Chapter 20

YAY HE GOT AWAY! I was so happy when he made it to New York. He finally had a truly safe life. However, I was sooo angry when the war came to him. 5 months of war in his own town after running from it his whole life. After being in the war though I feel like it helped him know how to escape it better. It was really sad when he said that his friends that went through remition with him were already back into the war. It also made me sad when his uncle died. After all he had done for everyone... he didn't deserve to die. The weird part was he was just sick, you would think if anyone died it would be because he got shot. When he actually left his family it was happy and sad. That must have been a hard thing to do and he left the only family he had left alive. However he is finallly free from the war, for good. I really loved the way he ended the book. With the story, and his answer really fit the whole story.

Chapter 19 and 20

In chapters 19 and 20 things really start going well. I think the funniest part was when that girl wanted to dance with him. He had no clue what was going on, but at the same time he was a great dancer. His friend cracked me up when he was like "ooh you're so smooth" haha it was like something my friends would say. I was really happy for him when he got to go to New York. His description of New York was soo funny. It made me happy. This guy who used to be so hardcore is now describing the city as such an innocent boy. When he meets Laura you could tell something great was coming from it. I was also more greatful for Ishmael's family because Mohamed's family didn't want him. Since his family didn't want him he was sent back to the front line. When Ishmael said his goodbyes I was so sad because he was trying to hold back tears after never crying after all he' been through. I was happy Esther gave him her address, but confused when he said he loved her. Did that mean he was in love with her.

Chapters 17-18

In these chapters I thought Ishmael had become as close to his old emotions that he's been in a while. Also when his friends were joking around with him about the nurse liking him I realized how he missed out on his childhood. He missed out on the girls and just hanging out, the things that we take advantage of everyday. I know he is only 15, but his childhood is gone. I was confused because in order to be a nurse wouldn't she have to be a lot older. It became more clear once they became temporary brother and sister. When they found his uncle I was shocked. He didn't even know what they would look like. The war affected more than I thought. At first I got a weird feeling about his uncle, now I like him. It is clear that Ishmael still has his guard up, but that wall that he had built during the war is coming down, he is slowly learning to trust again. I was sad when I realized he would have to soon leave the center, for some reason I hoped he would stay there. I like his family, but I think he should be with people who are int he same emotional state he is. Someone he can talk to about what he has been through and relate to it. Just like i think Esther is good for him because she listens to him, and he likes to talk to her. Also, I was happy he got his connection with music back. Everything seems to be falling into place.

Choice Books...

I don't have a preference.

Chapters 15 and 16

The first chapter for some reason I thought he was stilling caring, I was wrong. When he and his friend started bragging about how many people they have killed I was like whoa. It was still weird for me to hear him saying that. I was a little worried when he chose them to do something, but some how I knew it would be something good. The weird part was they didn't even realize it was good. The fact that the war still carried with them to a place where they were supposed to be safe from the war was upsetting. They got in a fight with people because they are rebels. I was appalled when one of the rebels said that the army killed his family and friends. I suppose reading the book from Ishmael's perspective I sided with him and never realized that he was doing as much damage as the rebels were. Their fights included killing and it didn't even phases them. In this section you see the boys through withdrawal. I was confused when he was talking about raiding the village, I didn't follow that part. I'm just glad they are safe now.

Chapters 13-14

In this section Ishmael really started to change. He even got into drugs. This is why his memories are often misleading. It used to take him a long time to describe a certain event, but now he was describing several days in one chapter. I knew something bad was going to happen when Beah said everyone was messing around and happy except for him and his friend. Then his friends died. He took all his anger out on people who MIGHT have killed his family. He said he doesn't feel anything when he shoots people. The weird part is in theese chapters I realized that the rebels used to be like Ishmael used to be. They all used to be young and innocent, now they are killing each other for no reason. He said all they do is drugs, TV, and war. To me that is a big deal, he couldn't care less. He has changed so much. It's really upsetting how much though. He has truly become emotionless. With all the drugs he never even gets sleep. Drugs and war.... great life. I still don't know which is worse, the rebel army, or the government army. They seem to treat the soldiers nicer, however all the soldiers are completely emotionless. I don't know how Beah ever bounced back from this.

Chapters 11-12

This was possibly the saddest section yet. They were all excited to see their family, but when they get to the village everyone was dead. The worst reaction by far was Ishmael's. He was so torn apart by it. Kicking the burning walls and not feeling a thing because he is hurting so much. The only pain he feels is from the loss of his family. I hated how everyone was trying to pull him away. Then they all got in a fight. The were all shouting out who's fault it was, just needing someone to blame. I felt so bad because Ishmael had all these thoughts of what if I just did this or what if I had done that, but you can't change what happened. Then when they got brought to the camp area, they were so happy. It felt like freedom. I was confused at first because I thought it was the rebel army and I was wondering why everyone was so happy. I didn't get how it was such a nice and semi organize place. When the rebels surrounded them however, I began getting scared. It was the first time Ishmael had held a gun. Even though it's supposedly the good army I felt that this was another step in becoming emotionless. I still don't know if I like this "good" army. I highly doubt things will work out.

