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Let's Go Swimming on Doomsday
When Abdi's family is kidnapped, he's forced to do the unthinkable: become a child soldier with the ruthless jihadi group Al Shabaab. In order to save the lives of those he loves, and earn their freedom, Abdi agrees to be embedded as a spy within the militia's ranks and to send dispatches on their plans to the Americans. The jihadists trust Abdi immediately because his older brother, Dahir, is already one of them, protégé to General Idris, aka the Butcher. If Abdi's duplicity is discovered, he will be killed.
For weeks, Abdi trains with them, witnessing atrocity after atrocity, becoming a monster himself, wondering if he's even pretending anymore. He only escapes after he is forced into a suicide bomber's vest, which still leaves him stumps where two of his fingers used to be and his brother near death. Eventually, he finds himself on the streets of Sangui City, Kenya, stealing what he can find to get by, sleeping nights in empty alleyways, wondering what's become of the family that was stolen from him. But everything changes when Abdi's picked up for a petty theft, which sets into motion a chain reaction that forces him to reckon with a past he's been trying to forget.
In this riveting, unflinching tale of sacrifice and hope, critically-acclaimed author Natalie C. Anderson delivers another tour-de-force that will leave readers at the edge of their seats.
For weeks, Abdi trains with them, witnessing atrocity after atrocity, becoming a monster himself, wondering if he's even pretending anymore. He only escapes after he is forced into a suicide bomber's vest, which still leaves him stumps where two of his fingers used to be and his brother near death. Eventually, he finds himself on the streets of Sangui City, Kenya, stealing what he can find to get by, sleeping nights in empty alleyways, wondering what's become of the family that was stolen from him. But everything changes when Abdi's picked up for a petty theft, which sets into motion a chain reaction that forces him to reckon with a past he's been trying to forget.
In this riveting, unflinching tale of sacrifice and hope, critically-acclaimed author Natalie C. Anderson delivers another tour-de-force that will leave readers at the edge of their seats.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 15, 2019
69 people are currently reading
3783 people want to read
About the author
Natalie C. Anderson
3 books279 followersNatalie C. Anderson is a writer and international development professional living in Boston, Massachusetts. She has spent the last decade working with NGOs and the UN on refugee relief and development, mainly in Africa. She was selected as the 2014-2015 Associates of the Boston Public Library Children's Writer in Residence, where she wrote her debut novel, City of Saints and Thieves.
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February 21, 2019
Synopsis:
Abdi is 13 when his older brother is kidnapped at school by a terrorist organization. 3 years later, Abdi is kidnapped and tortured for 3 days in a cell by the CIA, who give Abdi a mission: infiltrate Al-Shaabab and gather information on his brother, who is very much alive and now a terrorist leader.
If Abdi refuses, his entire family will be killed. He accepts the offer to go undercover as a soldier for Al-Shaabab, in hopes of rescuing his brother and securing passports for him and his family to leave Somalia and start a new life: But at what cost?
Review:
This book has the power to be as impactful as The Hate U Give. Critical elements such as suspense, pacing, plot, and character development were all 5 stars, despite occasional cliche dialogue. However, the story's true power lies in its meaningful themes:
~Moral ambiguity: What are you willing to do to save your family? Would you kill? Would you sacrifice yourself?
~ Mental health in Somali youth
~ Survivor guilt and redemption
~ Joy as a means of resistance and survival
For all of these reasons, I fell in love with this book. Abdi is an incredible character and represents so many misunderstood boys worldwide. My favorite theme was how black characters used spending time together as a way to reclaim their autonomy and heal from trauma - when you live under an oppressive regime, joy is a revolutionary act.
An important note: The author has spent 10 years working with the United Nations and with refugees, but this is still not an Own Voices novel. In an authors note, the author calls out that she writes from a white, western perspective, and recognizes she brings inherent biases into the novel. (The only time I felt she was writing with bias was when she described the practice of wearing Hijab. I disliked that the book harshly represented the practice of wearing hijab; it failed to include important reasons why some muslim women do choose to wear it) I found this note to be incredibly self aware and transparent.
I was highly anticipating this book, but completely unready for how incredibly it changed me.Do not let the heavy subject matter deter you from reading this phenomenal piece of contemporary fiction - this book holds immense joy, hope, and waves of courage. If you only read one book this year, make it this one.
Content warning: kidnapping, sexual assault, brainwashing, terrorism
Representations: Somali, PTSD, physical disabilities, muslim
Abdi is 13 when his older brother is kidnapped at school by a terrorist organization. 3 years later, Abdi is kidnapped and tortured for 3 days in a cell by the CIA, who give Abdi a mission: infiltrate Al-Shaabab and gather information on his brother, who is very much alive and now a terrorist leader.
If Abdi refuses, his entire family will be killed. He accepts the offer to go undercover as a soldier for Al-Shaabab, in hopes of rescuing his brother and securing passports for him and his family to leave Somalia and start a new life: But at what cost?
Review:
This book has the power to be as impactful as The Hate U Give. Critical elements such as suspense, pacing, plot, and character development were all 5 stars, despite occasional cliche dialogue. However, the story's true power lies in its meaningful themes:
~Moral ambiguity: What are you willing to do to save your family? Would you kill? Would you sacrifice yourself?
~ Mental health in Somali youth
~ Survivor guilt and redemption
~ Joy as a means of resistance and survival
I fell in love with the gorgeously written, but heavy one-liners, which contrasted the novel's traumatic events; it seemed impossible that such beautiful writing could contain such horror. Still, I have rarely been so immersed in a story or committed to its outcome. I loved the use of flashbacks to create a complete image of Abdi's past and present. Sometimes flashbacks create a disorganized narrative, but these fit seamlessly and were impecably placed. In fact, the flashbacks help you meet and fall in love with Abdi's vibrant family, to help you understand why he would do such unspeakable things to protect them.
It also created an incredible amount of suspense and tension. Abdi's narration voice is engrossing, even funny at times, despite that he is drowning from PTSD, like so many Somali kids who have grown up in a land ravaged by war. It was important to see life in a home where bombings are common; as Americans, we have had war visited upon our soil, but it has never once been a daily reality for us. The book also illustrates the consequences of war on girls, who always pay the ultimate price for male conquest.
For all of these reasons, I fell in love with this book. Abdi is an incredible character and represents so many misunderstood boys worldwide. My favorite theme was how black characters used spending time together as a way to reclaim their autonomy and heal from trauma - when you live under an oppressive regime, joy is a revolutionary act.
An important note: The author has spent 10 years working with the United Nations and with refugees, but this is still not an Own Voices novel. In an authors note, the author calls out that she writes from a white, western perspective, and recognizes she brings inherent biases into the novel. (The only time I felt she was writing with bias was when she described the practice of wearing Hijab. I disliked that the book harshly represented the practice of wearing hijab; it failed to include important reasons why some muslim women do choose to wear it) I found this note to be incredibly self aware and transparent.
I was highly anticipating this book, but completely unready for how incredibly it changed me.
Content warning: kidnapping, sexual assault, brainwashing, terrorism
Representations: Somali, PTSD, physical disabilities, muslim
June 3, 2021
Shivers ran down my spine. My chest tightened. My heart leaped in my throat. I got nauseated. This story about a Somali teen soldier hurt tremendously.
Next week, one of my sons turns sixteen, and thinking about what he could go through if he were living in a different country, having a different life made me sick. Maybe that’s why this book affected me so much. Because it’s about a sixteen-year-old Somali boy, Abdi, kidnapped by Americans to infiltrate into Al Shabaab, ‘the Boys’, a Somali terrorist organization. The same organization that kidnapped Abdi’s brother Dahir three years ago to become a terrorist. Abdi is put in an impossible position. Because what will happen with his family if he doesn’t cooperate? And is his brother really part of Al Sahaab’s inner circle?
Saying no means leaving my family to this man to do whatever he wants to them. I feel the cuts and bruises all over my body. The thought of the same thing happening to my mother, my little sisters, and brother, my grandmother nearly makes me vomit.
The book is written in now and then chapters. Now in Kenia, then in Somalia. The then in Somalia was devastating and harsh. In the now, I could feel the trauma Abdi suffered from and the guilt he had. Abdi is brave and smart, and he had to do terrible things. Really terrible things. One time I kept screaming: NO, NO, NO!
