What do You think about A Girl Named Disaster (2003)?
This isn’t actually the first time I’ve read this book but I hadn’t read it for several years so when I saw it in the library the other day I decided to give it another try. I remember loving it, but how was it this time around? Well, it was okay. It’s nothing really all that special, despite the fact it was a Newberry honor book in 1997.It’s an interesting look at life in remote Africa that’s both interesting and unsettling. On one hand, it was fascinating to see the spirituality of a different culture. On the other hand, there were definitely some practices like the ngozi marriage Nhamo was going to be forced into that really are terrible. Nancy Farmer manages to balance out these ‘good’ and ‘bad’ elements in a non-biased way that tells a good story. I obviously can’t speak as to how accurate things are portrayed but Nancy Farmer included a bibliography and some further explanations for things she alluded to in the book.Nhamo is an excellent character. Sometimes she’s surprisingly mature, surviving out in the bush on her own for months at a time. Other times she’s very immature, throwing temper tantrums that you would expect from pretty much any preteen girl. This is definitely aimed at more of a middle grade audience so I think readers of this age will be able to identify well with Nhamo, despite the cultural differences.The only thing that stops this book from being a great book is the pacing. When things are interesting Nancy Farmer’s pacing was way too fast. And when things were more boring the pacing became uneven and the plot slowed down to a crawl. It reflects the actual time Nhamo spends in certain places but it doesn’t make for the most interesting read, believe me.So was A Girl Named Disaster as good as I remember? No, but it was still a pretty good story and if you have a preteen or young teen that likes to read I’d definitely recommend this book.I give this book 3.5/5 stars.
—Carrie Slager
My daughter read this in school and said I MUST read it. I liked it as well. It is like Island of the Blue Dolphins (which I also loved): an adolescent girl forced to survive on her own. This one takes place in Mozambique, and the girl is Shona. I really felt that I was inside this girl, her thoughts and feelings were so well portrayed. While she is alone she talks to spirits: her deceased mother, the deceased owner of the boat she is using and the water spirits. The fun part is that they talk back and she learns from them. It is also fun to read her perspective of the white people she encounters, Portugese, English, and Afrikaner. My view of the world isn't necessary any more "true" than hers. The girl has a tendency to get mad at things that don't go the way she wants (as adolescents are prone to do and adults sometimes too!) Like when her boat crashes on a rock and she yells at the rock for being there in the river "where a rock shouldn't be". In the end she comes to realize that some of the things that happened to her which seems terrible at the time actually helped to save her. Were the spirits looking out for her, or was she delerious and insane? In the end, the English scientist decides to withold judgement on that question... I am glad that there is a summary of the history of Mozambique and Zimbabue at the end of the book. That way I could put the story into context. I learned about the culture and way of thinking of the Shona people. It seems like it is true to their culture.
—Carol
This book is ANYTHING but torture!Nancy Farmer has really outdid herself this time! This book truly represents the rights that all children possess since birth to have family, to have freedom, to have justice.Nhamo, forced to courtship with a man she barely knows, flees her village in a stolen boat on a voyage to freedom. And with the assistance of her mother's spirit, a dead man and two water spirits, Nhamo doesn't have to face it all alone. With her courage, nature, spirit (and spirits) and faith, Nhamo sails on an epic journey to freedom- and more importantly, to her father.A great book that you just CAN'T afford to miss!!!(And, dude, I have a problem with the star ratings. I was changing my review again because I've just finished the book, and then I clicked on the stars, and they turned into boxes so don't be surprised if those stars suddenly disappear.)
—Ellen
