The Boy Who Said Nothing: A Child's Story of Fleeing Conflict

by Mirsad Solakovic

Mirsad Solakovic survived a war in which some 300,000 people died, but was left with psychological damage. Mirsad lived through the ethnic cleansing of Bosnian civilians, until his family escaped to the UK. Following his experiences, he became difficult and untractable, and refused to speak English—until dedicated and sympathetic teachers at his school in Birmingham brought him back into contact with those around him. This thought-provoking account of the Bosnian and Herzegovinian tragedy paints a uniquely intimate portrait of survival, revealing pain that has never faded, yet has not crushed the human spirit. It is also an uplifting account of just how effective good teachers can be when faced with deeply troubled pupils.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

368 pages, Paperback

Published October 12, 2018

Reviews

[James Tivendale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a review copy of The Boy Who Said Nothing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Mirsad Solakovic, Cass Pennant and John Blake Books.

I will keep this as a mini-review as I don't want to give too much away. I knew nothing about the Bosnian war and the split of Yugoslavia before approaching this book and I had no idea what to expect. The Boy Who Said Nothing is autobiographical about Solakovic's life. It's a moving, memorable, engrossing and often shocking memoir with dark moments aplenty about how a boy fled the Bosnian war, after spending time in concentration camps and witnessing family members murdered, to a new and often almost as harrowing life in Britain where he deals with PTSD, tries to find his place in the world and build a future in alien environments. Arriving in the UK after hell on earth in Bosnia Solakovic deals with life as an immigrant in a very multicultural Birmingham but doesn't speak any English, deals with bullying and abuse, all whilst never expressing his feelings about what is really going on inside. This book includes acting classes, plenty of fights and skirmishes, body-building, dealing with some of Birmingham's deadliest gangs, working on the doors on Broad Street, meeting Arnold Swartzenegger and Mike Tyson... etc. What makes this story such a gem to read is that whatever problems or adversity is raised throughout Mirsad remains completely likeable and we are on his side all the way. It seems like he has had an amazingly colourful and eventful life and although littered with tragedy, he has come out of the dilemmas as a better person but never forgot his family, upbringing and his heritage. Highly recommend.

[Veronika · Rating 1 out of 5]

I rarely give books just 1 star, but the author deserves it for this book. The book is more about the author than the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and more about his life afterwards rather than the PTSD as a result of the war. Following the author's words, violence had been present in his life well before the war broke out, which contradicts his words about harmony and peace in his village. The author tried to describe Bosnia and Herzegovina before the war as an idyllic place; however, he had been taught by his relatives how to hit, punch or beat other people. The book was extremely self-centred, and the author was longing for respect and admiration. I finished the book just of respect towards the book.

[Amar Kasapovic · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was a little slow and at times boring to read. I went into it thinking it was going to be a book about the Bosnian genocide, but it turned out to be an autobiography about the author I didn’t know about and how he lived his life after the war. The book was just okay.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. But not all down to the author.

Let's clear a few things up first. Firstly, the books full title is Poems from the boy... so anyone NOT expecting poems... 🤔 Secondly it's obvious the author is the subject, so again anyone decrying this as an autobiography... 😓

However, my version was published by Amazon. Its rife with spelling errors and poor layout throughout, clearly not proofed in any way at all.

I have a feeling the poems were written in a native language and translated to English, and unfortunately they don't translate very well. I can feel the attempt to harbour pride and passion for the home country, but it isn't conveyed to a non-national I'm afraid.

I picked the book up after seeing Solakovic on YouTube, and really expected more about his story than a mere footnote of birth town, family and career achievements. I wanted to read his story, to understand his journey, but maybe that's what's reserved for his shows and private engagements.

Overall I'm hugely disappointed by what could have been a great story of challenge and survival, of passion and pride, and it's been heavily diluted into this poorly edited copy. Not one I'm recommending, but do hope Solakovic can transcribe a proper full autobiography in time.

[Abdul Aziz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very dear friend of mine once said in a poem that, "we don't see people anymore, we see causes", and these words resignated with me as I read through this wonderful book.

Often times we are desensitised to suffering, and lost in numbers, however I found this book to uniquely offer a genuine first hand narrative to what it is like growing up in a utopian society at peace, to have this completely juxtaposed to a living nightmare, to then readjusting in new (and at times hostile) environments. I found this book to be a tale of survival, hope, and ultimately demonstrates in practice the personification of a crushed flower that gives fragrance, or a living example how pressure creates dimonds.

I found it to be a truly inspirational read and would urge you to purchase this book to experience this story of hope in the face of exceptionally challenging circumstances.

[Jess Moutell · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s inspirational and a testament to his strength and character that misrad worked so hard and achieved through his life.

Sadly this book wasn’t quite what I was expecting when I picked it up and read the blurb nor the tag line. Rather than a child’s story for fleeing conflict, the elements from his early years are limited, and by 200 pages is more of an account of his friends and people he had met, and achieving notoriety.

Sadly there are parts in my edition which have not been edited, pages repeating the same message in multiple different ways, as well as missing punctuation and spelling errors throughout- I’m not the grammar police at all, however I draw the line at a paragraph being finished ‘which’ a clearly unfinished sentence.

Seems like a great guy and incredibly likeable and inspirational, but this book isn’t quite what it is sold as.

[Lawrence Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Mirsad's autobiography from his time in war torn Bosnia to his equally traumatic time in Birmingham.

I found it quite a traumatic book to read. The horrors of the war in the former Yugoslavia where the hatred between the different peoples must have been simmering for a long time but kept under control by Tito. The brutality of that conflict and the traumas he witnessed and suffered caused his PTSD. And then the cruelty of his school in Birmingham makes you wonder at the depravity one human being can do to another and the shame that this sort of stuff can happen in the UK.

Maybe I missed some bits but a deeper explanation of why Bosnians were at war with the Serbs would have helped us to understand

It does have a happy ending though.

[Dale Edgerton · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Boy Who Said Nothing" is the autobiographical work of Mirsad Solakovic. At the beginning of the Bosnian War, he and his family were taken from their home in Bosnia and put in a concentration camp. Mirsad was stripped and beaten by a former favorite coach at his school, and suffered unimaginable torture and starvation. But this is the story of a wonderful man who survived all of this, and made his way to Birmingham in the UK where he now thrives as a writer and an actor. Mickey is one of the kindest men I know. His smile makes me happy. He sent me a signed copy, and I sent him a signed copy of my novel. The book also includes some brilliant and strong poetry he has written. I am so proud to be his friend.

[Neal G Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really sad. inspiring stuff. I read the story about the Royal Welch Fusiliers preventing another Srbrenica in the town of Gorazde and wanted to understand how the people of Bosnia felt under the brutal occupation of the Serbs. This tells the story of a young lad who encounters loss, trauma & an unbreakable spirit in everything he’s managed to achieve since those early struggles. Heartbreaking and uplifting. This story is something that should be taught to all kids in school. How to deal with loss, bullying, trauma when all seems stacked against you. Well done Mirsad. Youre an inspiration to all.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mirsad is a true inspiration and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about his journey and struggles, albeit heart wrenching at times. I knew nothing of the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and it would have been helpful if more information was provided around why the Serbs were committing such atrociticies. Perhaps in the form of an appendix? At times I found the story a little slow in regards to the celeb name dropping ect. And as a Brit, I found it sad that Mirsad could not comment on the all beautiful aspects that Britain has to offer too!

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought more of the story would be about the war.

[Aamina]

WHOA. I couldn't put this down.