Editor’s Note: The following article is a book review that reflects the views of the author and not the newspaper.
I was instantly hooked into this novel. Amina is such a strongly written character, and she has such a strong and passionate inner voice. As she talks about her life in the beginning of the book, telling the reader about her best friend, her boyfriend, a teacher she dislikes, and the students around her, the writing is so strong and clear. Amina’s humor and jokes jump off the page and I felt as if I was talking with someone in person as they were telling me about their life. That fact that this was a novel in verse, made Amina’s humor, passion, and strength all the more vibrant for me as a reader. It was heartbreaking to see Amina recover from such a serious trauma, as she grappled with friendship, a romantic relationship, and trying to have a meaningful connection with her father. I could feel the emotion so vividly.
Not only is Amina’s voice so strong, but Hannah’s writing is beyond anything I have ever read in poetry before. And a strong character voice starts with a strong writer. The poetry allowed there to be repetition of words or phrases, and thanks to the formatting of poetry, there was often strength in even the smallest of lines. I could not put this book down. I kept wanting to know, was Amina going to get the justice she deserved? Would she be able to find that strength that was buried within her? And while you’ll have to read this book to find out, I can confidently say, the passion in the writing never fades away. The pacing flows beautifully, and having multiple forms of media (texts, articles, and police transcripts), brings the story to life even more.
Overall, this story is a story worth reading to say the least. It is a story we need within the book world. A story that is not seen as often, but a story I am so glad to have read. This book will forever be a part of me, and I cannot imagine my life, not having read Hannah’s work of art.
Please check trigger warnings before reading this book. Purchase All the Fighting Parts by Hannah Sawyerr. Listen to Hannah’s interview on the Try Reading Podcast.
