Review of Bedu: Bedouin Boy, Poet King
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Review of Bedu: Bedouin Boy, Poet King
[Following is a volunteer review of "Bedu: Bedouin Boy, Poet King" by David W. Sutherland and Paul McKellips.]
Bedu: Bedouin Boy, Poet King by David W. Sutherland and Paul McKellips is a work of historical fictional about a young Bedouin from Damascus. It reminded me of Aladdin and has a similar theme. While a young man of 21 years old, Bedu lives with his family, who own some cows and sheep but are struggling financially. When an announcement reaches the family that a friend of his father - who happens to be a king - is on the way, the father of Bedu orders him to round up what they have of cows and sheep to prepare a feast for his guest. Protesting at first that they will not have a source of milk, and it will affect them financially, he carries out his father's orders, and they feed over a hundred soldiers together with the guest. Here he meets the king's nineteen-year-old granddaughter Jasmine. She is very beautiful. Will she be for him?
When the Caravans are left temporarily, Bedu has to make a quick decision. Should he take anything to pay back for the feast? Bedu is then sent off on a journey, taking several days to purchase some more sheep and goats from an uncle. He finds more than he expected however, which includes saving the life of a drowning boy, meeting with bandits, then meeting with beggars and being employed on a farm and then somewhere else as a teacher. Is this still Bedu the humble shepherd boy from Damascus riding the horse? Will Jasmine recognise him for whom he is? The story contains a parable. The book is written in the third person and is 148 pages in length.
What I enjoyed about the book firstly, was that it was very well written, and I did not come across a single spelling or grammatical error throughout the entire book. There was also no swearing, bad language or erotica in the book, so it is suitable for all ages and dispositions. What I admired the most, however, was how well the writers accurately developed the character of the Bedouins. Bedouins are known for their hospitality towards guests, as well as kindness and hospitality, and the story provides good examples of these qualities from his family. Bedouins and Arabs, in general, had a reputation for their poetry and would memorise large texts. Therefore, I felt the characters reflected these attributes accurately.
What I further appreciated, however, was the deeper message of the novel, which was explained at the end of the book. This was that:
"Who we are, dictates what we do, and how we do it. And what we do, reflects who we are."
Bedu is the example of someone from a humble background who sees himself as only a shepherd boy. He has progressed to become more than that, however, and so no longer has that title. His good behaviour and treatment towards people have raised his status to near that of a king. There were some deep moral teachings in the story, such as we should not judge people based on their social status or wealth, but by who they are and their good deeds. We can change our status in society and with people when we change ourselves.
There was nothing that I found particularly negative about the novel, except there were a few things that were not explained. I was interested to know what type of fever his uncle contracted. What was its name? It seemed not to be like any illness I have heard about. Also, Bedu mentioned seeing a man who he says was reciting something that sounded similar to a prophecy or something from the Bible. When asked to describe the man, he said he was around the age of thirty. I was interested to know who this man was and what was significant about what he was saying. I also felt that since Bedu was a poet, there could have been more poetry in the story.
Regardless of the negative issues I put forward, I did not feel the need to reduce a star. Therefore, I am rating the book 4 out of 4 stars.
It would suit readers who enjoy historical fiction, people who like moral or inspirational stories, and novels based in the dessert. It also contains a love story.
There is nothing particularly off-putting about the book unless someone has issues with animals being slaughtered for a feast.
******
Bedu: Bedouin Boy, Poet King
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Bedu: Bedouin Boy, Poet King by David W. Sutherland and Paul McKellips is a work of historical fictional about a young Bedouin from Damascus. It reminded me of Aladdin and has a similar theme. While a young man of 21 years old, Bedu lives with his family, who own some cows and sheep but are struggling financially. When an announcement reaches the family that a friend of his father - who happens to be a king - is on the way, the father of Bedu orders him to round up what they have of cows and sheep to prepare a feast for his guest. Protesting at first that they will not have a source of milk, and it will affect them financially, he carries out his father's orders, and they feed over a hundred soldiers together with the guest. Here he meets the king's nineteen-year-old granddaughter Jasmine. She is very beautiful. Will she be for him?
When the Caravans are left temporarily, Bedu has to make a quick decision. Should he take anything to pay back for the feast? Bedu is then sent off on a journey, taking several days to purchase some more sheep and goats from an uncle. He finds more than he expected however, which includes saving the life of a drowning boy, meeting with bandits, then meeting with beggars and being employed on a farm and then somewhere else as a teacher. Is this still Bedu the humble shepherd boy from Damascus riding the horse? Will Jasmine recognise him for whom he is? The story contains a parable. The book is written in the third person and is 148 pages in length.
What I enjoyed about the book firstly, was that it was very well written, and I did not come across a single spelling or grammatical error throughout the entire book. There was also no swearing, bad language or erotica in the book, so it is suitable for all ages and dispositions. What I admired the most, however, was how well the writers accurately developed the character of the Bedouins. Bedouins are known for their hospitality towards guests, as well as kindness and hospitality, and the story provides good examples of these qualities from his family. Bedouins and Arabs, in general, had a reputation for their poetry and would memorise large texts. Therefore, I felt the characters reflected these attributes accurately.
What I further appreciated, however, was the deeper message of the novel, which was explained at the end of the book. This was that:
"Who we are, dictates what we do, and how we do it. And what we do, reflects who we are."
Bedu is the example of someone from a humble background who sees himself as only a shepherd boy. He has progressed to become more than that, however, and so no longer has that title. His good behaviour and treatment towards people have raised his status to near that of a king. There were some deep moral teachings in the story, such as we should not judge people based on their social status or wealth, but by who they are and their good deeds. We can change our status in society and with people when we change ourselves.
There was nothing that I found particularly negative about the novel, except there were a few things that were not explained. I was interested to know what type of fever his uncle contracted. What was its name? It seemed not to be like any illness I have heard about. Also, Bedu mentioned seeing a man who he says was reciting something that sounded similar to a prophecy or something from the Bible. When asked to describe the man, he said he was around the age of thirty. I was interested to know who this man was and what was significant about what he was saying. I also felt that since Bedu was a poet, there could have been more poetry in the story.
Regardless of the negative issues I put forward, I did not feel the need to reduce a star. Therefore, I am rating the book 4 out of 4 stars.
It would suit readers who enjoy historical fiction, people who like moral or inspirational stories, and novels based in the dessert. It also contains a love story.
There is nothing particularly off-putting about the book unless someone has issues with animals being slaughtered for a feast.
******
Bedu: Bedouin Boy, Poet King
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