Stay away from the men with the guns. Soldiers, warlords, pirates, all of them. It might sound like a good idea to blow them out of the water, but that way of thinking is what’s had us all fighting each other for thirty years.
Abdi’s dad always told him and Dahir to avoid men with guns. And he did until he was kidnapped. Then he became an infiltrated teen soldier, and although he still knew that Al Shabaab did so many bad things, all of that started to blur.
I tell myself I won’t end up brainwashed ... The only time I don’t feel totally confused, anxious, or exhausted is when we swim. In the water, for a little while, nothing bad can touch me.
I loved the writing. It’s enthralling and sometimes even poetic. Although a white author wrote this story, I think it’s an important story to tell. The author did her research thoroughly, and I liked the author’s note where she explained why she wrote this book and that she, as a white author is prejudiced. I didn’t feel the prejudices much, though, throughout the book.
There were some tiny things that I liked less. Why using a different POV in the third person? I only understood the last one. And I had some doubts about the final chapters, to be honest. But overall, this story gripped me from the start until the end.
I received an ARC from Oneworld Publication and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Next week, one of my sons turns sixteen, and thinking about what he could go through if he were living in a different country, having a different life made me sick. Maybe that’s why this book affected me so much. Because it’s about a sixteen-year-old Somali boy, Abdi, kidnapped by Americans to infiltrate into Al Shabaab, ‘the Boys’, a Somali terrorist organization. The same organization that kidnapped Abdi’s brother Dahir three years ago to become a terrorist. Abdi is put in an impossible position. Because what will happen with his family if he doesn’t cooperate? And is his brother really part of Al Sahaab’s inner circle?
Saying no means leaving my family to this man to do whatever he wants to them. I feel the cuts and bruises all over my body. The thought of the same thing happening to my mother, my little sisters, and brother, my grandmother nearly makes me vomit.
The book is written in now and then chapters. Now in Kenia, then in Somalia. The then in Somalia was devastating and harsh. In the now, I could feel the trauma Abdi suffered from and the guilt he had. Abdi is brave and smart, and he had to do terrible things. Really terrible things. One time I kept screaming: NO, NO, NO!
Stay away from the men with the guns. Soldiers, warlords, pirates, all of them. It might sound like a good idea to blow them out of the water, but that way of thinking is what’s had us all fighting each other for thirty years.
Abdi’s dad always told him and Dahir to avoid men with guns. And he did until he was kidnapped. Then he became an infiltrated teen soldier, and although he still knew that Al Shabaab did so many bad things, all of that started to blur.
I tell myself I won’t end up brainwashed ... The only time I don’t feel totally confused, anxious, or exhausted is when we swim. In the water, for a little while, nothing bad can touch me.
I loved the writing. It’s enthralling and sometimes even poetic. Although a white author wrote this story, I think it’s an important story to tell. The author did her research thoroughly, and I liked the author’s note where she explained why she wrote this book and that she, as a white author is prejudiced. I didn’t feel the prejudices much, though, throughout the book.
There were some tiny things that I liked less. Why using a different POV in the third person? I only understood the last one. And I had some doubts about the final chapters, to be honest. But overall, this story gripped me from the start until the end.
I received an ARC from Oneworld Publication and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
March 5, 2019
Let's Go Swimming on Doomsday was nice. I'm glad Abdi and Dahir didn't die at the end. I'm glad none of them died.
All the good guys made it. Abdi, Dahir, Sam, Muna, Bashir and Safiya all survived.
All the good guys made it. Abdi, Dahir, Sam, Muna, Bashir and Safiya all survived.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2018
My feelings-- hmm. It's a tough one because the topic is on point and it's both representative of a global issue, the battles of religion and politics, wars in which children are used and abused among horrific violence and destruction with glimmers of hope.
But clocking in at 500 pages, the non-linear storytelling that tries to quicken the pace just couldn't with such a heft to the story. It's a journey. It's about relationships. I get all of that but the students that would benefit the most from this story either as a mirror, window, or sliding glass door might not engage simply based on it's thickness. I hate to be the bearer of that bad news and even I finally stopped investing because there was just so much story.
I was also disappointed to find out that the author, while addressing the issue does absolutely help the case, never traveled to the area (but obviously did extensive research) and as she states, is not from the culture, region, nor same race. Especially with so many biographies and autobiographies from those that have survived and persevered, I'd rather share that with a student that this fictionalized one.
The cover art and title are catchy enough though.
But clocking in at 500 pages, the non-linear storytelling that tries to quicken the pace just couldn't with such a heft to the story. It's a journey. It's about relationships. I get all of that but the students that would benefit the most from this story either as a mirror, window, or sliding glass door might not engage simply based on it's thickness. I hate to be the bearer of that bad news and even I finally stopped investing because there was just so much story.
I was also disappointed to find out that the author, while addressing the issue does absolutely help the case, never traveled to the area (but obviously did extensive research) and as she states, is not from the culture, region, nor same race. Especially with so many biographies and autobiographies from those that have survived and persevered, I'd rather share that with a student that this fictionalized one.
The cover art and title are catchy enough though.
December 24, 2019
Abdi's older brother is grabbed by the Somali militia group (Al Shaabab) from school. Three years later, Abdi and his remaining family members are kidnapped by AMISOM (a combined U.S. and Somali army effort.) After being beaten by AMISOM, Abdi is recruited to infiltrate Al Shaabab, where his brother is now a commander. In exchange for a new life for Abdi and his family he is charged with discovering/foiling an upcoming attack. The story is told as flashbacks as Abdi is now an unwanted teenager, under the protection of a U.S. mission worker. He is temporarily allowed to hideout in a refugee home for equally unwanted girls. Abdi is able to recover his humanity as he develops a relationship with the social worker, head of the school and two students, and assists them, eventually able to deal with the atrocities he has witnessed and perpetrated. Violent.
April 5, 2020
3.5 stars
I read this book in one day, was very stressed for the entirety of said day, and then promptly proceeded to put off reviewing it until now because I honestly don't know what to say about it. I mean, there is so much I could say about it, but I'm honestly not sure what my feelings on it are.
I thought the main character was well developed. He had clear goals, motivation, and a more than complicated history that I thought were explored really well in this book. I also appreciated the dual timeline to clue us in on some of said history because I would have been very confused otherwise. Also, I love dual timeline books, so that's a bonus point in my book.
The characters that I found it hard to connect with, though, were the characters in the "present" timeline. I thought we didn't spend nearly enough time with them to get to know them or maybe they weren't as fleshed out as the other characters in this book, which made for an imbalance. A large part of it is that, in the "present" storyline, the main character is in his own head a lot of the time and doing his best to ignore the real world, however, I still thought there was more that the author could have done without altering the course of the story too much, to help us connect with the characters more.
I was also underwhelmed by the plot in the "present" timeline. Again, when contrasted with the plot from the "past" timeline, it doesn't come anywhere near close. I think the author was trying to do a different thing with each of the storylines, but then they were blended together at the end and I don't know... The entire thing just felt a bit messy to me and like it could have used some more editing before it went to print.
That said, there were some things that I did enjoy! I really liked the side characters in the "past" timeline and I thought they were really well fleshed out and complex and we spent a lot of time with them to get to know them, which was nice. I also, like mentioned previously, really liked the main character in this book. And the plot of the "past" storyline had me on the edge of my seat pretty much from beginning to end because it was absolutely thrilling.
I also think this is a book from a perspective and about a situation that is not really discussed in YA and I really appreciated what it brought to the table, in that sense. I do also think it's worth mentioning, however, that this book is not ownvoices.
On the one hand, I thought this book was an engaging thriller, on the other, I thought it was a bit too messy in some places and definitely needed a bit of editing before it went out into the world. I wish we had gotten to know some characters better because I really liked what we got of the ones we did know better.
I read this book in one day, was very stressed for the entirety of said day, and then promptly proceeded to put off reviewing it until now because I honestly don't know what to say about it. I mean, there is so much I could say about it, but I'm honestly not sure what my feelings on it are.
