the war was the most complicated part for me. This book led me to learn more about the roots of this war and to understand the feelings of the people of Syria.
I am very grateful for this book that it reminds and shows us a little part of the atrocity going on in the world. Sometimes I felt very angry, sometimes sad, and surprised. However, I couldn't really laugh while I was reading this book. Because the facts are always painful for the human beings.
The book Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai is a coming of age novel that tells us a story about a girl who stuck in the middle of the civil war in Syria. When the complications in the Middle East begin, the main character, Nadia, and her family are also affected by events. As the civil war sparks in Syria, the lives of Nadia and her family fall into danger. So, they decide to flee to Turkey. This story tells us the struggle of a girl trying to escape from a cruel war.
The book creates a really good view of an understanding of what is going on in Syria. We should never see a war by the point of views of adults or politicians. Especially, if it is a civil war. The actual innocent victims of this war are the children. They don't deserve this. The first person POV of this book is Nadia, a twelve years old kid. Also, the author later adds characters as an old man and two other kids, which are also symbolizing innocence. This book reminds me of all the neglectful people in this world because we are unaware of the massacre that took three hundred forty thousand souls in seven years. I was hearing lots of news about Syria from everywhere. However, the beginning of the war was the most complicated part for me. This book led me to learn more about the roots of this war and to understand the feelings of the people of Syria.
I am very grateful for this book that it reminds and shows us a little part of the atrocity going on in the world. Sometimes I felt very angry, sometimes sad, and surprised. However, I couldn't really laugh while I was reading this book. Because the facts are always painful for the human beings.
August 13, 2018
I can't even imagine how terrifying it must have been for Nadia to become separated from her family during their middle-of-night escape from Aleppo. Fortunately for Nadia, she meets up with an old man who is willing to help her reunite with her family, but not until he conducts some mysterious business of his own. Their trip is scary and dangerous, with obstacles waiting around every corner. Nadia is brave and resourceful, but also scared that she will never meet up with her family.
While the author does a good job of trying to explain the geography of the trip and a bit of the history of the conflict, all of the names of places and factions became confusing to me, and I imagine it might be confusing for a young reader as well. However, that doesn't detract from the constant state of tension of the journey.
Nadia's ultimate goal was to meet her family at the border and cross over into Turkey. It is sad to think that her happy ending is life in a refugee camp.
While the author does a good job of trying to explain the geography of the trip and a bit of the history of the conflict, all of the names of places and factions became confusing to me, and I imagine it might be confusing for a young reader as well. However, that doesn't detract from the constant state of tension of the journey.
Nadia's ultimate goal was to meet her family at the border and cross over into Turkey. It is sad to think that her happy ending is life in a refugee camp.
June 10, 2018
This is an intense, raw, and often vividly emotional story from the perspective of a young girl in Aleppo. I thought that Senzai cleverly toggled between chapters leading up to the events and chapters of Nadia's escape to Turkey. Once I started reading the book, I couldn't put it down. I applaud Senzai for writing on this topic and helping to educate young people about these historical and current events, and atrocities of war occurring in this decade.
The publisher lists this book for 8-12 year olds. I would be hesitant to put this book in the hands of just any child below grade 5 as I feel that there is a level of emotional maturity needed to handle the content of these types of books. As a read-aloud, this book could be an intense and rich title for exploring history and current events.
Highly recommended.
The publisher lists this book for 8-12 year olds. I would be hesitant to put this book in the hands of just any child below grade 5 as I feel that there is a level of emotional maturity needed to handle the content of these types of books. As a read-aloud, this book could be an intense and rich title for exploring history and current events.
Highly recommended.
February 16, 2018
N.H. Senzai situates a young girl's redemptive journey of survival squarely within the Syrian conflict's heartbreaking confines--all to powerful effect. Set mostly in October of 2013, Escape from Aleppo follows fourteen-year-old Nadia's flight to Turkey (where she hopes to reunite with her family) as she befriends possibly faithless companions and crosses a city whose destruction appalls her. Despite the desolation on all sides, Nadia is still a teenager: nail-polish, television celebrities, and the latest CDs all find room in her thoughts as she evades an array of dangers, including snipers and ISIS conscripts. Senzai also weaves in history, both ancient and modern, as well as commentary on the region's current political and military chaos. A many-sided, captivating, and urgent story.
