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Where I Belong
There are guns and bandits in this story. And supermodels. And there's drought and starvation too. Are you wondering how they can all come together? Well, that's how life is these days. Things don't happen neatly, in separate little places. We're all caught by the great spider's web of media that spans the world. That's where the story is set. The world. It's the story of Abdi and Khadija and Freya (that's me) and what happened to us becuase of Somalia...
340 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2010
12 people are currently reading
352 people want to read
About the author
Gillian Cross
149 books87 followersGillian Cross was born Gillian Arnold in 1945. She was educated at North London Collegiate School, Somerville College, Oxford and the University of Sussex. Although now a full-time writer who often travels and gives talks in connection with her work, she has had a number of informal jobs including being an assistant to a Member of Parliament. For eight years she also sat on the committee which advises ministers about public libraries.
She is married to Martin Cross and they have four grown-up children, two sons and two daughters.
She is married to Martin Cross and they have four grown-up children, two sons and two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
June 23, 2020
مع بداية الرواية كنت متحمس ليها جدا .. لكن مع مرور الصفحات بدأت أحس إن تنفيذ فكرة الرواية مش أد كده .. يمكن الكاتبة ليها رؤية و تصور رائع .. لكن محستش إنها قدرت توظف الرواية صح ..
عموما الرواية ممتعة كقراءة .. و فيها تشويق للقارئ ..
عموما الرواية ممتعة كقراءة .. و فيها تشويق للقارئ ..
September 26, 2011
There are not enough books like this.
Ripped-from-the-headlines, high action, high suspense, multiple perspectives, short chapters, girl appeal, boy appeal, internet safety tips, world awareness... I could go on and on.
Abdi is technically from Somalia. But he's never lived there. His mother moved to the Netherlands before he was born, and he's lived in England for several years. He's 14.
"Khadija" loves Somalia. She lived there until recently, when her father paid for her to illegally emigrate to England, where she lives with Abdi's family as their "sister."
Freya's mom is a fashion designer. Freya fends for herself most of the time, living the urban London life. She spends a lot of time with her dad, a photographer who used to cover ravaged African countries.
One day, Freya's mom gets a new idea for her next fashion line. She's inspired by Freya's dad's work in Somalia, and one day, on the street, she discovers the perfect model.
What follows is a fast-paced kidnapping tale. It's kind of obvious to the reader who the villain is, but, as my friend Jackie says, "That's the difference between mystery and suspense -- you know what's going to happen in suspense." It's heart-breaking how long the villain has the upper hand. And how long they stay hidden from their victims. There are also a few twists that I wasn't fully expecting.
I think it's interesting that Cross chooses to include fragments of the experience of the kidnappee after many of the chapters, instead of giving the character entire chapters to themselves.
Yeah, I loved it. Wish the cover was a little more boy-friendly. Wish the paperback cover had come out in amerika (the hardback follows a good formula, but doesn't go far enough). But yeah, dibs on this for booktalking.
Ripped-from-the-headlines, high action, high suspense, multiple perspectives, short chapters, girl appeal, boy appeal, internet safety tips, world awareness... I could go on and on.
Abdi is technically from Somalia. But he's never lived there. His mother moved to the Netherlands before he was born, and he's lived in England for several years. He's 14.
"Khadija" loves Somalia. She lived there until recently, when her father paid for her to illegally emigrate to England, where she lives with Abdi's family as their "sister."
Freya's mom is a fashion designer. Freya fends for herself most of the time, living the urban London life. She spends a lot of time with her dad, a photographer who used to cover ravaged African countries.
One day, Freya's mom gets a new idea for her next fashion line. She's inspired by Freya's dad's work in Somalia, and one day, on the street, she discovers the perfect model.
What follows is a fast-paced kidnapping tale. It's kind of obvious to the reader who the villain is, but, as my friend Jackie says, "That's the difference between mystery and suspense -- you know what's going to happen in suspense." It's heart-breaking how long the villain has the upper hand. And how long they stay hidden from their victims. There are also a few twists that I wasn't fully expecting.
I think it's interesting that Cross chooses to include fragments of the experience of the kidnappee after many of the chapters, instead of giving the character entire chapters to themselves.
Yeah, I loved it. Wish the cover was a little more boy-friendly. Wish the paperback cover had come out in amerika (the hardback follows a good formula, but doesn't go far enough). But yeah, dibs on this for booktalking.
November 17, 2010
I really wish the photo uploaded to Goodreads of the cover looked better because the cover of Where I Belong is simply stunning with the bright blue peeking out from the solemn veil. LOVE (ETA: It's fixed, huzzah!)
Looking at the cast of characters, you probably think there's a love triangle. WRONG. Abdi, Khadija and Freya are just friends and that is marvelous. There is no romance in this book. It's purely a story of friendship, adventure and fashion. I suppose that could count as a spoiler but whatever. if you only read a book that's about romance, I warned you. Instead this is a good book about friendship. Sort-of. we don't learn much about Abdi's friends and Khadija doesn't have many friends. We meet some of Freya's friends as well, but it seemed out of place. We are told by Freya that she does indeed have friends and as if to prove that, the author throws in some random friends with random problems. I would have rather Freya not have had friends at all or get more backstory on her friend's problems. In addition to the supporting characters not being fully fleshed out, the story can drag at times. The story sounds like it might be action-packed, but it's really not. Which is ok, but even though I didn't mind the lack of pirate/bandit action, I did mind how time seemed to fly for the main characters but nothing seemed to really happen. It's an odd thing to try and express and I hope I'm making sense. Furthermore, I wish I had gotten to know all the main characters better. The story is told in alternating points of view between Abdi, Khadija and Freya but the characters remain on a superficial level. Not till the end do we see Abdi's more intimate side and while we witness Khadija's more emotional side, we are only told about Freya's emotions.
I did like the fact that Somalia is the common thread (!). You have to suspend a bit of your disbelief (after we are all dealing with famous fashion designers and Somalian bandits, a most unlikely combination), but that allows you to fully savor the story and not scrutinize it as much. There are several different attitudes expressed in this story, an attitude that Africa is a dangerous place and that is all it has to offer. Another attitude held by a character is that Africa is an 'exotic' place, in a way the character is only trying to use Africa (there's a ring of colonialism or imperialism in that respect). And Khadija wants people to see all that Africa, specifically Somalia, has to offer. The good and the bad. She wants to become a model for noble reasons and she's an admirable character. One of my favorite parts of the story is when the author describes Sandy and Freya trying on the veil. "So how did it feel? If you're not veiled yourself, that's what you want to know, isn't it? [....] The first answer is-terrifying." (pg. 59-60). Freya then goes on to describe how she feels invisible in the veil, because most people go out of their way to avoid her. Eventually Freya says that the veil gives her a sense of power, because she can keep people guessing and hide herself from the world (in a sense) if she wants.
