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Mahtab's Story (2009)

by Libby Gleeson(Favorite Author)

3.52 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

1741753341 (ISBN13: 9781741753349)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Allen & Unwin

review 1: There have been a number of these refugee experience stories over the past few years, but I’m yet to find one that captures what life in an Australian detention centre is like as well as this one. Mahtab and her family travel from Afghanistan, through Pakistan and on to Australia. Her father goes ahead and the family follow, not really know if they’ll find her father again, or what they will find in Australia. The frustration and boredom of sitting in detention is bought home in vivid detail. A very moving story.
review 2: As was expected, the book drags at times and can be dry. But any faults can be overlooked for the surprisingly emotional (though a bit too quickly tied up) ending. I haven't read much about immigration to "other" (that is, not the US) cou... morentries, and for that reason alone Mahtab's Story gets points. Great for use in the classroom (a la The Breadwinner) and for exposure to Afghanistan. I'm not a huge fan of Gleeson's writing style and choppy, episodic plot development, but perhaps it works in this situation, where the story spans a long period of time and strives to fit in a great number of important details of the struggles and perils that are a part of looking for a new, better life in a foreign land. less

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