May 31, 2018
A well-written and compelling introduction to the Arab Spring and Syrian conflict. It may have verged on infodumps at some point (sometimes in dialogue), and the main character/the narration sometimes teetered between overly moral (along the lines of "she never realized how lucky she was to have caring, wonderful parents," &c., &c.) and superficial ("my nail polish got chipped--let's stop in a war zone to repair it!!"); fortunately, that latter aspect shifted, via character development, by the end of the book. Still, the story needs to be told.
January 30, 2018
A very balanced look into one of the tragedies of our time. A story of personal growth, aging beyond years, the terrible effects of war and the hope despite all evidence to the contrary that there is the possibility of something better. It should be mandatory reading for our leaders, but also for all of us.
June 2, 2018
We want students to understand what is happening around the world and this modern historical fiction book will certainly help students to understand the adversity that the people, families and children are facing in Syria. It will spark many questions about the Arab Spring, the bombing of Syria, genocide and refugees. #empathy #history #stopwar #genocide
September 2, 2017
Outstanding! I felt like I was there alongside Nadia and her frightening journey. The characters are well developed and I feel that I have a deeper understanding of the situation in Syria. This is a must read for early 2018.
January 3, 2018
This riveting tale follows a girl hoping to make her way out of war-torn Syria. I particularly appreciated the references to the area's history. The author deftly handled the youth perspective of the conflict's beginnings.
June 6, 2017
I wanna read this.
I usually never give ratings before reading. But how the hell does this have such a bad rating when it's not even out? There's zero reasons for this 🙄
I usually never give ratings before reading. But how the hell does this have such a bad rating when it's not even out? There's zero reasons for this 🙄
June 1, 2018
Incredibly sad and difficult to read, but I couldn't put it down. That children should have to live this life in 2018 is unthinkable.
August 15, 2019
This is an INCREDIBLE story. Senzai has woven an accurately portrayed story of recently war-torn Syria with rich details of the culture, art, and landscape that define this country. Exposure to characters from rebel groups, national groups, and foreign groups lend the reader a lense of compassion toward this scary and complicated issue. This is probably my favorite middle-grade novel I have read since I started teaching middle school.
Read
February 13, 2018Escape from Aleppo is a middle grade novel by N.H. Senzai about one girl’s escape from the Syrian city of Aleppo when fighting reaches the city.
The novel opens with Nadia being awoken in the early morning; her family are finally leaving the city for good. She hasn't left her house since she was injured by shrapnel from a barmeela that exploded nearby while she was on line for bread. As Nadia hesitates before exiting the building, a bomb goes off, separating her from the rest of her family. They reluctantly move on, and she spends the rest of the novel trying to make her way through the city to the Turkish border where her father is waiting for her.
Nadia makes friends along the way, and the travelers move in a group, avoiding fighters and officials of all kinds--there are Assad’s secret police (mukhabarat) and the shabiha; there are countless rebel groups; and there are a scary new rebel group that flies black flags and persecutes groups that don’t follow their brand of Islam.
What this book does beautifully is show how regular Syrians like Nadia are caught between the all the factions that are fighting. And while the “rebels” (who oppose Assad's government) are technically a friendly group for Nadia, there are so many rebel groups by the time of the novel’s action that no one knows who to trust.
The majority of the novel takes place in 2013 during Nadia’s escape. It is action-packed, describing Nadia and her companions’ movements from place to place—who and what they see along the way, what they eat, where they sleep, and how far they walk. There are also chapters that flashback to the time before the war, beginning at Nadia’s birthday in 2010, which also coincides with the beginning of the Arab Spring in Tunisia. These flashbacks then move forward in time, providing glimpses of how life changed as the war began in Syria and the situation deteriorated.
Something this book does wonderfully is discuss issues like religious difference, Assad’s authoritarian regime, and colonialism. For example, there is a balanced explanation of the Syrian Alawites, describing what they believe, how they were persecuted, and how that experience of persecution affected their own policies when Assad (an Alawite) came into power.
There is a sense running throughout the book that this war came from the outside, that’s Syria’s people were living in multicultural and religious harmony until outsiders started fighting in a bid for power. They are outsiders in the sense that the original ISIS fighters were actually foreigners and also in the sense that they do not represent what Syrians want for their country.