I thought the main character was well developed. He had clear goals, motivation, and a more than complicated history that I thought were explored really well in this book. I also appreciated the dual timeline to clue us in on some of said history because I would have been very confused otherwise. Also, I love dual timeline books, so that's a bonus point in my book.
The characters that I found it hard to connect with, though, were the characters in the "present" timeline. I thought we didn't spend nearly enough time with them to get to know them or maybe they weren't as fleshed out as the other characters in this book, which made for an imbalance. A large part of it is that, in the "present" storyline, the main character is in his own head a lot of the time and doing his best to ignore the real world, however, I still thought there was more that the author could have done without altering the course of the story too much, to help us connect with the characters more.
I was also underwhelmed by the plot in the "present" timeline. Again, when contrasted with the plot from the "past" timeline, it doesn't come anywhere near close. I think the author was trying to do a different thing with each of the storylines, but then they were blended together at the end and I don't know... The entire thing just felt a bit messy to me and like it could have used some more editing before it went to print.
That said, there were some things that I did enjoy! I really liked the side characters in the "past" timeline and I thought they were really well fleshed out and complex and we spent a lot of time with them to get to know them, which was nice. I also, like mentioned previously, really liked the main character in this book. And the plot of the "past" storyline had me on the edge of my seat pretty much from beginning to end because it was absolutely thrilling.
I also think this is a book from a perspective and about a situation that is not really discussed in YA and I really appreciated what it brought to the table, in that sense. I do also think it's worth mentioning, however, that this book is not ownvoices.
On the one hand, I thought this book was an engaging thriller, on the other, I thought it was a bit too messy in some places and definitely needed a bit of editing before it went out into the world. I wish we had gotten to know some characters better because I really liked what we got of the ones we did know better.
June 2, 2021
Let's Go Swimming on Doomsday is a powerful, unflinching novel in which a teenager is forced to enter a world of violence and terror to save the lives of his family. Abdiweli ”Adbi” Mohamed, a Somali living in Kenya, was just 12 years old when his 16-year-old brother Dahir Mohamad was forcibly recruited into the ranks of the violent Somali militia group and recognised terrorist organisation Al Shabaab in Mogadishu. Three years later, Abdi and his family are abducted and imprisoned by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), an active, regional peacekeeping mission operated by the African Union with the approval of the United Nations Security Council. It is a collaborative effort between U.S. forces and the Somali army in which the U.S. soldiers train Somali troops. For days Abdi’s family are mercilessly beaten, watched by two guards with AK-47s and tortured before Abdi is brought before an American government official called Mr Jones. He shows Abdi a picture of a young man and asks if he recognises him; he doesn't at first because he believes his brother to be dead. Like so many other child soldiers, they assumed Dahir had expired some time ago. But it was him and he had apparently risen through the ranks to become a commander and the protégé to General Idris, aka the Butcher making Abdi useful to those hunting the group's leaders. He is offered a deal: freedom for him and his family in exchange for him infiltrating the jihadi group; Abdi agrees to be embedded as a spy within the militia's ranks and to send dispatches on their plans to the Americans. Due to Dahir being his brother, the group trust Abdi pretty much immediately but if his duplicity and betrayal are discovered he will be killed without hesitation.
For weeks, Abdi trains with them, witnessing atrocity after atrocity, becoming a monster himself, wondering if he's even pretending anymore. He only escapes after he is forced into a suicide bomber's vest, which still leaves him stumps where two of his fingers used to be and his brother near death. Eventually, he finds himself on the streets of Sangui City, Kenya, stealing what he can find to get by, sleeping nights in empty alleyways, wondering what's become of the family that was stolen from him. A United Nations employee, Sam gets him a place at a refugees girls’ boarding school and allows him to sleep in her spare room. But everything changes when Abdi's picked up for petty theft, which sets into motion a chain reaction that forces him to reckon with a past he's been trying desperately to forget. Will love (of his family) triumph over hate (and fear)? This is a scintillating, hard-hitting and ambitious thriller authentically depicting the lives of children living through atrocities. Anderson breathes dramatic urgency into the intense story and infuses the narrative with raw emotion, giving each character a distinct voice and alternating chapters take Abdi from Somalia to Kenya telling the story of then (Dahir’s kidnap) and now (Abdi’s life once he's departed the group). You can feel Abdi's horror and numbness, helpless despair at things he witnessed and perpetrated. Overall, this is an engaging, fast-paced, violent narrative, in which abhorrence of extreme Islamist ideology and violence of any kind, as well as loyalty to family and friends, win the day, and an intriguing examination of ways familial bonds and guilt can lead anyone to make desperate choices. Highly recommended.
For weeks, Abdi trains with them, witnessing atrocity after atrocity, becoming a monster himself, wondering if he's even pretending anymore. He only escapes after he is forced into a suicide bomber's vest, which still leaves him stumps where two of his fingers used to be and his brother near death. Eventually, he finds himself on the streets of Sangui City, Kenya, stealing what he can find to get by, sleeping nights in empty alleyways, wondering what's become of the family that was stolen from him. A United Nations employee, Sam gets him a place at a refugees girls’ boarding school and allows him to sleep in her spare room. But everything changes when Abdi's picked up for petty theft, which sets into motion a chain reaction that forces him to reckon with a past he's been trying desperately to forget. Will love (of his family) triumph over hate (and fear)? This is a scintillating, hard-hitting and ambitious thriller authentically depicting the lives of children living through atrocities. Anderson breathes dramatic urgency into the intense story and infuses the narrative with raw emotion, giving each character a distinct voice and alternating chapters take Abdi from Somalia to Kenya telling the story of then (Dahir’s kidnap) and now (Abdi’s life once he's departed the group). You can feel Abdi's horror and numbness, helpless despair at things he witnessed and perpetrated. Overall, this is an engaging, fast-paced, violent narrative, in which abhorrence of extreme Islamist ideology and violence of any kind, as well as loyalty to family and friends, win the day, and an intriguing examination of ways familial bonds and guilt can lead anyone to make desperate choices. Highly recommended.
May 22, 2019
What’s the one show where you can watch a team of forensic investigators uses cutting-edge scientific methods and police work to solve crimes? CSI MIAMI! (Well, technically any of the 3 CSI shows, but that’s beside the point). CSI Miami was a gruesomely intriguing show that many enjoyed and loved, included Abdi, a thirteen-year-old Somalian boy in the book Let’s Go Swimming On Doomsday by Natalie C. Anderson. However, Abdi’s content CSI-watching life ended abruptly when Dahir, his older brother, was kidnapped at their school by “The Boys”, a terrorist organization formally named the Al-Shaabab.
3 years later, Abdi is kidnapped and tortured by the CIA, who then give Abdi an ultimatum: carry out the mission to infiltrate Al-Shaabab and gather information on his brother (who is now one of the leaders of the terrorist organization) or refuse and be the reason his entire family is killed.
With no other option, Abdi accepts the offer to go undercover as one of “the Boys” in hopes of rescuing his brother as well as securing passports for him and his family to leave Somalia and start a new life. But, for this promise of a new life, how much of himself will Abdi lose?
The novel was absolutely amazing -- the suspense, the pacing, the plot, the character development, the amount of humor to offset the pure trauma in this book, everything. However, my favorite part was the ending. Anderson did a fantasic job at bringing everything to a closure in the end, and her “happy ending” wasn’t one that sounded cheesy or cliche, but it was one where I was finally able to let out the breath I had been holding throughout this entire book. The ending was exactly what I had needed and I didn’t even know it until I had read it.
And to talk about the breath I’ve been holding. With the elevated syntax, plot, and character development, the book will have you pulled in and hooked within the first 5 pages. Every character in the book had some sort of personal struggle that they were trying to overcome. Abdi struggled to 1) survive being a secret spy in a terrorist group 2) overcome his PTSD 3) overcome his guilt for being both a survivor and a terrorist. On the other hand, Muna and Sam struggled with accepting that they had lost some control over their own lives and how to deal with that. For Muna, she was forced to become an Al-Shaabab soldier’s wife and carry a child as a teenager. For Sam, her parent’s forced her to abide by some radical Christian ideology that believed in and prepared for Doomsday.
