Review by Seroney_ -- Divided World by Kenneth Pickering

[Mutai Marshal]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Divided World" by Kenneth Pickering.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Divided World is a collection of plays by authors with Middle East backgrounds. It addresses the plights that refugees face in their daily lives. A vast majority of people end up as refugees while pursuing greener pastures in foreign lands or escaping political unrest in their parent nations.

Most of the plays are short except one, entitled ‘Jump’ by Kate Al Hadid. According to the play, Yousef is obsessed with the opportunities that Greece offers. However, the Authority has put in place countermeasures that restraint her citizens from moving. Those who travel abroad hardly make it back home alive. ‘The Ship No One Wanted’ dispenses a historical account of a ship with Jewish refugees on board. While fleeing from the Nazis, it sailed to Cuba, only to be denied docking. The ship attempted the same in Florida, hoping for a better outcome, but the efforts (by the captain) bore no fruits. Many of those on board ended up dead in the Holocaust. It also addresses the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

I loved most how the set of dramas evoked a barrage of emotions. I experienced anger, laughter, and empathy through various characters. I sympathized with Ashraf Fayadh, a Palestinian poet (and art curator), who was sentenced to death for apostasy by a Saudi court. I pitied the little children who clung on their mothers’ backs, asking for food that wasn’t forthcoming, back in the camps. It was disheartening that the government subdued the dreams of young and potential youths.

The writing style of this book is simple. It makes the message comprehendible and enthralling. Again, the utilization of symbolism, a stylistic device in plays, spices up the read. I also appreciated the profound use of dialogues, which gives the book a fluid flow.

I rate this book three out of four stars. The lack of adequate introductions before every play got me confused at times. Again, the read will use a professional editor. I noticed a lot of punctuation errors and other typographical errors. These errors, however, did not detract my reading experience. The formatting of the book was also not consistent.

There is the use of heavy profanity in Divided World by Kenneth Pickering. I also flagged sexual scenes that are too gross to children. Some information in it could cause uneasiness across religious factions. Therefore, those sensitive to such content should avoid it. I recommend this book to people who love watching, reading, or taking part in dramas/plays. History lovers should check it out too.

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Divided World
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[Sanju Lali]

This book seems to highlight the plights that refugees in the middle east. From your review this book appears quite interesting to me. Thanks for your interesting review.

[Mariana Figueira]

Thank you for the thorough review, I really enjoyed it

[Alice Ngugi]

I enjoyed reading this review as much as I enjoyed reading the book itself. I also think it's a 3 stars book as it could indeed use a bit of brush through. Great review