This book is hard-hitting. Nadia experiences real fear as she moves through the streets slowly, peeking around corners and proceeding cautiously. She fears several different groups all at once; everyone and anyone could be dangerous.
Something that I felt could have been improved in this novel was the pacing during the escape and the balance between the past and present. I felt like the present-day escape scenes were dragging on, and I would have appreciated more of Nadia in the past. We don’t know very much about Nadia except that she really likes music and was injured in the leg. I would have preferred more of a balance here. Even something as simple as seeing her with a friend pre-conflict and then wondering about that friend later would have made a big difference.
I highly recommend this book for all middle grade readers. It puts a face to one of the many conflicts going on on the other side of the world. This book is also tame enough that I'm interested in reading it to my six- and eight-year-old. I think this story will be accessible for them and a good way for them to learn about the conflict through a guided reading experience.
This review was originally posted here, where I review other Muslim reads.
The novel opens with Nadia being awoken in the early morning; her family are finally leaving the city for good. She hasn't left her house since she was injured by shrapnel from a barmeela that exploded nearby while she was on line for bread. As Nadia hesitates before exiting the building, a bomb goes off, separating her from the rest of her family. They reluctantly move on, and she spends the rest of the novel trying to make her way through the city to the Turkish border where her father is waiting for her.
Nadia makes friends along the way, and the travelers move in a group, avoiding fighters and officials of all kinds--there are Assad’s secret police (mukhabarat) and the shabiha; there are countless rebel groups; and there are a scary new rebel group that flies black flags and persecutes groups that don’t follow their brand of Islam.
What this book does beautifully is show how regular Syrians like Nadia are caught between the all the factions that are fighting. And while the “rebels” (who oppose Assad's government) are technically a friendly group for Nadia, there are so many rebel groups by the time of the novel’s action that no one knows who to trust.
The majority of the novel takes place in 2013 during Nadia’s escape. It is action-packed, describing Nadia and her companions’ movements from place to place—who and what they see along the way, what they eat, where they sleep, and how far they walk. There are also chapters that flashback to the time before the war, beginning at Nadia’s birthday in 2010, which also coincides with the beginning of the Arab Spring in Tunisia. These flashbacks then move forward in time, providing glimpses of how life changed as the war began in Syria and the situation deteriorated.
Something this book does wonderfully is discuss issues like religious difference, Assad’s authoritarian regime, and colonialism. For example, there is a balanced explanation of the Syrian Alawites, describing what they believe, how they were persecuted, and how that experience of persecution affected their own policies when Assad (an Alawite) came into power.
There is a sense running throughout the book that this war came from the outside, that’s Syria’s people were living in multicultural and religious harmony until outsiders started fighting in a bid for power. They are outsiders in the sense that the original ISIS fighters were actually foreigners and also in the sense that they do not represent what Syrians want for their country.
. . . and we Syrians die, caught between outsiders and Assad . . .
This book is hard-hitting. Nadia experiences real fear as she moves through the streets slowly, peeking around corners and proceeding cautiously. She fears several different groups all at once; everyone and anyone could be dangerous.
Something that I felt could have been improved in this novel was the pacing during the escape and the balance between the past and present. I felt like the present-day escape scenes were dragging on, and I would have appreciated more of Nadia in the past. We don’t know very much about Nadia except that she really likes music and was injured in the leg. I would have preferred more of a balance here. Even something as simple as seeing her with a friend pre-conflict and then wondering about that friend later would have made a big difference.
I highly recommend this book for all middle grade readers. It puts a face to one of the many conflicts going on on the other side of the world. This book is also tame enough that I'm interested in reading it to my six- and eight-year-old. I think this story will be accessible for them and a good way for them to learn about the conflict through a guided reading experience.
This review was originally posted here, where I review other Muslim reads.
January 2, 2018
Four days.
What changes a person in four days? An experience of life or death? Deciding to trust someone or not? Questioning even those kind souls who help you? Such an experience would strip away a child’s innocence. And what of becoming a refugee fleeing your own country for a safer place? Finding everything from life as you know it changed?
Escape from Aleppo is a timely novel that brings its reader into the still-waging Syrian war. Nadia’s story begins sharply as her family’s neighborhood is bombed. In the frantic struggle and panic of getting to safety, Nadia is left behind by her family. She survives the blast, rescues the family cat and begins to make her way to the rallying point. Along the way, she meets an older man who offers to take her to the Turkish border where her father waits for her. It won’t be easy; soldiers and fighters from all sides are on the streets.