Where I Belong could be read by middle grade students or young adults. One of the most fascinating parts of the story comes from its fashion background and revolves around the character of Sandy, the iconic fashion designer. Sandy is not only the scarf (!) that holds everyone together, she is also the glue (although it could be argued that Khadija is the glue as well). The fashion commentary and the peeks at Somalia will help this story to stand out and trying to get to the climax of the story will keep readers turning the pages (and it is worth it although it wasn't elaborated on which was frustrating). There's nothing really wrong with this book, I just didn't love it or even really really like it. I liked it and I'd recommend it to certain people, but I'm not sure if it's for everyone. I always think it's weird when I don't have a favorite character and that is the case here (I did like Khadija more than the others though, from the little I learned about her). Ultimately my problem with the story is that several promising storylines are introduced but they are too easily wrapped up or pushed aside and the characters remain stock characters.
Looking at the cast of characters, you probably think there's a love triangle. WRONG. Abdi, Khadija and Freya are just friends and that is marvelous. There is no romance in this book. It's purely a story of friendship, adventure and fashion. I suppose that could count as a spoiler but whatever. if you only read a book that's about romance, I warned you. Instead this is a good book about friendship. Sort-of. we don't learn much about Abdi's friends and Khadija doesn't have many friends. We meet some of Freya's friends as well, but it seemed out of place. We are told by Freya that she does indeed have friends and as if to prove that, the author throws in some random friends with random problems. I would have rather Freya not have had friends at all or get more backstory on her friend's problems. In addition to the supporting characters not being fully fleshed out, the story can drag at times. The story sounds like it might be action-packed, but it's really not. Which is ok, but even though I didn't mind the lack of pirate/bandit action, I did mind how time seemed to fly for the main characters but nothing seemed to really happen. It's an odd thing to try and express and I hope I'm making sense. Furthermore, I wish I had gotten to know all the main characters better. The story is told in alternating points of view between Abdi, Khadija and Freya but the characters remain on a superficial level. Not till the end do we see Abdi's more intimate side and while we witness Khadija's more emotional side, we are only told about Freya's emotions.
I did like the fact that Somalia is the common thread (!). You have to suspend a bit of your disbelief (after we are all dealing with famous fashion designers and Somalian bandits, a most unlikely combination), but that allows you to fully savor the story and not scrutinize it as much. There are several different attitudes expressed in this story, an attitude that Africa is a dangerous place and that is all it has to offer. Another attitude held by a character is that Africa is an 'exotic' place, in a way the character is only trying to use Africa (there's a ring of colonialism or imperialism in that respect). And Khadija wants people to see all that Africa, specifically Somalia, has to offer. The good and the bad. She wants to become a model for noble reasons and she's an admirable character. One of my favorite parts of the story is when the author describes Sandy and Freya trying on the veil. "So how did it feel? If you're not veiled yourself, that's what you want to know, isn't it? [....] The first answer is-terrifying." (pg. 59-60). Freya then goes on to describe how she feels invisible in the veil, because most people go out of their way to avoid her. Eventually Freya says that the veil gives her a sense of power, because she can keep people guessing and hide herself from the world (in a sense) if she wants.
Where I Belong could be read by middle grade students or young adults. One of the most fascinating parts of the story comes from its fashion background and revolves around the character of Sandy, the iconic fashion designer. Sandy is not only the scarf (!) that holds everyone together, she is also the glue (although it could be argued that Khadija is the glue as well). The fashion commentary and the peeks at Somalia will help this story to stand out and trying to get to the climax of the story will keep readers turning the pages (and it is worth it although it wasn't elaborated on which was frustrating). There's nothing really wrong with this book, I just didn't love it or even really really like it. I liked it and I'd recommend it to certain people, but I'm not sure if it's for everyone. I always think it's weird when I don't have a favorite character and that is the case here (I did like Khadija more than the others though, from the little I learned about her). Ultimately my problem with the story is that several promising storylines are introduced but they are too easily wrapped up or pushed aside and the characters remain stock characters.
December 24, 2021
حيث أنتمي
جيليان كروس
ترجمة: سمر طلبه من اللغة الانجليزية.
العدد: 2647 سلسلة الإبداع القصصي.
الطبعه الأولى 2016.
"هذه قصة عن الأسلحة والعصابات وعارضات الأزياء .. وهي أيضا عن الجفاف والمجاعة . هل يزعجكم هذا ؟ هل تتساءلون كيف يمكن أن يجتمع كل هذا في قصة واحدة ؟ إذن دعوني أقل لكم إن هذا حال الحياة في أيامنا هذه . لا تحدث الأشياء بنظام محدد بحيث يقع كل حدث في مكان منفصل . إننا جميعاً مرتبطون بعضنا ببعض عن طريق البريد الإلكتروني والهواتف وتلك الشبكة الإعلامية التي تغطى العالم كله كشبكة عنكبوت عملاقة . أحداث هذه القصة إذن مسرحها العالم .. إنها قصة " عابدی " و " خديجة " " وقصتى أنا أيضا " فيريا " .. قصة ما حدث لنا جميعا بسبب الصومال . "
هذا الملخص على غلاف الكتاب .
قصة الرواية عن جزء مما يعانيه الشعب الصومالي.
"بادئ ذي بدء كان يحكم البلاد ديكتاتور يؤثر عشيرته على سائر العشائر، و قد قام بتحجيم الجميع، حتى بدأت البلاد الغربيه تلعب ألعابها في منطقة القرن الأفريقي، ثم انهار كل شئ. و سيطر القاده العسكريون. العنف ساد، والفساد، والفوضى. قنابل يدوية تلقى هنا و هناك، رصاصات تتطاير من المدافع ، مبان تنفجر فتصير حطاما."
يبدأ عابدي بحكاية قصته ويقول..