In essence, one of the many specialties of this book is that it showcases survival as both physical and emotional. Abdi was trying to physically survive by not being caught for being a terrorist, for surviving torture conducted by the CIA, etc., and he came out alive, which means he survived. However, Abdi was also struggling with how to accept the fact that he had killed people and had left his friend and brother to die. But, in the end, Abdi finally realized, with the help of Sam, that he wasn’t a bad guy or a terrorist, but a human and the fact that he was trying to be a good person is what defines him. With that realization, Abdi was finally able to move on and forgive himself. That idea was also one of the main, central themes of the book. The true definition of being a good person is the fact that you are trying to be one, not that you've never made a wrong or bad decision.
There were so many one-liners that were gorgeously written but with such heavy meaning that only added to emphasizing the struggle and the trauma that the characters of the book endured. The writing was amazing, and it seems impossible that it could describe such atrocities that occur in the book. Anderson honestly did a fantastic job with this book. What added more to the book that her jaw-dropping writing was the usage of two perspectives: one of Abdi as a 16-year-old spy infiltrating the Boys and the second of Abdi after his mission was over in Kenya. I found the use of perspectives enhanced the reading because you could see Abdi’s physical survival in one perspective and Abdi’s emotional/mental survival in the other simultaneously.
This use of past and present perspectives of the same character reminded me of God Save the Child by Toni Morrison because that book contains the perspectives of Luna Anne and Bride, who are the younger and older versions of each other respectively. Because of this choice of using perspectives, we can see what happened to Luna Anne and the long-term effects of what had happened to her when she is “Bride” simultaneously.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those who are interested in world issues because much of this book is actually based on facts. The Al-Shaabab is, in fact, real. They do use child soldiers, and the US did having bomb strike campaigns in Somalia against this group. The idea that this book is based on the truth really chilled me and it made reading the book a much more enjoyable experience. I would also recommend the book to anyone who loves to just experience lives that are nothing like their own. As an American teen, I don’t go through too many struggles compared to the rest of the world. Books, like Let’s Go Swimming on Let's Go Swimming on Doomsday, are the main ways I expose myself to the rest of the world and truly open my eyes to the struggles they endure.
Before we finish this wonderfully lengthy review, I must clarify a few things. 1) Despite what Abdi told Mama Lisa, I knew early on that I was a Mubdi shipper. 2) I have never watched CSI Miami or any CSI show. However, if the show is so good that it's what a secret spy, ex-terrorist teenager recalls when he thinks of good childhood memories, then I'll definitely consider watching it. Who knows, maybe another secret spy, ex-terrorist boy ends up in Miami and they do a segment on him, and light will finally be shed on the terrors of the actual Al-Shaabab group in Somalia.
Or, you could just read the book and shed light on the situation yourself.
3 years later, Abdi is kidnapped and tortured by the CIA, who then give Abdi an ultimatum: carry out the mission to infiltrate Al-Shaabab and gather information on his brother (who is now one of the leaders of the terrorist organization) or refuse and be the reason his entire family is killed.
With no other option, Abdi accepts the offer to go undercover as one of “the Boys” in hopes of rescuing his brother as well as securing passports for him and his family to leave Somalia and start a new life. But, for this promise of a new life, how much of himself will Abdi lose?
The novel was absolutely amazing -- the suspense, the pacing, the plot, the character development, the amount of humor to offset the pure trauma in this book, everything. However, my favorite part was the ending. Anderson did a fantasic job at bringing everything to a closure in the end, and her “happy ending” wasn’t one that sounded cheesy or cliche, but it was one where I was finally able to let out the breath I had been holding throughout this entire book. The ending was exactly what I had needed and I didn’t even know it until I had read it.
And to talk about the breath I’ve been holding. With the elevated syntax, plot, and character development, the book will have you pulled in and hooked within the first 5 pages. Every character in the book had some sort of personal struggle that they were trying to overcome. Abdi struggled to 1) survive being a secret spy in a terrorist group 2) overcome his PTSD 3) overcome his guilt for being both a survivor and a terrorist. On the other hand, Muna and Sam struggled with accepting that they had lost some control over their own lives and how to deal with that. For Muna, she was forced to become an Al-Shaabab soldier’s wife and carry a child as a teenager. For Sam, her parent’s forced her to abide by some radical Christian ideology that believed in and prepared for Doomsday.
In essence, one of the many specialties of this book is that it showcases survival as both physical and emotional. Abdi was trying to physically survive by not being caught for being a terrorist, for surviving torture conducted by the CIA, etc., and he came out alive, which means he survived. However, Abdi was also struggling with how to accept the fact that he had killed people and had left his friend and brother to die. But, in the end, Abdi finally realized, with the help of Sam, that he wasn’t a bad guy or a terrorist, but a human and the fact that he was trying to be a good person is what defines him. With that realization, Abdi was finally able to move on and forgive himself. That idea was also one of the main, central themes of the book. The true definition of being a good person is the fact that you are trying to be one, not that you've never made a wrong or bad decision.
There were so many one-liners that were gorgeously written but with such heavy meaning that only added to emphasizing the struggle and the trauma that the characters of the book endured. The writing was amazing, and it seems impossible that it could describe such atrocities that occur in the book. Anderson honestly did a fantastic job with this book. What added more to the book that her jaw-dropping writing was the usage of two perspectives: one of Abdi as a 16-year-old spy infiltrating the Boys and the second of Abdi after his mission was over in Kenya. I found the use of perspectives enhanced the reading because you could see Abdi’s physical survival in one perspective and Abdi’s emotional/mental survival in the other simultaneously.
This use of past and present perspectives of the same character reminded me of God Save the Child by Toni Morrison because that book contains the perspectives of Luna Anne and Bride, who are the younger and older versions of each other respectively. Because of this choice of using perspectives, we can see what happened to Luna Anne and the long-term effects of what had happened to her when she is “Bride” simultaneously.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those who are interested in world issues because much of this book is actually based on facts. The Al-Shaabab is, in fact, real. They do use child soldiers, and the US did having bomb strike campaigns in Somalia against this group. The idea that this book is based on the truth really chilled me and it made reading the book a much more enjoyable experience. I would also recommend the book to anyone who loves to just experience lives that are nothing like their own. As an American teen, I don’t go through too many struggles compared to the rest of the world. Books, like Let’s Go Swimming on Let's Go Swimming on Doomsday, are the main ways I expose myself to the rest of the world and truly open my eyes to the struggles they endure.
Before we finish this wonderfully lengthy review, I must clarify a few things. 1) Despite what Abdi told Mama Lisa, I knew early on that I was a Mubdi shipper. 2) I have never watched CSI Miami or any CSI show. However, if the show is so good that it's what a secret spy, ex-terrorist teenager recalls when he thinks of good childhood memories, then I'll definitely consider watching it. Who knows, maybe another secret spy, ex-terrorist boy ends up in Miami and they do a segment on him, and light will finally be shed on the terrors of the actual Al-Shaabab group in Somalia.
Or, you could just read the book and shed light on the situation yourself.
February 2, 2019
I really liked City of Saints and Thieves and I wanted to like this too but...
If you follow my reviews, you'll know that I don't enjoy on-the-nose style of writing. That means I don't like the type of writing where the reader isn't allowed to think-it's all black and white. Where everything is laid out for you. I like books that challenge the reader through metaphorical language or symbolism. Some of my favorite books are by Maggie Stiefvater and John Green because colors or nature or animals symbolize something and it's up to the reader to figure it out. One of my favorite lines from We Were Liars by E. Lockhart was I don't suffer fools-you can discuss that quote for hours. Lockhart doesn't tell you why the book is titled, We Were Liars, you have to figure it out through her story. I like a lot of gray. This is one of the main reasons why I didn't like this book but it doesn't necessarily means the book is bad; it's just not what I like.
The pacing was my second reason. It is TOO DAMN LONG! 433 pages to be exact. I liked the non-linear plot but the MC, Adbi, just repeated his feelings which leads me to my biggest issue.
