BG/BRGPerchtoldsdorf

Buchtipps | Englische Bücher

Eleven-year old Parvana lives with her family in a bombed out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital city. The Taliban have taken control of the country and so everything has changed. For girls and women it’s forbidden to leave their house without being in the company of a man. They must also wear a burqa when they go outside. Parvana has got a bigger sister and two younger ones. The father reads and writes letters for his customers and so he earns some money for his family, but one day the Taliban arrest him and take him to prison. So the rest of the family is very unhappy and there is one big problem: there isn’t enough of food for the whole family, but women and girls aren’t allowed to go shopping without a man. Parvana wants to help her family and so she cuts her hair and goes outside, as a boy…

What I liked about the book was that the language was simple and so it was very easy to read this book. The story of the girl was interesting, but sometimes it was a bit boring, when she did some housework or spoke with her family. Before I read the book, I had not known a lot about the situation of girls in Afghanistan. But afterwards I knew a lot. So I learned a bit, while reading the book.

But there were also some things about the book, I didn’t like so much.

For me some things were unrealistic, and sometimes I found it difficult to understand Parvana’s reaction. I also didn’t like the ending of the book because it wasn’t clear and very open.

First I didn’t feel motivated to read this book, but when I finally started reading it I finished the whole book in one day.

I think the language and the whole story are at the right level for 11 to 13-year-olds.

Deborah Ellis: The Breadwinner

Signatur: FE.J/ELL, My rating: ***

Pages: 170

© Barbara Wimmer, 5B (Sept. 2008)