"كنت جنينا في رحمها آنذاك، و كان كل شغل والدي الشاغل أن ينقلها إلى مكان آمن، لكن أبويه كانا طاعنين في السن، كما كان المرض قد اشتد بهما، و لم يكن بوسعه أن يتركهما و يرحل، لذا سافرت أمي وحدها لاجئه، ووعدها والدي بأن يأتي و يعيدها إلى الوطن حين تتحسن الأحوال و تهدأ الأمور."
و مرت الأيام و توالت الأحداث و أصبح لعابدي ثلاث أخوات فوزيه وماريان وزهرة، و بعد فترة اختفى والده و قيل لهم إنه مات.
استضافوا فتاة من الصومال ( خديجه) غيرت لهم حياتهم و تعرفوا بسببها على أكبر مصممة أزياء في أوروبا ( ساندي) و تحب ساندي خديجه وتضمها إلى فريقها و تقوم ساندي بمخاطرة كبيرة و تذهب إلى الصومال لتقوم بعرض أزياء وتحدث مفاجأت كثيره هناك.
الروايه قصتها جميلة جدا ، السرد سلس، الترجمة ممتازة ومفردات اللغة العربية رقيقة و بسيطة .
"كانت تساؤلاتهما خناجر تخترق قلبي لأنني كنت أعرف الإجابة، لكنني كنت عاجزة عن البوح لهما بها. إنه خطئي، لكن لم أجرؤ على الإعتراف لهما بذلك حتى لا أتسبب في المزيد من الألم و المتاعب".
أعجبتني القصه و أحداثها وأرشحها لأصدقائي وكل قراء هذا النوع من الروايات .
#books_shams_2021
جيليان كروس
ترجمة: سمر طلبه من اللغة الانجليزية.
العدد: 2647 سلسلة الإبداع القصصي.
الطبعه الأولى 2016.
"هذه قصة عن الأسلحة والعصابات وعارضات الأزياء .. وهي أيضا عن الجفاف والمجاعة . هل يزعجكم هذا ؟ هل تتساءلون كيف يمكن أن يجتمع كل هذا في قصة واحدة ؟ إذن دعوني أقل لكم إن هذا حال الحياة في أيامنا هذه . لا تحدث الأشياء بنظام محدد بحيث يقع كل حدث في مكان منفصل . إننا جميعاً مرتبطون بعضنا ببعض عن طريق البريد الإلكتروني والهواتف وتلك الشبكة الإعلامية التي تغطى العالم كله كشبكة عنكبوت عملاقة . أحداث هذه القصة إذن مسرحها العالم .. إنها قصة " عابدی " و " خديجة " " وقصتى أنا أيضا " فيريا " .. قصة ما حدث لنا جميعا بسبب الصومال . "
هذا الملخص على غلاف الكتاب .
قصة الرواية عن جزء مما يعانيه الشعب الصومالي.
"بادئ ذي بدء كان يحكم البلاد ديكتاتور يؤثر عشيرته على سائر العشائر، و قد قام بتحجيم الجميع، حتى بدأت البلاد الغربيه تلعب ألعابها في منطقة القرن الأفريقي، ثم انهار كل شئ. و سيطر القاده العسكريون. العنف ساد، والفساد، والفوضى. قنابل يدوية تلقى هنا و هناك، رصاصات تتطاير من المدافع ، مبان تنفجر فتصير حطاما."
يبدأ عابدي بحكاية قصته ويقول..
"كنت جنينا في رحمها آنذاك، و كان كل شغل والدي الشاغل أن ينقلها إلى مكان آمن، لكن أبويه كانا طاعنين في السن، كما كان المرض قد اشتد بهما، و لم يكن بوسعه أن يتركهما و يرحل، لذا سافرت أمي وحدها لاجئه، ووعدها والدي بأن يأتي و يعيدها إلى الوطن حين تتحسن الأحوال و تهدأ الأمور."
و مرت الأيام و توالت الأحداث و أصبح لعابدي ثلاث أخوات فوزيه وماريان وزهرة، و بعد فترة اختفى والده و قيل لهم إنه مات.
استضافوا فتاة من الصومال ( خديجه) غيرت لهم حياتهم و تعرفوا بسببها على أكبر مصممة أزياء في أوروبا ( ساندي) و تحب ساندي خديجه وتضمها إلى فريقها و تقوم ساندي بمخاطرة كبيرة و تذهب إلى الصومال لتقوم بعرض أزياء وتحدث مفاجأت كثيره هناك.
الروايه قصتها جميلة جدا ، السرد سلس، الترجمة ممتازة ومفردات اللغة العربية رقيقة و بسيطة .
"كانت تساؤلاتهما خناجر تخترق قلبي لأنني كنت أعرف الإجابة، لكنني كنت عاجزة عن البوح لهما بها. إنه خطئي، لكن لم أجرؤ على الإعتراف لهما بذلك حتى لا أتسبب في المزيد من الألم و المتاعب".
أعجبتني القصه و أحداثها وأرشحها لأصدقائي وكل قراء هذا النوع من الروايات .
#books_shams_2021
October 13, 2020
رواية لطيفة خفيفة.. الكاتبة حكاءة سلسة عندها قصة قالتها بشكل هادي سلس فلو اتصنفت ادب موجه للمراهقين فتمام هتبقي علي مقاسها لان الحقيقة فيها شوية عيوب.. يعني مثلا الرواية سطحية مافيهاش اي تعمق لا في الشخصيات و لا الاحداث كله من علي الوش كمان اسلوب وجود ٣ رواه كل واحد بضمير الانا مكانتش موفقة لأن ببساطة التلاتة بيتكلموا بلسان الكاتبة محستش باختلاف في الشخصيات.. فهي ببساطة رواية استمتعت و انا بقراها لكن مجرد ما خلصت مسابتش اي اثر لا في المشاعى و لا فتفكيري
March 12, 2019
I love books that express the culture so profoundly. Being a younge Somali-American it’s hard to find relatable books. The main character has the same name as me! The amount of emotions that it provokes was too much. It was so good that I missed my bus stop lost reading. The ending was the biggest plot twist.
March 14, 2018
قرأتها مترجمة، جيدة ولكن كنت اتمنى ان اعرف اكثر عن الصومال تاريخها ونزاعاتها وهكذا، احبطتني ولكنها خفيفة مضت سريعاً..
