Louis-Philippe Dalembert

Je pense que la narration non-linéaire a desservi le livre dans ce cas. Le fait de savoir ce qui allait se passer m'a empêché de m'identifier complètement aux personnages ou de m’intéresser à leur sort. J'ai aimé le livre, et j'ai beaucoup apprécié l'écriture, mais il y avait toujours une certaine distance entre moi, les personnages et leur histoire.

Louis-Philippe Dalembert's latest novel, The Mediterranean Wall, is based on true events of the summer of 2014, off the coast of Italy. It is the story of three women fleeing their homelands -- Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria. They are thrown together aboard a dilapidated refugee boat in the Mediterranean Sea, trying to get to Europe.

Each of the three women chronicles her journey to Libya and on to Italy. Their stories are connected by a common thread of motivating desperation, fear, arbitrary show more violence, and hope. The tone of the book is much like a documentary, and Dalembert does not shy away from showing the harsh reality of the lawlessness and danger the women faced. The Mediterranean Wall is not an easy book, but it is a book that bears witness to historic tragedy and the migrant’s quest for a better life. show less

4.5

I enjoyed reading this. I think Dalembert has a real gift for rendering children's voices. Reading the chapters about the childhoods of both of the main protagonists had me leaning toward 4 stars. BUT the ending. Especially the epilogue. I just don't see how it follows logically from what had come before. Definitely an interesting read, though.