REVIEWS+

The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After

by Clemantine Wamariya
with Elizabeth Weil. 8 CDs. 9 hrs. Books on Tape. May 2018. ISBN 9780525526308. $40. digital download. MEMOIR
COPY ISBN
Wamariya and Weil tell vividly the story of how six-year-old Clemantine fled from the Rwandan massacre with her 15-year-old sister. The siblings then traveled through seven African countries in six years. They did what they could to survive and find a place where they felt safe and secure and discovered a sense of belonging. The memoir Wamariya and Weil tell nonlinear. They go back and forth between Wamariya's early story of survival in Africa and the later tale of her success in the United States, after the sisters were granted entry as refugees. The weaving of the disparate events in time helps illustrate the intricate fabric of Wamariya's life. Robin Miles's steady narration, with no variation in her voice to differentiate among the time periods, helps show the interconnectedness of the events that made Wamariya who she is today. Wamariya and Weil share a memorable story. The images they paint from Wamariya's early life are haunting and powerful; the images from her later life leave listeners hopeful.
VERDICT A must-listen audiobook for those with an interest in memoirs. ["This beautifully written and touching account goes beyond the horror of war to recall the lived experience of a child trying to make sense of violence and strife. Intimate and lyrical, the narrative flows from Wamariya's early experience to her life in the United States with equal grace": LJ 3/15/18 starred review of the Crown hc.]
Reviewed by Gladys Alcedo, Wallingford, CT , Jul 01, 2018
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