July 8, 2017
This book has a lot of things going on, but it manages to do moat of it well. Khadija's discovery by th fashion world is far fetched but it allows for a variety of perspectives and interpretations of Somalian life. The kidnapping storyline is underdeveloped but brings all the characters and two countries together. Where this book shines is its depiction of Somalian culture from various points of view (native, first generation immigrant, westerners). The author does a fantastic job at describing the geography, fabrics, and other visuals of the story make the reader's can really "feel" the story. The text and story are not overly difficult and I would recommend this as a multi-cultural read for middle or high schoolers.
March 31, 2024
I found this in my school library, it is so good to read as a book that you just pick up thinking “I wanna try something new!” And for me it really is. I read a lot of young adult fiction and this is amazing. I do not know if the characters in it are real or not(I don’t have the time to research if they are) but the different POVs are insane and how it all ties together is perfect. I would recommend if you like books to keep you on edge. :)
May 14, 2024
i am pretty indifferent about this novel. (Perhaps if it had come with a cover, my thoughts would have changed since it is a beautiful piece of artwork.) I would have loved an author's note on this novel to hear what inspired Cross to write the novel and what her experiences are with the country of Somalia. There seemed to be no punishment for the man who was the mastermind of the crime.
May 6, 2025
سيء سيء سيء
عديت نص الكتاب ومقدرتش اكمله بسبب اني متعلقتش ولا اتعاطفت ب أي شخصية وفيه سطحية رهيبة في الرواية عامة
منصحش بيه نهائي
عديت نص الكتاب ومقدرتش اكمله بسبب اني متعلقتش ولا اتعاطفت ب أي شخصية وفيه سطحية رهيبة في الرواية عامة
منصحش بيه نهائي
Read
October 5, 2016Pulled in first by the cover, this was a random find while roaming the shelves in the library.
Abdi is a fourteen-year-old Somali refugee who has never been to Somalia, since his mother fled to the Netherlands before he was born. His family then moved on to England, where they saved for years to bring his father to London. Abdi’s father is not one of the lucky ones and he disappears before making it to his family in England.
Kadija is the oldest of our trio and not going by her real name. When her real father sends her by smuggler to England, she is given the name Kadija and a false age of fourteen. She never shares her true name with the reader, stating only that it traces her family back 13 generations and allows any Somali to know exactly from which family she descends. Abdi’s family has taken Kadija in as a sister and she is under orders to get a good education to help her family back in Somalia.
Freya is the fifteen-year-old daughter of David, a photo journalist-cum-professor, and famed British fashion designer Sandy Dexter. Freya splits time between her parent’s homes and spends time with her friends—all while despising the fashion world of her mother.
Brought together when Sandy spots Kadijah on the street and recruits her as a model for her latest collection, the teens not only spend time dodging fashion world spies, they must deal with Somali bandits and abducted younger brothers.
Where I Belong provides adventure, a collision of cultures, and a little high fashion in a fast paced read. Relatively short chapters told from differing viewpoints prevent readers from bogging down. Occasional breaks from the main narration are offset in bold font and allow us to keep up with Mahmoud, Kadijah’s endangered younger brother.
While the story carries the hint of violence in the offing, there is surprisingly little “onscreen” violence and many of the real life issues in Somalia are only hinted at, making this a good option even for middle schoolers. Gillian Cross, a Carnegie Medal winning author, delivers a story that is as relevant today as it was when it was published in 2010. The relevancy and out of the norm setting for a young adult novel increase the interest level into the high school grades as well.
While Kirkus was not thrilled with the book, I found it to be a suspenseful, fast read that appeals to both middle and upper grades.
Abdi is a fourteen-year-old Somali refugee who has never been to Somalia, since his mother fled to the Netherlands before he was born. His family then moved on to England, where they saved for years to bring his father to London. Abdi’s father is not one of the lucky ones and he disappears before making it to his family in England.
Kadija is the oldest of our trio and not going by her real name. When her real father sends her by smuggler to England, she is given the name Kadija and a false age of fourteen. She never shares her true name with the reader, stating only that it traces her family back 13 generations and allows any Somali to know exactly from which family she descends. Abdi’s family has taken Kadija in as a sister and she is under orders to get a good education to help her family back in Somalia.
Freya is the fifteen-year-old daughter of David, a photo journalist-cum-professor, and famed British fashion designer Sandy Dexter. Freya splits time between her parent’s homes and spends time with her friends—all while despising the fashion world of her mother.
Brought together when Sandy spots Kadijah on the street and recruits her as a model for her latest collection, the teens not only spend time dodging fashion world spies, they must deal with Somali bandits and abducted younger brothers.
Where I Belong provides adventure, a collision of cultures, and a little high fashion in a fast paced read. Relatively short chapters told from differing viewpoints prevent readers from bogging down. Occasional breaks from the main narration are offset in bold font and allow us to keep up with Mahmoud, Kadijah’s endangered younger brother.
While the story carries the hint of violence in the offing, there is surprisingly little “onscreen” violence and many of the real life issues in Somalia are only hinted at, making this a good option even for middle schoolers. Gillian Cross, a Carnegie Medal winning author, delivers a story that is as relevant today as it was when it was published in 2010. The relevancy and out of the norm setting for a young adult novel increase the interest level into the high school grades as well.
While Kirkus was not thrilled with the book, I found it to be a suspenseful, fast read that appeals to both middle and upper grades.
November 10, 2016
The first two chapters were lovely, and drew me in with quick, thoughtful storytelling that captured the personalities of the characters without turning them into caricatures of their nationality. Obviously Ms Cross can write, and write well.
Then the third chapter, the first from Freya's point of view, let all the air out my enjoyment with what seemed like a very forced attempt at a distinctly western teenage voice.
I'm not British - maybe British teens sound like that? But the prose and, in particular the dialogue, felt very fake, with a lot of clumsy attempts to slip background detail in naturally that didn't feel natural at all.
It took me until the second Freya chapter to work out what the problem was. It was how much the Freya POV talks to the reader. Obviously all first-person narratives have an element of that, but this was direct fourth wall breaking and extremely jarring.