During the trip, Nadia changes as she witnesses how life has changed in her city and country. She begins to see how many different ways the war is impacting people's lives. The author weaves the histories of Syria, the Middle East, and Islam into the story to help the reader understand the present-day issues. The story is intense and sad, but Nadia discovers her inner strength as well as the importance of compassion and mercy.
This story is one of the most important books written for our time. Hopefully, it will help encourage more compassion and mercy in our society.
I received an ARC of Escape from Aleppo at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Convention in November 2017 in St. Louis. Fortunately, my daughter chose the Children’s Book Award Luncheon for us to attend. As we selected a table, we were gifted this book and had the honor of the author sitting with us. She graciously signed our ARCs and chatted with all of the teachers at our table. From our short meeting, I suspected the book would be impactful.
A couple of weeks later, I began to read the book as it had been a favorite from the convention. I brought it to school, hoping to steal a few minutes to read a few pages. One of my students, reluctant to read the book she’d chosen, wouldn’t stop distracting other students during study hall. After the fifth or sixth time of pleading with her to please read, she exclaimed “I can’t! I don’t like my book!” In exhausted desperation, I held up Escape from Aleppo and replied “Here! Read this!” She stomped to my desk and whisked the book from my hand. As she realized it was my book (complete with NCTE sticker as a bookmark), she looked at the front and then read the back. Within minutes, the book captivated her for the remaining class period. I allowed her to keep the book over the holidays so she could finish reading it. I fully expect a conversation with her, as well as the book to be passed around in my study hall next quarter.
N. H. Senzai, thank you for writing this book. Escape from Aleppo will be available January 2, 2018, via Simon & Schuster.
What changes a person in four days? An experience of life or death? Deciding to trust someone or not? Questioning even those kind souls who help you? Such an experience would strip away a child’s innocence. And what of becoming a refugee fleeing your own country for a safer place? Finding everything from life as you know it changed?
Escape from Aleppo is a timely novel that brings its reader into the still-waging Syrian war. Nadia’s story begins sharply as her family’s neighborhood is bombed. In the frantic struggle and panic of getting to safety, Nadia is left behind by her family. She survives the blast, rescues the family cat and begins to make her way to the rallying point. Along the way, she meets an older man who offers to take her to the Turkish border where her father waits for her. It won’t be easy; soldiers and fighters from all sides are on the streets.
During the trip, Nadia changes as she witnesses how life has changed in her city and country. She begins to see how many different ways the war is impacting people's lives. The author weaves the histories of Syria, the Middle East, and Islam into the story to help the reader understand the present-day issues. The story is intense and sad, but Nadia discovers her inner strength as well as the importance of compassion and mercy.
This story is one of the most important books written for our time. Hopefully, it will help encourage more compassion and mercy in our society.
I received an ARC of Escape from Aleppo at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Convention in November 2017 in St. Louis. Fortunately, my daughter chose the Children’s Book Award Luncheon for us to attend. As we selected a table, we were gifted this book and had the honor of the author sitting with us. She graciously signed our ARCs and chatted with all of the teachers at our table. From our short meeting, I suspected the book would be impactful.
A couple of weeks later, I began to read the book as it had been a favorite from the convention. I brought it to school, hoping to steal a few minutes to read a few pages. One of my students, reluctant to read the book she’d chosen, wouldn’t stop distracting other students during study hall. After the fifth or sixth time of pleading with her to please read, she exclaimed “I can’t! I don’t like my book!” In exhausted desperation, I held up Escape from Aleppo and replied “Here! Read this!” She stomped to my desk and whisked the book from my hand. As she realized it was my book (complete with NCTE sticker as a bookmark), she looked at the front and then read the back. Within minutes, the book captivated her for the remaining class period. I allowed her to keep the book over the holidays so she could finish reading it. I fully expect a conversation with her, as well as the book to be passed around in my study hall next quarter.
N. H. Senzai, thank you for writing this book. Escape from Aleppo will be available January 2, 2018, via Simon & Schuster.
