# 80 The Rainbow Troops - Andrea Hirata (Indonesia)
If there was one unique adjective that I would want to attach to this masterpiece, it would be 'beautiful'. The book captures the innocent yet hard lives of the children of the Muhammadiyah School . The story or rather, the memoir is set in one of the smaller islands in the Indonesian archipelago. It speaks of the tales of poverty ridden families that form the unnoticed millions. No, it is not a story of sadness. It is the narration of a tale of hope resting on the beam that held up a school, held up by the dreams of a brave few and yes what dreams they were! How I wish that dreams like these bear fruit for those who can dare to do so. This riveting narrative will leave you with a sense of bitter-sweet sadness as you turn the last pages shut.
Happy reading!
I am adding this book to my 100 books to definitely read in a lifetime list!
#79 When My Name Was Keoko - Linda Sue Park (South Korea)
#79 When My Name Was Keoko - Linda Sue Park (South Korea)
This is a sad tale written in a simple tongue that explores the harsh realities of life in Korea under Japanese rule told from the viewpoints of a small girl and her teenage brother. As symbols of their national identity are chipped away and replaced by that of the Japanese, a family struggles to confront the reality - each member adopting a different path. The resilient spirit of youth is well depicted in the narrative with startling revelations all along. Though the end is well known to all - Allied liberation of the Korean Peninsula, its perception from the standpoint of the Koreans is remarkably different. Definitely a book to add to your World War II shelves.
This is such a cool thing! You, sir, have inspired me.
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