This story is about Abdi and how he was tasked with being a spy in the Al Shabab terrorist group. That right there is a nuanced setting and plot because this is not the traditional story we get in YA fiction. And this is probably why you are going to read this book. However, the way the book is written, we don't really get to experience what it is like to be in a terrorist group. Abdi could have been an abused teen in Texas or a homeless teen in Florida or a Wisconsin teen who's town was just invaded by a UFO. My point is, Adbi's experience inside the terrorist group and the way he dealt with the aftermath was not unique. His situation was nuanced but the way he dealt with it could have been from any of the various contemporary YA fiction books we've all read and that's a missed opportunity.
As I stated above, the plot is non-linear so it jumps from before he was in Al Shabab to while he was in Al Shabab to after his escape. During the after-his-escape chapters, he just displays normal symptoms of paranoia-nothing unique to his Al Shabab situation. When he's inside it, he's worried for his family, one again nothing special to see here. The only interesting moments was when the Butcher spoke. He was basically the brain washer and it was interesting listening to his speeches about how Al Shabab was God's will and they were all doing God's work. This is what suicide bombers are told so as a reader who has never experienced any of this, it was interesting to see how someone is brainwashed to kill innocents and take their own life in the process. But that was a minor portion of this story.
99% of this book is told in 1st person from Abdi's POV but one time it switches to 3rd POV from a character who is punished then one time to a different 3rd POV from a random character. It seemed like Anderson didn't know how to tell her story without these random POV switches and that was not okay. Either write it all in 3rd person or switch POV's through out. The character who was being punished was meant to be a shocking chapter into the mind of a person who is being whipped but this story is not about that character. It should have been from the POV of Abdi and how seeing this affected him. Or, Anderson could have made a connection to another character in Abdi's after-the-escape chapters.
Finally, that ending was way over the top. For the first half of the book, I kept picturing Abdi as a 13 year old because he was written as an immature meek boy but he's 16 and has seen and done horrible things. In the last couple of chapters, he's suddenly this confident teen who takes down the leader? I know this part of the story was meant for entertainment value but it was just way too over the top to take it remotely seriously.
Overall, the title is GREAT and the cover is GREAT and the setting is GREAT but the execution was disappointing. There was some potential for some dynamic characters in Bashir, a fellow boy soldier, and Musa, a 16-year- old pregnant girl who was a wife of one of the leaders. Even Abdi's brother could have been great. They had tragic backstories but they ultimately fell flat. Unfortunate.
If you follow my reviews, you'll know that I don't enjoy on-the-nose style of writing. That means I don't like the type of writing where the reader isn't allowed to think-it's all black and white. Where everything is laid out for you. I like books that challenge the reader through metaphorical language or symbolism. Some of my favorite books are by Maggie Stiefvater and John Green because colors or nature or animals symbolize something and it's up to the reader to figure it out. One of my favorite lines from We Were Liars by E. Lockhart was I don't suffer fools-you can discuss that quote for hours. Lockhart doesn't tell you why the book is titled, We Were Liars, you have to figure it out through her story. I like a lot of gray. This is one of the main reasons why I didn't like this book but it doesn't necessarily means the book is bad; it's just not what I like.
The pacing was my second reason. It is TOO DAMN LONG! 433 pages to be exact. I liked the non-linear plot but the MC, Adbi, just repeated his feelings which leads me to my biggest issue.
This story is about Abdi and how he was tasked with being a spy in the Al Shabab terrorist group. That right there is a nuanced setting and plot because this is not the traditional story we get in YA fiction. And this is probably why you are going to read this book. However, the way the book is written, we don't really get to experience what it is like to be in a terrorist group. Abdi could have been an abused teen in Texas or a homeless teen in Florida or a Wisconsin teen who's town was just invaded by a UFO. My point is, Adbi's experience inside the terrorist group and the way he dealt with the aftermath was not unique. His situation was nuanced but the way he dealt with it could have been from any of the various contemporary YA fiction books we've all read and that's a missed opportunity.
As I stated above, the plot is non-linear so it jumps from before he was in Al Shabab to while he was in Al Shabab to after his escape. During the after-his-escape chapters, he just displays normal symptoms of paranoia-nothing unique to his Al Shabab situation. When he's inside it, he's worried for his family, one again nothing special to see here. The only interesting moments was when the Butcher spoke. He was basically the brain washer and it was interesting listening to his speeches about how Al Shabab was God's will and they were all doing God's work. This is what suicide bombers are told so as a reader who has never experienced any of this, it was interesting to see how someone is brainwashed to kill innocents and take their own life in the process. But that was a minor portion of this story.
99% of this book is told in 1st person from Abdi's POV but one time it switches to 3rd POV from a character who is punished then one time to a different 3rd POV from a random character. It seemed like Anderson didn't know how to tell her story without these random POV switches and that was not okay. Either write it all in 3rd person or switch POV's through out. The character who was being punished was meant to be a shocking chapter into the mind of a person who is being whipped but this story is not about that character. It should have been from the POV of Abdi and how seeing this affected him. Or, Anderson could have made a connection to another character in Abdi's after-the-escape chapters.
Finally, that ending was way over the top. For the first half of the book, I kept picturing Abdi as a 13 year old because he was written as an immature meek boy but he's 16 and has seen and done horrible things. In the last couple of chapters, he's suddenly this confident teen who takes down the leader? I know this part of the story was meant for entertainment value but it was just way too over the top to take it remotely seriously.
Overall, the title is GREAT and the cover is GREAT and the setting is GREAT but the execution was disappointing. There was some potential for some dynamic characters in Bashir, a fellow boy soldier, and Musa, a 16-year- old pregnant girl who was a wife of one of the leaders. Even Abdi's brother could have been great. They had tragic backstories but they ultimately fell flat. Unfortunate.
January 14, 2019
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As soon as I saw the GORGEOUS cover and read the synopsis – I knew that this would be a book that would leave a lasting impact. I wasn’t wrong! This book FAR exceeded my expectations! I read a book by this author before. It was called City of Saints and Thieves and I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t perfect, but there were a few things that she did really well. I loved her writing, the dimensions and completeness of her characters, her setting descriptions – and she actually made me enjoy a mystery! So I was very excited to read this novel!
Almost immediately I was attached to this book. I picked it up with the intention to read a couple chapters……. before I knew it, a few hours had passed and I had read half the book! The writing sucked me in from the first page and made me desperate to know more!
I will admit that the beginning of the book was a little disorienting and hard to keep track of. We follow Abdi in multiple points in his life. We see him now, after he was strapped to a suicide bomber vest, the point where he became a child soldier, the time he was kidnapped – all the while we saw flashbacks to his childhood. I struggled with this through the first 100 pages or so…. there was so much to learn about him, his life and his family. But, in the end, this was a VERY effective way to demonstrate his struggles and what made him who he is. The character development that was allowed through this format was absolutely phenomenal! Not only for Abdi, but for all the characters involved. We get to see them at different points in their lives and how certain events shaped them.
Abdi as a character was so full of emotion. He’s a good kid. He just wanted a happy quiet life with his family. But when his brother was taken from school by “The Boys” and wasn’t heard from again, he feared the worst. Then him and his family are kidnapped, and he’s given a ray of hope. He finds that his brother is actually alive. But all hope is taken away when he’s given a choice….. him and his whole family dies unless he agrees to be a spy and join The Boys…. which should be easy because his brother is now one of the leaders of this group. Obviously not much of a choice there.
This is where Abdi’s struggles really begin. He’s trying to find out where his brothers loyalties lie while also trying to find that brotherhood connection they had as children. But worst of all is that he’s forced to do things that he could never imagine. He’s forced to serve, train, kill, and torture. He’s turning into the person he’s feared his whole life, just to save his family.
Then there’s also the relationships that he forms after he gains his freedom. He’s seen some awful things and has no clue who he can trust. Like I said, he’s a really great kid who is soft and kind hearted. He wants so badly to be able to trust and look forward to planning a future. I can’t explain just how much I loved the characters and their development in this book!
I also need to mention that the pacing in this book was non stop. There was so much that happened that built up to a larger picture. I finished this book in 2 sittings because I was so immersed I lost all track of time. This wasn’t an easy read though. If you’re triggered by war, murder, rape, torture, and all thing in between, this might not be for you. But the message that this book conveys is well worth the discomfort.
I honestly can’t recommend this book enough!!! It was SO good and SO well written! Thank you so much to Penguin Random House Canada for the opportunity to read and review this novel. This does not influence my opinion. All thoughts and opinions within this review are my own and uninfluenced.