December 21, 2017
*I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*
N.H. Senzai’s newest novel, Escape from Aleppo, demonstrates the power of storytelling and the importance of family, history, and culture, all while creating a story that makes the topic of Syria approachable to both young and older readers. Escape from Aleppo tells the story of Nadia, a young girl living in a war-torn Syria, who attempts to flee with her family but gets separated from them during the chaos of bombs dropping nearby. Throughout the novel, Nadia often compares her life before the civil war--in which her greatest concern was mostly her painted nails--to the life full of hardship, caution, and tragedy she was currently experiencing. In this, Senzai contemplates the desensitized culture of today’s society, where the people focus on the “important” things in their life, while drowning out the problems of the rest of the world. However, through Escape from Aleppo, Senzai also re-sensitizes readers to the horrors occuring in our world, as well as the drastic differences in lifestyles (even though there are many similarities, too).
Although the main audience for this novel are middle-grade readers, older readers can still benefit from Escape from Aleppo: Senzai touches upon PTSD and anxiety (Nadia freezes when she hears the bombs because of a previous incident), fear and loneliness, and family and the idea of home. When I began reading this novel, I had a general idea of what was happening in Syria, but I was less informed than I should have been. Even though Nadia’s story is one of fiction with a happier ending, its backdrop tells the true story. In Syria, Bashar al-Assad’s authoritarian government holds control, but the emergence of multiple rebel groups challenges this corruption with, more often than not, violent strategies. Thus, Syria has been locked in a civil war since 2011, which, as Senzai writes extensively about, has destroyed more history of culture of Syria than all of the wars before.
Although the story primarily focuses on Syria, Senzai also refers to the religious conflict that has exploded in the Middle East while giving small insight into Islam and its practices, a religion which has always been peaceful. Towards the end of the novel, Nadia is exposed to ISIS, who are not portrayed as a violent militant group, as the media generally does, but rather with a more human edge. Especially in times of war, many lose the perception of people as human. As Senzai expresses in the author’s note, Escape from Aleppo allows readers to see the human faces behind the warring nations.
N.H. Senzai’s newest novel, Escape from Aleppo, demonstrates the power of storytelling and the importance of family, history, and culture, all while creating a story that makes the topic of Syria approachable to both young and older readers. Escape from Aleppo tells the story of Nadia, a young girl living in a war-torn Syria, who attempts to flee with her family but gets separated from them during the chaos of bombs dropping nearby. Throughout the novel, Nadia often compares her life before the civil war--in which her greatest concern was mostly her painted nails--to the life full of hardship, caution, and tragedy she was currently experiencing. In this, Senzai contemplates the desensitized culture of today’s society, where the people focus on the “important” things in their life, while drowning out the problems of the rest of the world. However, through Escape from Aleppo, Senzai also re-sensitizes readers to the horrors occuring in our world, as well as the drastic differences in lifestyles (even though there are many similarities, too).
Although the main audience for this novel are middle-grade readers, older readers can still benefit from Escape from Aleppo: Senzai touches upon PTSD and anxiety (Nadia freezes when she hears the bombs because of a previous incident), fear and loneliness, and family and the idea of home. When I began reading this novel, I had a general idea of what was happening in Syria, but I was less informed than I should have been. Even though Nadia’s story is one of fiction with a happier ending, its backdrop tells the true story. In Syria, Bashar al-Assad’s authoritarian government holds control, but the emergence of multiple rebel groups challenges this corruption with, more often than not, violent strategies. Thus, Syria has been locked in a civil war since 2011, which, as Senzai writes extensively about, has destroyed more history of culture of Syria than all of the wars before.
Although the story primarily focuses on Syria, Senzai also refers to the religious conflict that has exploded in the Middle East while giving small insight into Islam and its practices, a religion which has always been peaceful. Towards the end of the novel, Nadia is exposed to ISIS, who are not portrayed as a violent militant group, as the media generally does, but rather with a more human edge. Especially in times of war, many lose the perception of people as human. As Senzai expresses in the author’s note, Escape from Aleppo allows readers to see the human faces behind the warring nations.
February 17, 2018
In 2011, there was an outcry from the people of Syria. As the Syrian government and the rebels locked into a dangerous war, the city of Aleppo became the battle grounds, and the citizens became the casualties. For years, Nadia had tried to ignore the signs: the riots, the protests, and even the tension in the very air she breathed. Now, Nadia can no longer ignore them. When the fighting comes to her district, Nadia is forced to flee. Once her apartment building is bombed, Nadia is suddenly separated from her family. She is on her own. She is a refugee. Through the horror of war, Nadia must keep fighting to escape the danger and find her family. She must keep fighting for her life.