That extra level of connection also made me realise how much I didn't like Freya. Not in an anti-hero way, but in regards to her personality and the way she 'spoke'. She was annoying, patronising and brattish. I didn't like her, I didn't care about her experience and I didn't want to hear what she had to say, particularly when she started talking about wearing a veil after ten-minutes of experience, and latching on to any stranger on the street not looking at or speaking to her as a sign that they were purposefully ignoring her because they thought she was Muslim. Then she started going on about the veil giving her power because she was hidden while at the same time being angry because people couldn't see her...I'm sorry, but no. It all felt really distasteful, like the author was writing a tacky highschool essay about every single emotion they imagine a woman in a veil might feel to show how empathetic she was with POC issues. It felt dirty. You want to tell me about POC experience? Have one of your POC characters do it, or have them teach your white western characters. Don't have your white western characters teach themselves and then share their profound knowledge with the rest of us.
Maybe the book improves, and Freya becomes less unbareable. Maybe it all ties together in a way that makes the tone of those early chapters essential to the story. I'm just not willing to hang in any longer to find out. One star.
Then the third chapter, the first from Freya's point of view, let all the air out my enjoyment with what seemed like a very forced attempt at a distinctly western teenage voice.
I'm not British - maybe British teens sound like that? But the prose and, in particular the dialogue, felt very fake, with a lot of clumsy attempts to slip background detail in naturally that didn't feel natural at all.
It took me until the second Freya chapter to work out what the problem was. It was how much the Freya POV talks to the reader. Obviously all first-person narratives have an element of that, but this was direct fourth wall breaking and extremely jarring.
That extra level of connection also made me realise how much I didn't like Freya. Not in an anti-hero way, but in regards to her personality and the way she 'spoke'. She was annoying, patronising and brattish. I didn't like her, I didn't care about her experience and I didn't want to hear what she had to say, particularly when she started talking about wearing a veil after ten-minutes of experience, and latching on to any stranger on the street not looking at or speaking to her as a sign that they were purposefully ignoring her because they thought she was Muslim. Then she started going on about the veil giving her power because she was hidden while at the same time being angry because people couldn't see her...I'm sorry, but no. It all felt really distasteful, like the author was writing a tacky highschool essay about every single emotion they imagine a woman in a veil might feel to show how empathetic she was with POC issues. It felt dirty. You want to tell me about POC experience? Have one of your POC characters do it, or have them teach your white western characters. Don't have your white western characters teach themselves and then share their profound knowledge with the rest of us.
Maybe the book improves, and Freya becomes less unbareable. Maybe it all ties together in a way that makes the tone of those early chapters essential to the story. I'm just not willing to hang in any longer to find out. One star.
October 21, 2015
The reason behind making the decision of reading this novel was the distinctive cover , preface, and introduction. When the class went down to the library choosing a book to read, I discovered this particular book joined different topics and contained a different theme than any other book I’ve read before. It affiliated Somali culture with couture fashion in England, kidnapping,and extortion all together. The story is told through the views of three teenagers Khadija, whom we really don’t know her real name, Freya, and Abdi. Khadija is to leave her family suffering the violent, aggravating conditions in Somalia in hope for a better education in England where then she will be able to help them out of their hardships. Abdi is an ethnic Somali living with his mother and three sisters in a Somali neighborhood in the Netherlands. Abdi’s father is said to be dead as a result of the civil strife and drought in Somalia.Freya is the daughter of Sandy Dexter, a fashion designer, and David, a war photographer. As Khadija arrives at her new household, she starts thinking about different ways she can make money, and thus help her family out through the drought.Meanwhile, Sandy Dexter has been researching Somalia for her next collection. Designing a burqa and wearing it through the streets of Battle Hill with Freya, Sandy discovers Khadija. She secretly meets up with them promising Khadija to be on the front covers of her next magazine. Not long after Khadija met up with Sandy, her brother Mahmoud back in Somalia gets kidnapped and the kidnappers request ten thousand dollars from Khadija knowing her plans with the famous fashion designer. The events of the book climax from this point on to form a unique theme. In particular, the book demonstrates the theme of belonging where all three teenagers end up finding where they truly belong in life. Given the example of Khadija, feeling that she belonged in Somalia and had no sense of belonging in England was perceived. This also includes Abdi’s feeling of belonging in Somalia although it was his first time visiting the country where his parents originated and grew up. Overall, this book demonstrates the dubious view of teenagers on their future lives.
May 28, 2013
Where I Belong, written by Gillian Cross, is a high speed drama that keeps your head spinning in circles; I highly recommend this novel to anybody who likes dramas, and mysteries, this is not the basic who done it story, it’s more of a high pressure situation.
The novel is semi-predictable but never the less a great story. Also the story through three teenagers. The narration rotates each chapter between Abdi, Khadija (whose real name is never told, but has a nickname: Geri), and Freya. Another unique format of this book is that the story of Geri’s brother, Mahmoud, is told at the end of every chapter of Freya. This layout is great to see what everyone is thinking and see the different perspectives.
The story is set during a civil war in Somalia and the main character is sent to England under a fake identity to provide for her family back home. Geri’s father told her, “You can’t do anything here. It’s getting harder and harder for people like us, who travel around with our animals. Soon we will have nothing left. If you go to England, you’ll be able to help the whole family. And maybe, one day, you can come back and help Somalia too” (16). The girl is offered a modeling job, which she accepts in dire need for money. Her real brother, back home, has been kidnapped has a ransoms of dollars. Nobody can help Geri except uncle Suliman, with his help the modeling job was possible. In the end we see who the kidnapped Geri's brother, someone trusted reveals which side they are on, and someone stands up to a bandit, “I jumped onto the stage and my hands reached for the cloth that covered the murderer’s face. As my fingers closed around it, I realized that he might turn and fire. He might even kill me. But it was too late for that. I gripped the head cloth hard and pulled it away. The man whipped around, pointing his gun at my chest, and I knew I was going to die” (234).
The novel is semi-predictable but never the less a great story. Also the story through three teenagers. The narration rotates each chapter between Abdi, Khadija (whose real name is never told, but has a nickname: Geri), and Freya. Another unique format of this book is that the story of Geri’s brother, Mahmoud, is told at the end of every chapter of Freya. This layout is great to see what everyone is thinking and see the different perspectives.
