A Long walk to Water: Book Review



Title: A long walk to Water
Author: Linda Sue Walk
Genre: Fiction

A long walk to water is based on a true story of 2 young people whose lives were affected by the war in Sudan. 

After hearing gunshots, Salva escapes from his village school and joins a group of people as a lost boy or refugee. While searching for his family, he traverses through dangerous jungles haunted by predators, swims across crocodile infested waters, crosses River Nile and sees death entice a couple of his close associates. 

Nya is a girl who walks 8 hours in a day to fetch water in a pond. The water is muddy and causes several infections. Her story showcases the search of clean water for survival. 

The two parallel narratives are set in 1985 and 2008 respectively. Written in a compelling manner, the author manages to showcase life in turbulent Sudan. This includes poverty, starvation, rivalry between the Dinka and Nuer tribes, uncertainty with danger lurking in every corner. 

This book carries a sound message of being resilient and staying calm during adversities. It's emotional, evocative and tragic. Yet it manages to depict a ray of hope amidst all the turmoil. A long walk to water is a short yet an impactful read that gives you a glimpse of North East Africa.  

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