Official Review: The Girl Who Was Me Is Gone

ayoomisope · Post by **ayoomisope** » 23 May 2020, 20:21

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Girl Who Was Me Is Gone" by Michael Brown.]

4 out of 4 stars

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The Girl Who Was Me Is Gone by Michael Brown is a historical fiction story about a young woman’s life, the diverse tragedies she had to face, and the numerous challenges, which became adventures, she had to endure and overcome.

Nora has a good family, being blessed with loving parents and two siblings, till it all goes sideways—starting from her family having to emigrate to witnessing the tragedy that Anne, her best friend, had to endure and suffering immense loss. On top of that, they end up in slavery. Can they find hope when all hope seems lost? Does Nora have enough heart and courage to persevere till the end despite the challenges?

“Tough times don’t last, but tough people do” is a great adage to accurately describe the book. Michael Brown masterfully delivers a story of family relationships, friendship, trust, faith, and courage.

I love the fact that the chapters of the book (all 44 chapters) were brief. It was fun reading them. I was hoping for a great ending and was glad the book did not disappoint. Michael Brown gracefully provided insights into how slaves felt while working for their masters. Being an African myself and having learned about slave trade, this work helped to further appreciate the efforts of notable personalities over the years to abolish slave trade. The fact that Nora went out of her way to try to do her best every time she had the chance despite being in situations she didn’t plan for and enduring intolerable hardship, demonstrating her faith and inner strength, is incredibly commendable.

I did not really like that a young girl had to suffer so much loss, although I guess this is one of the main themes of the work (the title even hints at this). I must say I do not recommend this book for people who do not have the stomach for stories that involve severe suffering. However, the book isn’t a complete tragedy, and there are several inspirational moments in it.

The book didn’t have any vulgar words, but there are some scenes with sexual content, making the work inappropriate for children. The book was professionally edited and does not contain any grammatical errors. I assign The Girl Who Was Me Is Gone a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. This is one to definitely consider. In conclusion, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fictional stories, adventure, and a bit of suspense.

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The Girl Who Was Me Is Gone
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Irene_A · Post by **Irene_A** » 25 May 2020, 05:56

Awesome review! Love that it was a brief read and the author provided some insight on slavery. Glad the book ended well despite so much suffering and the need to persevere.

Bookreviewstoday · Post by **Bookreviewstoday** » 25 May 2020, 07:11

Am glad that it talks about slavery u really don't learn about that in social studies because it's a very sensitive topic . It's also an exciting topic but scary to.

hasincla · Post by **hasincla** » 25 May 2020, 10:47

Hm, I may not have the stomach for this as you mentioned. I think, however, that this is an important read as the themes are very serious and very real. Thank you for your honest review!

Samwisekoop · Post by **Samwisekoop** » 25 May 2020, 12:01

Great review! I really liked the adage you added to describe the book. Thank you!

Ebby Brown · Post by **Ebby Brown** » 25 May 2020, 15:35

Wonderful review. The book seems very interesting with real life experiences such as slavery. But I don't like books ending in suspense.

Nzube Chizoba Okeke · Post by **Nzube Chizoba Okeke** » 25 May 2020, 18:12

I would love to read this book despite the tragic events that took place especially because the character of Nora has piqued my interest. She appears to be a tough one. Awesome review!

Mala Anand · Post by **Mala Anand** » 25 May 2020, 21:45

Great review. Thanks for the heads up for the weak hearted readers like me. You made me want to read the book despite the suffering involved. Thank you.

Deborah kalu · Post by **Deborah kalu** » 26 May 2020, 06:32

Wow!!!"tough time don't last, but tough people do."hmm..this story line has said it all.I believe I wouldn't be disappointed after reading the book.great review I must confess.

Finakaranja · Post by **Finakaranja** » 26 May 2020, 10:04

Beautifully written review. I love the humane and compassionate tone used to relate to the character and the suffering that befell her, as well as the longing for a well deserved ending to her story.

Leen282 · Post by **Leen282** » 26 May 2020, 13:57

Great review, makes me want to read the book.

jenny delacruz · Post by **jenny delacruz** » 28 May 2020, 11:15

Don’t judge the book by its cover. Ironically for me, I kind of did.

I had the impression that this was about a girl who was left by a lover or who had been abused by someone.

Nora did not just face one particular adversary, but numerous and diverse tragedies.

This sounds like a great read for people who would like to find inspiration to keep moving forward. Kudos to the author and to you for an amazing review!

Ediomis_Enwongo01 · Post by **Ediomis_Enwongo01** » 30 May 2020, 02:38

Nora is a good example for people going through tough times. As can be drawn from the book, it's not a time to be dismayed but to draw inner strength and forge ahead. Nice review.

Edwin Amah · Post by **Edwin Amah** » 30 May 2020, 18:47

Wonderful review. The review made the book sound so interesting to read. This should be a great read for everyone. I like the fact that the book pointed out a lot about slavery. The disheartening lifestyle people are subjected to from slavery.

Really nice review.

Julyet_Chris · Post by **Julyet_Chris** » 31 May 2020, 14:12

A strong and relentless female character is all i need for my interest in the book to triple.
This review is perfunctory and i really enjoyed it,Thanks.