The story is set during a civil war in Somalia and the main character is sent to England under a fake identity to provide for her family back home. Geri’s father told her, “You can’t do anything here. It’s getting harder and harder for people like us, who travel around with our animals. Soon we will have nothing left. If you go to England, you’ll be able to help the whole family. And maybe, one day, you can come back and help Somalia too” (16). The girl is offered a modeling job, which she accepts in dire need for money. Her real brother, back home, has been kidnapped has a ransoms of dollars. Nobody can help Geri except uncle Suliman, with his help the modeling job was possible. In the end we see who the kidnapped Geri's brother, someone trusted reveals which side they are on, and someone stands up to a bandit, “I jumped onto the stage and my hands reached for the cloth that covered the murderer’s face. As my fingers closed around it, I realized that he might turn and fire. He might even kill me. But it was too late for that. I gripped the head cloth hard and pulled it away. The man whipped around, pointing his gun at my chest, and I knew I was going to die” (234).
October 24, 2016
I personally did not like this book. It was decent at most. The beginning 70 pages or so were very slow and super boring. Later in the story suspense increased and the story got better. Overall, I would not recommend this book to others.
March 26, 2012
Where I Belong was an exciting book about the origins of a Somali model. It's the kind of book you could easily read in a day, especially when you're looking for something entertaining but not too empty.
The story is written from three first person points of view: Abdi, a Somali British boy; Khadija, a Somali immigrant to England; and Freya, the Anglo daughter of a fashion designer. There is also one third person account of Khadija's brother, Mahmoud. While hearing from so many characters kept up the suspense and provided a rounded picture of the plot, the voices were so similar that I could never keep them straight. I found this frustrating, since these characters were so different from each other. Khadija in particular could have had a really interesting narrative as a recent immigrant to the UK. (I was also flummoxed by how quickly she picked up English!) And Abdi, as the only boy, should have been distinct from the girls. Also, am I the only one who thinks it's totally unbelievable that a 14-year-old boy would be surrounded by models and never once notice that any of them were attractive?
Another major issue is that even though much of this book takes place in Somalia, the author did not seem to have connection to that place. There were a few Somali phrases and stories thrown in, but I definitely did not get a sense of what it would be like to be there. It seemed more like a movie set (based on stereotypes) than another part of the world.
Even though I read this book as part of a larger project on YA fiction about Muslims, this was definitely not a book about Islam. There are a few references to veils and propriety, and the fashion is all about covering and uncovering, but the religion rarely features.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but wouldn't necessarily pass it on.
The story is written from three first person points of view: Abdi, a Somali British boy; Khadija, a Somali immigrant to England; and Freya, the Anglo daughter of a fashion designer. There is also one third person account of Khadija's brother, Mahmoud. While hearing from so many characters kept up the suspense and provided a rounded picture of the plot, the voices were so similar that I could never keep them straight. I found this frustrating, since these characters were so different from each other. Khadija in particular could have had a really interesting narrative as a recent immigrant to the UK. (I was also flummoxed by how quickly she picked up English!) And Abdi, as the only boy, should have been distinct from the girls. Also, am I the only one who thinks it's totally unbelievable that a 14-year-old boy would be surrounded by models and never once notice that any of them were attractive?
Another major issue is that even though much of this book takes place in Somalia, the author did not seem to have connection to that place. There were a few Somali phrases and stories thrown in, but I definitely did not get a sense of what it would be like to be there. It seemed more like a movie set (based on stereotypes) than another part of the world.
Even though I read this book as part of a larger project on YA fiction about Muslims, this was definitely not a book about Islam. There are a few references to veils and propriety, and the fashion is all about covering and uncovering, but the religion rarely features.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but wouldn't necessarily pass it on.
December 11, 2017
The reason that I chose this book is that I like to read some Muslims books fiction and mysteries book. Also, I got recommend for this book for good reads and I thought this book will be good to read and that is why I chose this book to read.
The genre of this book is fiction but sometimes it looks like mystery fiction. So the real genre of this book is Muslim religious fiction. The author of this book is called GILLIAN CROSS. This book was published in 2010.
This book is about a girl whose name Khadija she is in London and her brother is in Somalia so what she has to do is that she has to save her brother in one hundred thousand dollars. So she has to save her brother if not he will die. She is a famous fashion designer and she is QARSOON hidden her face. The moment that stood out to me was when her uncle left her alone for a new city that she doesn't know anyone. "She thought her uncle would take her to her new family house. she thought he would introduce her to Abdi and his sisters and present her to the woman who was supposed to be her mother. But what happens was different" (78). This moment stood out to me for what her uncle was doing. Another moment that stood out to me was when "he took some coins out of his pocket and gave them to her. "can you use a telephone?" he said. she lifted her head. "of course I can!" he pointed her to the phone and said put the money there and call someone who you know. "don't waste time he said" go. When she was halfway there, I looked back over my shoulder. Uncle had already disappeared. I had no money to put in if I made the first time wrong" (79). This really stood out to me it was so painful. The style of this book is third person and second person.
The genre of this book is fiction but sometimes it looks like mystery fiction. So the real genre of this book is Muslim religious fiction. The author of this book is called GILLIAN CROSS. This book was published in 2010.
This book is about a girl whose name Khadija she is in London and her brother is in Somalia so what she has to do is that she has to save her brother in one hundred thousand dollars. So she has to save her brother if not he will die. She is a famous fashion designer and she is QARSOON hidden her face. The moment that stood out to me was when her uncle left her alone for a new city that she doesn't know anyone. "She thought her uncle would take her to her new family house. she thought he would introduce her to Abdi and his sisters and present her to the woman who was supposed to be her mother. But what happens was different" (78). This moment stood out to me for what her uncle was doing. Another moment that stood out to me was when "he took some coins out of his pocket and gave them to her. "can you use a telephone?" he said. she lifted her head. "of course I can!" he pointed her to the phone and said put the money there and call someone who you know. "don't waste time he said" go. When she was halfway there, I looked back over my shoulder. Uncle had already disappeared. I had no money to put in if I made the first time wrong" (79). This really stood out to me it was so painful. The style of this book is third person and second person.
November 24, 2011
The reason I picked up this book was that the cover photo intrigued me and the name Gillian Cross rang a bell. It turns out that I read Tightrope when it first came out, or at least when it first showed up at my library. My library seems to be getting more books by English authors these days. Most of Gillian Cross's books have never made it across the pond.
The book was interesting because I know almost nothing about Somalia. Young adult readers need more books about Africa and other countries where people don't live the economically privileged lives that kids in the US have. Whether it rains or not can be a life or death situation for nomadic tribes.
There were lose ends in the story telling: how does Maamo support her children, was Mahmoud's father living with his other wife in Mogadishu when his family was in the camp, why are Freya's parents living separately, how did Freya's Dad's career change come about?
