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The whispers began when Clemantine Wamariya was just six years old. Her beloved neighbors began to disappear and then came the loud thunder sounds that echo throughout her home. In 1994, Clemantine and her sister, Claire fled the Rwandan massacre but spent the next six years traveling
to seven other African countries seeking asylum. Often while searching
for shelter and safety, the sisters went hungry. They experienced both
unexpected kindness and inhumane cruelty. The sisters are tormented by
the idea of their parents and siblings safety. They had no communication
after they left their home.
The novel was an interesting read. While my family didn't come to the United States to seek asylum
or escape war, I felt a bit kindship on some of the struggles she and
her sister endured. It was inspiring to know that she was able to
continue moving forward and graduate from Yale. While I did like the
story, I didn't like the writing style of the novel. Especially, when it
jumped from one time period to the next. On the first few pages, the
novel mentions that the story is told from the perspective of a young
child. However, before reading this novel, I wasn't aware of much of the
historical events that took place in the author's life. I would have
enjoyed the novel more if the author included some history of the events
that were taking place as it would context to her story. Overall, it
was an enjoyable read.