As soon as I saw the GORGEOUS cover and read the synopsis – I knew that this would be a book that would leave a lasting impact. I wasn’t wrong! This book FAR exceeded my expectations! I read a book by this author before. It was called City of Saints and Thieves and I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t perfect, but there were a few things that she did really well. I loved her writing, the dimensions and completeness of her characters, her setting descriptions – and she actually made me enjoy a mystery! So I was very excited to read this novel!
Almost immediately I was attached to this book. I picked it up with the intention to read a couple chapters……. before I knew it, a few hours had passed and I had read half the book! The writing sucked me in from the first page and made me desperate to know more!
I will admit that the beginning of the book was a little disorienting and hard to keep track of. We follow Abdi in multiple points in his life. We see him now, after he was strapped to a suicide bomber vest, the point where he became a child soldier, the time he was kidnapped – all the while we saw flashbacks to his childhood. I struggled with this through the first 100 pages or so…. there was so much to learn about him, his life and his family. But, in the end, this was a VERY effective way to demonstrate his struggles and what made him who he is. The character development that was allowed through this format was absolutely phenomenal! Not only for Abdi, but for all the characters involved. We get to see them at different points in their lives and how certain events shaped them.
Abdi as a character was so full of emotion. He’s a good kid. He just wanted a happy quiet life with his family. But when his brother was taken from school by “The Boys” and wasn’t heard from again, he feared the worst. Then him and his family are kidnapped, and he’s given a ray of hope. He finds that his brother is actually alive. But all hope is taken away when he’s given a choice….. him and his whole family dies unless he agrees to be a spy and join The Boys…. which should be easy because his brother is now one of the leaders of this group. Obviously not much of a choice there.
This is where Abdi’s struggles really begin. He’s trying to find out where his brothers loyalties lie while also trying to find that brotherhood connection they had as children. But worst of all is that he’s forced to do things that he could never imagine. He’s forced to serve, train, kill, and torture. He’s turning into the person he’s feared his whole life, just to save his family.
Then there’s also the relationships that he forms after he gains his freedom. He’s seen some awful things and has no clue who he can trust. Like I said, he’s a really great kid who is soft and kind hearted. He wants so badly to be able to trust and look forward to planning a future. I can’t explain just how much I loved the characters and their development in this book!
I also need to mention that the pacing in this book was non stop. There was so much that happened that built up to a larger picture. I finished this book in 2 sittings because I was so immersed I lost all track of time. This wasn’t an easy read though. If you’re triggered by war, murder, rape, torture, and all thing in between, this might not be for you. But the message that this book conveys is well worth the discomfort.
I honestly can’t recommend this book enough!!! It was SO good and SO well written! Thank you so much to Penguin Random House Canada for the opportunity to read and review this novel. This does not influence my opinion. All thoughts and opinions within this review are my own and uninfluenced.
January 18, 2024
Trigger warnings: terrorism, explosions, death, indoctrination, violence, torture, gun violence, stabbing, drowning, blood, kidnapping, PTSD, rape resulting in pregnancy (in the past).
Oof. This book was utterly compelling but also just A Lot. Essentially, Abdi's brother is kidnapped by a terrorist group in Somalia when Abdi is 13. Three years later, Abdi is essentially forced into joining the same group by the CIA who want to have someone on the inside in an attempt to take down the group's leader. If he refuses, they'll kill his family. If he accepts, his family will be given safe passage to the global north.
So, uh, yeah. It's a lot.
I really liked the way the story jumps between Abdi in Somalia, involved in this terrorist group, and Abdi in Kenya, fighting for survival and trying to put his life back together while terrified that he'll be found. It was an extremely effective way of telling the story, and it's very clear that Anderson knows what she's talking about, after her years of working for NGOs.
I flew through the last third of this because I *had* to know what was happening, and the ending made me teary. All in all, I'm really glad I read this.
Oof. This book was utterly compelling but also just A Lot. Essentially, Abdi's brother is kidnapped by a terrorist group in Somalia when Abdi is 13. Three years later, Abdi is essentially forced into joining the same group by the CIA who want to have someone on the inside in an attempt to take down the group's leader. If he refuses, they'll kill his family. If he accepts, his family will be given safe passage to the global north.
So, uh, yeah. It's a lot.
I really liked the way the story jumps between Abdi in Somalia, involved in this terrorist group, and Abdi in Kenya, fighting for survival and trying to put his life back together while terrified that he'll be found. It was an extremely effective way of telling the story, and it's very clear that Anderson knows what she's talking about, after her years of working for NGOs.
I flew through the last third of this because I *had* to know what was happening, and the ending made me teary. All in all, I'm really glad I read this.
June 12, 2019
Rounded up from 3.5. The setting of this realistic YA title is a world most of us can not comprehend. This title will surely lead readers to investigate the situation in Somalia further and that is valuable. Abdi is only thirteen and his life has been turned upside down and sideways multiple times. No wonder he has trouble trusting the UN worker who takes him under her wing. View his story from multiple timelines converging to a conclusion that seems a bit too neat for the many moving parts. Reading the author's note gave me several reasons to pull back a bit on my rating.
March 1, 2019
Wow wow wow wow!!!! Words cannot describe how much I adored this book, but I'm going to try to formulate my thoughts later in order to tell you why you should read it!!! As a Somali, I never really saw myself portrayed as a human being in popular media, so this book is a godsend! I am going to write a full review and film a video about it later, but lets just say I found a new fav!!!!
February 5, 2021
Love, love, love! A whole world I knew nothing about but now feel so invested in. Makes me want to go to Kenya even more.
November 21, 2019
Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday follows Abdi, a 16 year-old Somali boy coerced by the CIA to go undercover as an Al Shabaab soldier. Only by providing intel about imminent terrorist attacks can Abdi secure his family’s safety. He reunites with his older brother Dahir, who was abducted by Al Shabaab three years ago. But this silver lining quickly fades as Abdi learns Dahir has since embraced the ideology.
This is a brutal book. It’s about being given choices that aren’t really choices, then having to live with the terrible consequences. Abdi is wedged between two vehemently opposed groups—the CIA and Al Shabaab—yet both are led by powerful, unspeakably cruel men. Both see him as a pawn. Both understand his pain only in terms of how it can benefit them.
Most of the book is fast-paced and stressful, sometimes even sickening. Almost every character shoulders profound trauma, and most of them are kids. But, there is contrast. Anderson gives her characters opportunities for redemption and forgiveness. Opportunities to finally exercise real agency, and then have their choices honored by others. Opportunities to begin to heal.
This is a brutal book. It’s about being given choices that aren’t really choices, then having to live with the terrible consequences. Abdi is wedged between two vehemently opposed groups—the CIA and Al Shabaab—yet both are led by powerful, unspeakably cruel men. Both see him as a pawn. Both understand his pain only in terms of how it can benefit them.
Most of the book is fast-paced and stressful, sometimes even sickening. Almost every character shoulders profound trauma, and most of them are kids. But, there is contrast. Anderson gives her characters opportunities for redemption and forgiveness. Opportunities to finally exercise real agency, and then have their choices honored by others. Opportunities to begin to heal.
December 4, 2018
Abdi lives in Somalia and has to deal with some horrific stuff. The book flashes back between the present as the past as we learn about Abdi's brother, Dahir's abduction from his own home and into a radical religious group hellbent on getting revenge on non believers. Abdi is recruited by an American to infiltrate his brother's group and reveal their plans of attack. In the present, we find out that Abdi survives but is missing several fingers. The book does an excellent job of jumping between the past and the present and filling in the holes that are left in the book at the beginning. The characters are appropriately written and are very sad. This was a very good page turner and an excellent read!
July 3, 2020
Well, fuck. Just... fuck.
January 4, 2020
I wanted to love this book more, but I had a difficult time getting drawn into it. It was slower paced, but the details were interesting. I also have some issues with it being written by someone not of the culture. However, she wrote in the Editor's Note that she knows that there are issues with this and that she took a lot of her information from first hand accounts and spoke with many people who were dealing with the issues described in the book. I appreciate that she added that in the book.