Freya was my favorite character and I would love it if the author wrote another book about Freya's life without the other characters. I enjoyed her disgust with the fashion world since so many other teen novels glamorize it. Her anger at, but acceptance of, her artistic narcissistic mother seemed plausible. I liked her dad and I think there is potential for a story about her quirky family.
I also like the fact that the book stresses the beauty of the desert and the love of homeland that is strong for those that grow up there. Stories and songs are an integral form of communication and entertainment in many non-industrial cultures: there can be a rich life without video games and ear buds.
The book was interesting because I know almost nothing about Somalia. Young adult readers need more books about Africa and other countries where people don't live the economically privileged lives that kids in the US have. Whether it rains or not can be a life or death situation for nomadic tribes.
There were lose ends in the story telling: how does Maamo support her children, was Mahmoud's father living with his other wife in Mogadishu when his family was in the camp, why are Freya's parents living separately, how did Freya's Dad's career change come about?
Freya was my favorite character and I would love it if the author wrote another book about Freya's life without the other characters. I enjoyed her disgust with the fashion world since so many other teen novels glamorize it. Her anger at, but acceptance of, her artistic narcissistic mother seemed plausible. I liked her dad and I think there is potential for a story about her quirky family.
I also like the fact that the book stresses the beauty of the desert and the love of homeland that is strong for those that grow up there. Stories and songs are an integral form of communication and entertainment in many non-industrial cultures: there can be a rich life without video games and ear buds.
November 26, 2011
An interesting trend this year seems to be books with a setting in Africa. This one's got Somolia as a backdrop, though the bulk of the story takes place in Britain.
Cross's novel explores the idea of identity as it intersects with history and family. The story's told through three voices, though I never once felt any of the voices were distinct. I found Abdi, the male voice, decidedly female throughout and was a little surprised it wasn't when I found out.
I was confused by the bold text at the end of Freya's sections for a long time until I realized it was the narration of events in Somolia going on "in the mean time." It was in the wrong place in the book and should have been a separate voice all together, and it would have been better to introduce it a smidgen later in the story, when there's a better grip of who the characters in the story are -- see the challenge of three indistinguishable voices.
The hostage situation combined with the modeling situation was a strange mix, but it (mostly) worked. I had a hard time buying that Khadija's adoptive family would let her go on this trip for the modeling and while I enjoyed the knife-twist of who the masked man was (didn't see it coming!), it also felt WAY TOO CONVENIENT for the storyline. It was too easy.
The writing is serviceable at best. I feel like tightening the story a bit, filling out the secondary characters, and offering up more distinct voices in the three narrators would have made this okay read better.
Cross's novel explores the idea of identity as it intersects with history and family. The story's told through three voices, though I never once felt any of the voices were distinct. I found Abdi, the male voice, decidedly female throughout and was a little surprised it wasn't when I found out.
I was confused by the bold text at the end of Freya's sections for a long time until I realized it was the narration of events in Somolia going on "in the mean time." It was in the wrong place in the book and should have been a separate voice all together, and it would have been better to introduce it a smidgen later in the story, when there's a better grip of who the characters in the story are -- see the challenge of three indistinguishable voices.
The hostage situation combined with the modeling situation was a strange mix, but it (mostly) worked. I had a hard time buying that Khadija's adoptive family would let her go on this trip for the modeling and while I enjoyed the knife-twist of who the masked man was (didn't see it coming!), it also felt WAY TOO CONVENIENT for the storyline. It was too easy.
The writing is serviceable at best. I feel like tightening the story a bit, filling out the secondary characters, and offering up more distinct voices in the three narrators would have made this okay read better.
May 28, 2013
The first day you come to a new country, you have to adjust to the new culture. The main character was "born in the Netherlands" (Cross 4), so moving to Somalia, which was a new country for her was difficult to get used to. What about the next day, while trying to deal with the new life, you are discovered to be a model? Her father would always spin the globe and point to Somalia saying "That's where you belong" (Cross 3). This novel, Where I Belong, by Gillian Cross, is a book for high fashion lovers and readers who love thrillers. There are many positive things about this book. Different perspectives explore different events. Also, there are many different settings. This novel is very interesting, and keeps the reader making constant guesses. But there are some flaws. The book has some words translated in Somali that may be hard for some people. Also, the different perspectives can be confusing. Otherwise, it’s a great book. Think about your loved ones when making important decisions. That is the theme for the book. Khadija represents this. When Khadija looks for work, she hopes to use the money to bring her family. Also, when her brother is captured, she'll use the modeling money to free him. To wrap up, Where I Belong is a book that combines high fashion and thrillers into one great story. You will be asking many questions while reading this book. Will her brother be saved? What if her identity is revealed? Will she make the money she needs? There’s only one way to read to answer these, and that is to read this book!
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February 17, 2017overall a good read. If you like war zone stories- its worth the time
August 15, 2011
Ages 12-14. Khadija has been sent to London to get an education, while the rest of her family is starving in Somalia. There she is "discovered" by Sandy Dexter, famous fashion designer, and hired to be the model for Sandy's new line based on the clothing of Somalia. But Sandy's success depends on Khadija keeping this a secret from everyone. The only person she tells is her brother Mahmoud, in an email she sends to Somalia from an internet station in the neighborhood restaurant. Then she gets a phone call saying that Mahmoud has been kidnapped, and she must come up with $10,000 to free him. How can she help Mahmoud if she can't tell anyone about the modeling job? Will it pay that much money? Will the kidnappers end up killing Mahmoud anyway? Told in alternating chapters by Khadija, Mahmoud, Abdi (whose family Khadija is living with), and Freya, Sandy's teenage daughter, it is a shocking story highlighting the problems of Somalia, and the fierce pride of its people.
June 25, 2013
Having never read anything Headmaster related, this is my second book of Gillian Cross (first was The Elephant Chase) and I love it!
She tells a story, and a story worth reading. There's heaps of action, yet not too much to make it unbelievable, or distract from the main point and/or characters.
Initially I thought this would be a bit like Waris Dirie, focusing on a Somali girl becoming a topmodel despite obvious setbacks. I was wrong -thank God. The story is gracefully told, all bits and pieces and clues are in, but not until the very last the pieces come together. Like with The Elephant Chase, I found myself wanting to read the last chapter, to find out if I was on the right track. Even if I was, there was still enough unexpected turns.
