An exceptional debut novel about a young Muslim war orphan whose family is killed in a military operation gone wrong, and the American soldier ... read full description
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Feb 11, 2012
Jackie
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This is a debut novel about a Muslim boy (in a never named foreign country), orphaned by an American military operation gone terribly wrong, and his new life in America thanks to an international relief organization. It is the story of Younis (who Americanized himself to Jonas during the air flight over), and how he is trying to adjust to life in Pittsburgh and his very Christian foster family. This is easier said than done, of course, and Dau takes us through Jonas' turmoils, the real time hos
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Feb 16, 2012
Laura
rated it: 
Very powerful, interesting book about the intersection of two lives: Jonas (formerly Younis) and Christopher. Jonas is a teen in what I'm guessing is Afghanistan (the country is never identified) whose village is destroyed by the Americans, of whom Christopher is one. Thanks to a full bladder, Jonas is not in his home when it is hit by a missile (or bomb, again that's unclear) and he escapes to a cave a few miles away - he's injured and weak from loss of blood. Christopher follows him to the
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Sep 05, 2011
Wendy
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I absolutely, unequivocally love The Book of Jonas! I'm shocked that this is a first novel! Dau expertly weaves together the connected stories of Rose, Jonas and Christopher, revealing the sad and shocking truth in a page-turning, emotionally wrought conclusion. More importantly, I feel like Dau puts a personal face on the tragedies of the current war-for the Muslims, the soldiers, and for their families back in the U.S.-in a way few other writers have done. And the writing is superb! I have
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Jan 26, 2012
Siobhan
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Compelling story about a muslim orphan who is sent from his war torn country to middle-America, from foster care on to a US university. There is his clash with the American-lifestyle so alien from his own, and his mysterious and violent backstory is slowly revealed throught the book.
There were times I felt the author's hand and politics, which made me bristle a bit, especially with the handling of American soldiers, but I kept reading, wanting to find out the ending (which was exactly wha More...
There were times I felt the author's hand and politics, which made me bristle a bit, especially with the handling of American soldiers, but I kept reading, wanting to find out the ending (which was exactly wha More...
Feb 01, 2012
Brian
rated it:
'Spare' is thrown around so much that even as a compliment you'd think it's beyond cliché, it's simply lost all meaning. THE BOOK OF JONAS will remind you how astonishing a few well deployed words can be.
Jan 22, 2012
Lydia
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Sparse and deep, The Book of Jonas illuminates an internal landscape like no other I have ever seen -- the damaged, beautiful mind of a child growing up after his village had been destroyed by US forces in the Middle East. But layered into his story is a penetrating portrayal of the US soldier that saved his life. Dau explodes your preconceptions of "good guys" and "bad guys" by constantly upending expectations and definitions -- in the end, there are just guys: human, flawed
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