Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 89
 Save your Money! November 21, 2009
Michal A. Joyner (Scottsdale, Az USA)
This book was boring. I ordered it because it was an Oprah pick. It was written in a way that I just never was invested in the characters, and the stories were quite sad. I think it would have been better if it had been edited down. I had to actually force myself to finish it because I PAID for it. That's not a good recommendation.
I do not recommend this book! You're better off just reading the reviews. You'll have the whole story, and you'll save time and money.
No more Oprah's book club for me November 18, 2009
T. Kea (Hawaii)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I really used to enjoy reading books chosen by Oprah for her book club but after her last few choices I have decided to no longer purchase them based solely on her opinion. I find that her recent choices have been so depressing and they leave you with a "why in the hell did I just waste time reading this book" feeling. For someone who is always talking about uplifting stories and how to better yourself as a person, she sure does pick books that make you feel depressed and hopeless after reading them. She needs to start rethinking her picks better or I think she'll lose many readers.
 Not the masterpiece Oprah made it out to be November 18, 2009
A Reader (Chicago, IL)
While the stories are compelling,the way they are written is not. There were times when it was unnecessarily difficult to decipher what the characters were saying. A couple of the stories are also overly long. In particular, Luxurious Hearses was tedious. Having said all this, I do think the book provides a powerful view into some of the challenges faced in Africa. For me, the book was just OK; certainly not great.
Frustrating November 18, 2009
Kristin Brunet (schertz, TX)
I normally do not like to read short stories but thought I would give it a try. I enjoy learning about other cultures/countries and typically do not shy away from disturbing realistic stories. Although the situations in the stories are factual, I did not find the stories to be realistic. If the stories were actually real, some light of hope would be evident. Some good would shine from the pure evilness that was depicted in the book. Awareness of the struggles in Africa could better be learned through non-fiction.
Also, the book did not seem particularly well written. The language at times made you feel like you were missing something. I found the book "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah, left a bigger impression on me. I would highly recommend it.
Not a good read November 18, 2009
L. Massey
This is such a sad book, it was very depressing to me...I know the world is a hard place.. but this just is not my kind of book. It may be great for some but not me !
Showing reviews 1-5 of 89
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