What Gillian does so extremely well, is painting a believable portrait of the characters she uses. They are all real, no matter how over the top.
She tells a story, and a story worth reading. There's heaps of action, yet not too much to make it unbelievable, or distract from the main point and/or characters.
Initially I thought this would be a bit like Waris Dirie, focusing on a Somali girl becoming a topmodel despite obvious setbacks. I was wrong -thank God. The story is gracefully told, all bits and pieces and clues are in, but not until the very last the pieces come together. Like with The Elephant Chase, I found myself wanting to read the last chapter, to find out if I was on the right track. Even if I was, there was still enough unexpected turns.
What Gillian does so extremely well, is painting a believable portrait of the characters she uses. They are all real, no matter how over the top.
January 27, 2013
This would be considered a MG/YA (Middle Grade/Young Adult) which I received as an ARC, and since my reading pile was almost depleted I decided to check it out.
A young Somali girl is sent from her homeland, a harsh and politically turbulent environment in which her family are suffering, to live in England with a Somali family. She is her family's best hope for salvation. If Khadja is well educated, she will be able to earn a living and send money home to her family, and it will be worth the sacrifice.
In London, a happenstance meeting with a famous fashion designer, a kidnapping back in Somalia and Khadja's future are all connected and on a collision course.
A simplistic story in keeping with the reading level, but well written and still very enjoyable. I didn't have any problem finishing it, nor recommending it.
A young Somali girl is sent from her homeland, a harsh and politically turbulent environment in which her family are suffering, to live in England with a Somali family. She is her family's best hope for salvation. If Khadja is well educated, she will be able to earn a living and send money home to her family, and it will be worth the sacrifice.
In London, a happenstance meeting with a famous fashion designer, a kidnapping back in Somalia and Khadja's future are all connected and on a collision course.
A simplistic story in keeping with the reading level, but well written and still very enjoyable. I didn't have any problem finishing it, nor recommending it.
May 6, 2014
Well, Ms. Cross is a good storyteller. She is capable of keeping her readers interested, but I don't understand why she had to use three voices to tell the story if they are all alike. She should have kept them distinct or used one voice to tell the story.Besides, I dunno why she made Freya end the story, why didn't she let Khadija tell the end of the story? It would have been more moving; she is the only one who can describe her intense feelings accurately, isn't she?
Ms. Cross has a keen eye for details and is also very sympathetic, but I didn't like it when she tended to be a little bit instructive. She should not have given "the moral" of the story the way she did in the last chapter.Sometimes I felt she was addressing children or maybe teenagers. The novel should have had a broader perspective. Generally, however, the novel is really interesting and moving.
Ms. Cross has a keen eye for details and is also very sympathetic, but I didn't like it when she tended to be a little bit instructive. She should not have given "the moral" of the story the way she did in the last chapter.Sometimes I felt she was addressing children or maybe teenagers. The novel should have had a broader perspective. Generally, however, the novel is really interesting and moving.
May 3, 2015
I picked up this book because I was deliberately looking for something different: specifically, something that wasn’t a story about a white, well-educated, western young woman. I definitely got that here – Where I Belong is told in three points of view, two of which are Somali migrants to Britain. I also got a wonderful story about love, and trust, and change, and … well, life.
The characters were compelling, the writing was strong and the structure was masterful. As a cynical, western reader I could see what was going on behind the scenes, but the characters’ naivety was utterly realistic and only made me feel for them more strongly. The description was beautiful – I could see places I’ve never been to through the eyes of the characters.
Where I Belong was a very satisfying read and comes highly recommended.
The characters were compelling, the writing was strong and the structure was masterful. As a cynical, western reader I could see what was going on behind the scenes, but the characters’ naivety was utterly realistic and only made me feel for them more strongly. The description was beautiful – I could see places I’ve never been to through the eyes of the characters.
Where I Belong was a very satisfying read and comes highly recommended.
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December 1, 2015Thoroughly enjoyed this. A very strong novel, with some serious research behind it. The elements sound outlandish - refugees & supermodels, but read as plausible. I'm surprised I hadn't come across this book before, I hope teachers and school librarians have come across it as I think it'd be a great tool for broadening young people's perspectives and fostering cross cultural understanding.
I felt that cultural stereotypes were faced head on and discarded deftly. And that the familiar narrative of a 'white saviour' was explored and debunked - one character fits this role neatly, but is shown to be entirely selfish and arrogant in her motivation, and ignorant. But as a white reader myself, I may of course be wrong on this. I would really love to read a review by someone from Somalia, to see if there are aspects I've missed, but haven't found one yet.
I felt that cultural stereotypes were faced head on and discarded deftly. And that the familiar narrative of a 'white saviour' was explored and debunked - one character fits this role neatly, but is shown to be entirely selfish and arrogant in her motivation, and ignorant. But as a white reader myself, I may of course be wrong on this. I would really love to read a review by someone from Somalia, to see if there are aspects I've missed, but haven't found one yet.
July 3, 2016
This book has an extremely eye-catching front cover, but I found it fairly slow until nearly the middle of the book. Written in three voices - Abdi (a half Dutch and half Somalian boy living in London), Khadija (the beautiful Somalian girl trying to earn money in England to send back to her struggling family) and Freya (daughter of a famous fashion designer), at times it was difficult to separate the voices, especially those of Abdi and Khadija. The three teenagers' lives become entwined when Freya's mother decides she want Khadija as her next model, and their alternating voices provides different points of view and propels the story forward.
Amid the cold, grey of England and the sun soaked desert of Somali the teenagers must deal with family betrayals, threats, unwanted media attention and the glamorous world of the fashion industry.
Amid the cold, grey of England and the sun soaked desert of Somali the teenagers must deal with family betrayals, threats, unwanted media attention and the glamorous world of the fashion industry.
September 19, 2012
Fourteen-year-old Abdi, from Somalia but living in London, and his family house a thirteen-year-old Somalian refugee, Khadija,so she can attend school and eventually help her family. Suddenly Khadija is handpicked to become a model for a famous fashion designer, who is developing a Somalian style of clothing, and Khadija knows she can help her family more with this work, but she has strict orders to tell no one. Khadija emails her brother and gives him the news and soon after, Khadija's brother is kidnapped in Somalia. Abdi, Khadija, and the designer's daughter, Treya, work together to travel to Somalia to free the brother. The reader is exposed to each of their viewpoints throughout the story.
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