Want to read
June 19, 2020I need to read a netgalley book asap so will push this one back argh
February 8, 2019
Oooh,hard one to rate! I liked it,I think it’s realistic in so many ways, but I doubt there are many «happy endings» in real life... i know it’s not a nonfiction or memoir, but a YA , but still the ending was a bit «easy»
March 19, 2019
The cover is eye-catching and the title is intriguing. Although this is a work of fiction, I hope this will be a ladder to some memoirs like A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. A book is only as good as the next book that it leads a reader to. That is the only way we can help young readers become lifelong readers.
February 5, 2025
What an incredibly interesting story about a topic I know little about.
Even though this isn’t an “own voices” book, I appreciated the authors note at them end acknowledging her hesitation at putting this book out since it is written about another culture and based in an area she hasn’t been.
With all that I still loved this book for showing the ugliness on both sides of terrorism.
The story as a whole was hard to read but I was unable to stop it was so good.
I had a hard time with the timeline at first but as it went along I got more comfortable with it.
Even though this isn’t an “own voices” book, I appreciated the authors note at them end acknowledging her hesitation at putting this book out since it is written about another culture and based in an area she hasn’t been.
With all that I still loved this book for showing the ugliness on both sides of terrorism.
The story as a whole was hard to read but I was unable to stop it was so good.
I had a hard time with the timeline at first but as it went along I got more comfortable with it.
July 18, 2019
I flew through all 400+ pages...it took me a few minutes to get acclimated to the set-up of the story, but then I loved seeing it all come together. What a powerful story, and I’m sure it is sadly realistic. It was well-plotted and the characters fleshed out, realistic, and compelling.
April 29, 2025
AMAZING! what an amazing page turner!
April 30, 2019
*I no longer have this book on hand because I've already returned it to the library, so this review will be based on what my brain managed to remember of it.*
This is the second novel from Natalie C. Anderson, and having now read both of her books, I think it's safe to say that I'm definitely a fan of her writing. Like City of Saints & Thieves, Let's Go Swimming on Doomsday is well-written, and was gracious enough to not only entertain me, but was thrilling, as well!
Synopsis:
Abdi is only thirteen-years-old when his older brother Dahir is kidnapped from school by Al Shabaab a local jihadi group. Three years later, Abdi himself is kidnapped, but this time by the CIA, who forcibly recruit him after several days of torture, and threats against the family he has left. The mission? Infiltrate Al Shabaab, and find out where they plan on striking next. This is also when he finds out that his brother is actually still alive, but just so happens to have since dedicated his life to Al Shabaab's cause. Using his familial connection, Abdi barely manages to join the group, and learns just how deep his brother's faith has become, deep enough that he no longer responds to his birth name, and has climbed the ranks to become the protégé of one the group's ruthless leaders, General Idris. In the eventual months, Abdi finally learns what the group is planning, and manages to get himself included in the mission...as a suicide bomber.
Now, jump back to the present, and Abdi has managed to escape and is far away from Al Shabaab activities, but the past has a way of creeping back, and Abdi must again face his if he ever wants to truly put it behind him.
My Thoughts:
This book managed to suck me in pretty fast. I liked the alternating past and present narratives, feeling like it helped solidify Abdi for me, and it helped to somewhat make sense of the things – a lot of it bad, unfortunately – Abdi had to do in order to not only protect himself, but his loved ones. I can't even begin to imagine the horrors these children face when they're forced to live the life of a soldier, including sacrificing their own lives for things they might not always believe in themselves, and being completely cut off from any loved ones that may still remain, so reading of Abdi's experience gave me a little insight into things I can't say that I really knew much of anything about. Though he is a fictional character, his story is still based off of things that are all too real, and continue to happen, so I definitely appreciate the author for writing this novel and sharing some of the things she's learned with the rest of us.
In the present narrative, Abdi actually ends up in a somewhat cushy situation. I won't delve too deeply into this, because you obviously need to read the book, but I'll say that I liked seeing him in these moments, and seeing a more relaxed Abdi, as well.
Concluding Thoughts:
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it because of how interesting it was for me. I did dock a star because of the time it took for me to read it, and the fact that I probably won't likely read it again the future, but please don't let that deter you from picking up this book!
This is the second novel from Natalie C. Anderson, and having now read both of her books, I think it's safe to say that I'm definitely a fan of her writing. Like City of Saints & Thieves, Let's Go Swimming on Doomsday is well-written, and was gracious enough to not only entertain me, but was thrilling, as well!
Synopsis:
Abdi is only thirteen-years-old when his older brother Dahir is kidnapped from school by Al Shabaab a local jihadi group. Three years later, Abdi himself is kidnapped, but this time by the CIA, who forcibly recruit him after several days of torture, and threats against the family he has left. The mission? Infiltrate Al Shabaab, and find out where they plan on striking next. This is also when he finds out that his brother is actually still alive, but just so happens to have since dedicated his life to Al Shabaab's cause. Using his familial connection, Abdi barely manages to join the group, and learns just how deep his brother's faith has become, deep enough that he no longer responds to his birth name, and has climbed the ranks to become the protégé of one the group's ruthless leaders, General Idris. In the eventual months, Abdi finally learns what the group is planning, and manages to get himself included in the mission...as a suicide bomber.
Now, jump back to the present, and Abdi has managed to escape and is far away from Al Shabaab activities, but the past has a way of creeping back, and Abdi must again face his if he ever wants to truly put it behind him.
My Thoughts:
This book managed to suck me in pretty fast. I liked the alternating past and present narratives, feeling like it helped solidify Abdi for me, and it helped to somewhat make sense of the things – a lot of it bad, unfortunately – Abdi had to do in order to not only protect himself, but his loved ones. I can't even begin to imagine the horrors these children face when they're forced to live the life of a soldier, including sacrificing their own lives for things they might not always believe in themselves, and being completely cut off from any loved ones that may still remain, so reading of Abdi's experience gave me a little insight into things I can't say that I really knew much of anything about. Though he is a fictional character, his story is still based off of things that are all too real, and continue to happen, so I definitely appreciate the author for writing this novel and sharing some of the things she's learned with the rest of us.
In the present narrative, Abdi actually ends up in a somewhat cushy situation. I won't delve too deeply into this, because you obviously need to read the book, but I'll say that I liked seeing him in these moments, and seeing a more relaxed Abdi, as well.
Concluding Thoughts:
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it because of how interesting it was for me. I did dock a star because of the time it took for me to read it, and the fact that I probably won't likely read it again the future, but please don't let that deter you from picking up this book!
January 8, 2019
Thank you very much to penguin teen for advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I honestly cannot stress enough how much I loved this book. I’ve had a string of slightly disappointing reads recently, but within minutes of starting this book, I was hooked. The writing invoked a very clear mental image of what was going on, and this book told an unforgettable story with characters I adored.
Let’s go Swimming on Doomsday was a story about Abdi, a boy who loses his brother to a terrorist group as a teenager. Years later, his family broken and his home taken away, Adbi is forced to join the very group that took his brother in order to save his family.
Even though he is able to escape the group after months in their ranks, the ghosts of the past still haunt him as he lives on the streets of Kenya. He is taken in by a social worker, who then helps Abdi come to grips with his past as he learns what it means to have peace in a war torn life.
The book is told in alternating chapters of then and now. At first, the format was a little bit confusing, but I grew to love it. I was constantly on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened in both the past and the present of the story, which kept me turning pages throughout the entirety of the book. I absolutely loved the writing style that Natalie C. Anderson has, as it so clear and thought provoking. It was descriptive without losing your interest or the main plot points, which is something I always look for in a book.
I loved Abdi’s character. He was a boy with a good heart forced to do terrible things to protect the people he loved. He was an amazing character to read about, and his strength and his determination is something I will remember for a long time. Though he himself is fictional, his situation is a reality to many people in countries affected by war and terrorism. Seeing the hope his character learned to find was something I think everyone can learn from, despite their situation or their nationality.
I also loved the side characters. The social worker in the story, Sam, is so good hearted and beautifully human. I loved how social workers were put in a positive light in this story, as they can sometimes be poorly portrayed in novels. Other characters in the novel also stole a piece of my heart. I enjoyed the fact that all the characters in the novel had a distinct place and role. Sometimes secondary characters are very flat and are unneeded in a story, but the cast of this novel were perfectly chosen and crafted.
