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Loading... Sonny boy (original 2004; edition 2011)by Annejet Van der Zijl
Work InformationThe Boy Between Worlds by Annejet van der Zijl (2004)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. I passed on three other unread Kindle books before landing on this Freebie from months ago. I started around noon and read it straight through to finishing. I just could not stop reading, despite the rather dry writing style. The dry text ultimately makes the story simultaneously easier to read without too much gut-wrenching, but yet all the more powerful to reflect on. There is no emotional manipulation here, just an accounting of actions and consequences and how one thing leads to another- for good or for ill or somewhere both and in-between. In truth, I did not finish this book The plot sounded interesting but the writing failed to give the characters life. The 80 page I read were more of a slog than a ‘read’. The author described and developed the characters in the same way a police report would describe a crime scene and the episodes or events of the story were more a chronology than a plot. It took me two months of trying to read it before I gave up. In the meantime, I did not read things I might have enjoyed. In truth, I did not finish this book The plot sounded interesting but the writing failed to give the characters life. The 80 page I read were more of a slog than a ‘read’. The author described and developed the characters in the same way a police report would describe a crime scene and the episodes or events of the story were more a chronology than a plot. It took me two months of trying to read it before I gave up. In the meantime, I did not read things I might have enjoyed. no reviews | add a review
Belongs to Publisher SeriesHeel Nederland Leest (2023) Is contained inAwards
From the Amazon Charts bestselling author of An American Princess comes the true story of an unconventional family divided by war and prejudice during WWII. When they fell in love in 1928, Rika and Waldemar could not have been more different. She was a thirty-seven-year-old Dutch-born mother, estranged from her husband. He was her immigrant boarder, not yet twenty, and a wealthy Surinamese descendant of slaves. The child they have together, brown skinned and blue eyed, brings the couple great joy yet raises some eyebrows. Until the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands explodes their promising life. What unfolds is more than the astonishing story of a love that prevailed over convention. It's also the quest of a young boy. Through the cruelty of World War II, he will fight for a connection between his father's South American birthplace and his mother's European traditions. Lost and displaced for much of his life, but with a legacy of resilience in his blood, he will struggle to find his place in the world. Moving deftly between personal experience and the devastating machinations of war, The Boy Between Worlds is an unforgettable journey of hope, love, and courage in the face of humanity's darkest hour. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)949.207History and Geography Europe Other parts Netherlands 20th century 1901-LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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Sonny Boy by the Dutch author Annejet van der Zijl belongs to the genre of creative non-fiction. Unfortunately, the author has apparently overlooked the adjective, and merely thought of writing a non-fictional biography. While her choice is interesting, her skill in handling the material is loathesome. The story lacks even the least creative skill. The writing style isn't much elevated above the level of a high school student writing an project assignment. The characters remain card board and the story fails to take off.
It is obvious that the success of this book is the fortuitious choice of topic, but stylistically this book is a disaster. ( )