Opinion:
Escape from Aleppo was a book that opened my eyes to the horrors of war. It showed me what it truly means to be caught in the crossfire. This book, however, also showed me heart. I saw raw human emotion unlike any I’ve ever seen before in a realistic fiction novel. Nadia was brave, but not because she didn’t show emotion or pain and just rose up from the trial without difficulty. She was brave because she was real. I could connect one hundred percent to Nadia. She was afraid, and that’s what made her human. She didn’t want to leave her home, and that’s what made her brave. She left because she knew it was the only way. Being brave is being ready to face and endure danger or pain and to show courage. When she realized her family was gone, she did not give up. She was scared and confused, but she didn’t stop. She faced the danger and endured the pain of being on her own. She showed true courage, and that’s what made me love this book.
Escape from Aleppo was a book that showed me what it means to face adversity, horror, and pain but still rise up and survive. Senzai wove this book together in a beautiful dance of words and feelings. Escape from Aleppo is a book that everyone, young or old, should read again and again.
Reviewed by a LitPick student book reviewer, Age 14
Opinion:
Escape from Aleppo was a book that opened my eyes to the horrors of war. It showed me what it truly means to be caught in the crossfire. This book, however, also showed me heart. I saw raw human emotion unlike any I’ve ever seen before in a realistic fiction novel. Nadia was brave, but not because she didn’t show emotion or pain and just rose up from the trial without difficulty. She was brave because she was real. I could connect one hundred percent to Nadia. She was afraid, and that’s what made her human. She didn’t want to leave her home, and that’s what made her brave. She left because she knew it was the only way. Being brave is being ready to face and endure danger or pain and to show courage. When she realized her family was gone, she did not give up. She was scared and confused, but she didn’t stop. She faced the danger and endured the pain of being on her own. She showed true courage, and that’s what made me love this book.
Escape from Aleppo was a book that showed me what it means to face adversity, horror, and pain but still rise up and survive. Senzai wove this book together in a beautiful dance of words and feelings. Escape from Aleppo is a book that everyone, young or old, should read again and again.
Reviewed by a LitPick student book reviewer, Age 14
notes-on-unfinished-books
March 31, 2018Why I wouldn't recommend this book.
Muslims are woefully underrepresented in children's fiction, and we should encourage progress. Escape from Aleppo is a move in the right direction, but it does not meet my instructional needs.
Senzai drops the reader right into the deep water- her protagonist is in a bomb zone, has already been injured in a bombing, and has missing family members. This establishes a deep gulf between the character and the reader, especially a young reader. A book about traumatic experiences should start with a connection and then introduce the hardship. This book was put together backwards, and as a result, I was more invested in the main character's algebra grades than whether she survived the bombing or reconnected with her family. A middle school student would have the same difficulty.
I was also put off by Senzai's awkward cramming-in of cultural details. Here is a sentence that was meant to convey the emotional dislocation of seeing a familiar place reduced to rubble:
Are you trying to make me feel lonely or hungry, Senzai?
N.H. Senzai is competent in many areas, such as building setting and narrative pace. However, I stopped reading after four chapters because I could not see myself using this book in the classroom.
Muslims are woefully underrepresented in children's fiction, and we should encourage progress. Escape from Aleppo is a move in the right direction, but it does not meet my instructional needs.
Senzai drops the reader right into the deep water- her protagonist is in a bomb zone, has already been injured in a bombing, and has missing family members. This establishes a deep gulf between the character and the reader, especially a young reader. A book about traumatic experiences should start with a connection and then introduce the hardship. This book was put together backwards, and as a result, I was more invested in the main character's algebra grades than whether she survived the bombing or reconnected with her family. A middle school student would have the same difficulty.
I was also put off by Senzai's awkward cramming-in of cultural details. Here is a sentence that was meant to convey the emotional dislocation of seeing a familiar place reduced to rubble:
A leather sofa hung from the ledge, its matching love seat lying on what remained of Khala Fatima's kitchen below, her stove flat as an atayaf, a sweet cheese stuffed pancake.
Are you trying to make me feel lonely or hungry, Senzai?
N.H. Senzai is competent in many areas, such as building setting and narrative pace. However, I stopped reading after four chapters because I could not see myself using this book in the classroom.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews