THE GARBAGE KING by Elizabeth Laird
It tells the story of Mamo and Dani. Mamo is from a very poor family where everyone has died except for him and his sister, Tiggist. Mamo goes with a man who claims to be his Uncle Merga but is in fact probably one of his diseased mother's lovers. Before Mamo can realize it, "Merga" takes Mamo far from the city and anything he's ever known and sells him to a farmer as a slave
Dani comes from a rich and privileged family in a prosperous part of Addis Ababa. His father, however, wants him to send him away to make him learn something useful and toughen up. Dani's mother is sick and flew to London, England, to receive better medical care. Dani runs away to escape his father. At the same time, Mamo escapes from the farmer after attempting suicide caused by physical abuse and hitchhikes back to Addis Ababa, and hides in a graveyard where he meets Dani who is also hiding there. They form an unexpected alliance and together join a gang of beggar street boys.
Ato Mesfin and Ato Paulos learn of the boys' pitch to sell their stories by talking with homeless street people who know Dani. Eventually they find Dani and his gang, and Ato Paulos is angry that his son left a prosperous home to become a street beggar.
My favorite part of this book was when Mamo found himself lost inside the budding country of Ethiopia without a friend or a soul, because the author really makes you feel as if you were experiencing all of Mamo's depressing emotions - I really felt for him. My least favourite part of this book was when Mamo was working in the fields because it is slightly slow-moving and undescriptive. Overall, it is so exciting and thrilling.
By,
Alphonsa Thomas
0 comments:
Post a Comment