Chapter 10

The saddest part of this chapter was when we found out what happened to everyone's family. Also, when Saidu died. It made it even worse how they just said he left them. They saddest story was when they were telling aobut the guys sisters getting raped. He just had to sit there and listen to it. It made me happy when they found out where his family was. However, I knew the chances of them finding their family was not likely. Especially because when Junior left he said "this was the last time i saw my brother Junior" I think the fact that they were so happy is really going to hurt them in the long run. Since the are so happy, if they don't find them it's going to make them pretty much depressed. They aren't even expecting the worse at all. They are just so positive that they will find them. I really don't think they will.

Chapter 9 ( i included chapter 8 in the last one)

This section surprised me. The way the guy helped them was so nice. I couldn't believe there were people who would do that, considering all the troubles going on. His innocence about the war reminded me of Ishmael, well the way he used to be. Like Ishmael he said he didn't realize what the war was really doing. He hadn't grasped the reality of it quite yet. Also, his good spirit was like Ishmael's. The sad part about this is that you know he will probably change, like Ishmael. The way the villagers didn't trust them goes back to what we were talking about in class. How people don't trust others anymore. However, it also proved that there is still good in people. The way he let them go in the end was very fortunate. It makes me sad though because who knows how many times his music can save him. It was also sad because they war as taken away everything that ever mattered to him. His friends, family, and love of music. I hated how when the chief made him dance and it wasn't coming from the heart like before. This chapter proves how much the war is changing things.

This chapter was oddly the least upsetting. I say oddly because he was separated from everyone, and it wasn't that upsetting. It was at first sad, but since they Beah didn't really describe it all that much it didn't affect me. I thought it was weird how he chose not to describe it. It seemed like he didn't care much. When he was alone though he shared stories from his past that showed he cared. He even cried a little and I thought it was really sad. I was surprised when he went out for a whole chapter about a wild pig. Also, I thought it was weird that he chose to leave everyone. He chose to be alone. Later, he complained because he was lonely. Thankfully, he found other people to travel with. It was kind of bitter sweet. It's bitter sweet because even though he found different people the reason he had to find different people is unfortunate. However, he was with this group of people for the rest of the section. He said it felt weird being with other people again. I was happy he actually stayed with someone for once. Considering he lost everyone except for one person, but then he left him. I felt bad that everyone feared them though. I know things will get worse, but I think his set up is good now, for the most part.

Chapters 2-5

Once again Beah caught my attention. There are so many suspenseful moments. I can't believe they actually went back. I would never have the guts to go back for money. I was heartbroken when it ended being for no reason. Also, I almost cried when they were actually captured. First he was chosen, when they made them go back I was so happy. That is until his brother was picked. It was awful when the rebels were going to make him shoot him. I was so close to tears. I just pictured myself in that situation, having to prepare for my death, caused my my own sibling. I don't know if I could shoot my sister. Yeah sure we fight sometimes, but I love her and we are so close, I can't even describe how I would feel. I can't even imagine how he felt. Through this whole chapter the mood between them is sad. They can't even look at eachother. Then the rebels say something along the lines of "this will be the last time you will see them" ugh it's awful! That poor man too! They teased him in the worst possible way. How they could laugh at that just amazes me. The sad thing is they were probably once just like Ishmael, now they were brainwashed rebel jerks. When they stole the corn from the little boys I kind of felt sad. From the first two chapters I sensed that Ishmael was not the type of person to do that, so already we see a change in him. I get why they did it, they were desparate for food, and thankfuly the boys parents realized it too and gave them more. I thought it was so nice of them to give the boys food. I was so happy for them to because as the book said, they were so hungry it hurt to drink. It seemed to be pure torture through the whole 3 chapters.

Chapter 1-2

I personally don't like reading, but this book has already caught my attention. The way he described it as such a beautiful, normal day but al that shooting and killing was going on. he made me realize that this could happen on any given day. He said he had just seen his family 2 days ago, and now he didn't even know if hey were alive. He said there wasn't any sign of the army but all the villages had been destroyed. The way he described everything that was going on around him made it all seem so surreal. A baby was shot, an entire family was killed, it's just crazy. It seems so unrealistic. He was talking about all that rap with his friends and now just 24 hours later he had seen several deaths. It just amazed me how it came out of nowhere. He himself wasn't expecting it. He said he never that it would affect him. He left without saying goodbye thinking that he would see his family again, now he doesn't even know if they are living. He was twelve years old... twelve, that's it! I can't even imagine what he is feeling. The line that hit me the most was when he said "being alive itself had become a burden." To be so young and feel there is no point in living it just doesn't seem fair.