This book had a major impact on me, and I absolutely think it is a book that sheds light and brings awareness to some very important topics. It is brutally honest about violence and war, without being too violent in the descriptions. It definitely opened up my eyes to parts of the world I’d never read about before, and brings an appreciation to me about some of the ways terrorism affects certain countries. After finishing this book, I went on a long walk to process it and really reflect on the light it has shone on some of the dark parts of humanity that can easily be swept under the rug sometimes.
Overall, Let’s go Swimming on Doomsday is a title that I highly recommend. It combined an impactful story, amazing and hopeful characters, and a beautiful writing style into one page turner. It comes out in just over a week on January 15th, so I highly recommend pre-ordering it or purchasing it on its release. It is a story that will stick with me for a long time, and one I definitely plan on revisiting again in the future.
I honestly cannot stress enough how much I loved this book. I’ve had a string of slightly disappointing reads recently, but within minutes of starting this book, I was hooked. The writing invoked a very clear mental image of what was going on, and this book told an unforgettable story with characters I adored.
Let’s go Swimming on Doomsday was a story about Abdi, a boy who loses his brother to a terrorist group as a teenager. Years later, his family broken and his home taken away, Adbi is forced to join the very group that took his brother in order to save his family.
Even though he is able to escape the group after months in their ranks, the ghosts of the past still haunt him as he lives on the streets of Kenya. He is taken in by a social worker, who then helps Abdi come to grips with his past as he learns what it means to have peace in a war torn life.
The book is told in alternating chapters of then and now. At first, the format was a little bit confusing, but I grew to love it. I was constantly on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened in both the past and the present of the story, which kept me turning pages throughout the entirety of the book. I absolutely loved the writing style that Natalie C. Anderson has, as it so clear and thought provoking. It was descriptive without losing your interest or the main plot points, which is something I always look for in a book.
I loved Abdi’s character. He was a boy with a good heart forced to do terrible things to protect the people he loved. He was an amazing character to read about, and his strength and his determination is something I will remember for a long time. Though he himself is fictional, his situation is a reality to many people in countries affected by war and terrorism. Seeing the hope his character learned to find was something I think everyone can learn from, despite their situation or their nationality.
I also loved the side characters. The social worker in the story, Sam, is so good hearted and beautifully human. I loved how social workers were put in a positive light in this story, as they can sometimes be poorly portrayed in novels. Other characters in the novel also stole a piece of my heart. I enjoyed the fact that all the characters in the novel had a distinct place and role. Sometimes secondary characters are very flat and are unneeded in a story, but the cast of this novel were perfectly chosen and crafted.
This book had a major impact on me, and I absolutely think it is a book that sheds light and brings awareness to some very important topics. It is brutally honest about violence and war, without being too violent in the descriptions. It definitely opened up my eyes to parts of the world I’d never read about before, and brings an appreciation to me about some of the ways terrorism affects certain countries. After finishing this book, I went on a long walk to process it and really reflect on the light it has shone on some of the dark parts of humanity that can easily be swept under the rug sometimes.
Overall, Let’s go Swimming on Doomsday is a title that I highly recommend. It combined an impactful story, amazing and hopeful characters, and a beautiful writing style into one page turner. It comes out in just over a week on January 15th, so I highly recommend pre-ordering it or purchasing it on its release. It is a story that will stick with me for a long time, and one I definitely plan on revisiting again in the future.
Read
July 25, 2020This is a complex read and, thus, a complex review. I also want to say that I am a white, non-Muslim reviewer, so I cannot truly speak on the representation of this novel, though I still want to give a critical review.
I think this book has a lot of things going for it. This young-adult novel takes a close look on the motives behind people (specifically children) who join terrorist organizations. It shows (through fictional, though reality-based, events) how the United States goes about "dealing" with terrorism in Africa -- in this book, Somalia and Kenya -- cruelly, selfishly, yet understandably. This book illustrates how morally gray seemingly black and white situations can be.
It also becomes abundantly clear about a third of the way through the book that the person who wrote this is a white non-Muslim who has never been to Somalia. Though the author writes a lot of humanity into her characters, the Muslims in this book given times to develop themselves (except for Muna) are all extremists. Especially in a young-adult work, it is so important that one show to their young audience that the majority of Muslims practice the religion non-violently. It really rubs me the wrong way that Natalie C. Anderson chose to do otherwise.
I really do not know how to rate this, so I won't. Though I think this book brings up some interesting and refreshing ideas about morality and one's willingness to protect the people one loves, it reeks with Islamophobia that I cannot stand by.
I think this book has a lot of things going for it. This young-adult novel takes a close look on the motives behind people (specifically children) who join terrorist organizations. It shows (through fictional, though reality-based, events) how the United States goes about "dealing" with terrorism in Africa -- in this book, Somalia and Kenya -- cruelly, selfishly, yet understandably. This book illustrates how morally gray seemingly black and white situations can be.
It also becomes abundantly clear about a third of the way through the book that the person who wrote this is a white non-Muslim who has never been to Somalia. Though the author writes a lot of humanity into her characters, the Muslims in this book given times to develop themselves (except for Muna) are all extremists. Especially in a young-adult work, it is so important that one show to their young audience that the majority of Muslims practice the religion non-violently. It really rubs me the wrong way that Natalie C. Anderson chose to do otherwise.
I really do not know how to rate this, so I won't. Though I think this book brings up some interesting and refreshing ideas about morality and one's willingness to protect the people one loves, it reeks with Islamophobia that I cannot stand by.
October 10, 2019
"We all do things we're not proud of, but that doesn't make us bad people. Not if we try to fix them."
🧑🏾
I picked up Natalie C. Anderson's Let's Go Swimming on Doomsday without knowing anything about its plot or even its genre.
🧑🏾
It is so hard to write down my thoughts about this book because it is such an intense book.
🧑🏾
Abdiweli, a sixteen year-old Somali boy is forced to change his identity and live with a Jihadi group Al Shabaab. He does so in order to give out their secret information to the Americans who have captured his family. Abdi follows their instructions in order to ensure the safety of his family members.
🧑🏾
This book perfectly exemplifies how people are indoctrinated into becoming heartless soldiers under the pretext of helping their country, restoring peace and working according to divine justice.
🧑🏾
The narrative is fast paced and is filled with gruesome details of violence. My heart was filled with disgust and I could actually feel the helplessness of the protagonist who leaves no stone unturned to ensure that his family stays safe.
🧑🏾
The title holds so much meaning and swimming itself is a strong motif throughout the book.
🧑🏾
This book is a must-read. It will drench you emotionally and every page of this book is absolutely heartbreaking. This one just points out the horrible reality and the way people are made scapegoats by others.
🧑🏾
I picked up Natalie C. Anderson's Let's Go Swimming on Doomsday without knowing anything about its plot or even its genre.
🧑🏾
It is so hard to write down my thoughts about this book because it is such an intense book.
🧑🏾
Abdiweli, a sixteen year-old Somali boy is forced to change his identity and live with a Jihadi group Al Shabaab. He does so in order to give out their secret information to the Americans who have captured his family. Abdi follows their instructions in order to ensure the safety of his family members.
🧑🏾
This book perfectly exemplifies how people are indoctrinated into becoming heartless soldiers under the pretext of helping their country, restoring peace and working according to divine justice.
🧑🏾
The narrative is fast paced and is filled with gruesome details of violence. My heart was filled with disgust and I could actually feel the helplessness of the protagonist who leaves no stone unturned to ensure that his family stays safe.
🧑🏾
The title holds so much meaning and swimming itself is a strong motif throughout the book.
🧑🏾
This book is a must-read. It will drench you emotionally and every page of this book is absolutely heartbreaking. This one just points out the horrible reality and the way people are made scapegoats by others.
June 28, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this before publication. A harrowing story, but one that should not be ignored.
Our main focus is Abdi, a sixteen year old Somali boy, who - in order to protect his family - was asked by the Americans to infiltrate the jihadi terrorist group Al Shabaab. He vividly recalls the day that Al Shabaab boys came to his town and took his brother. Abdi was thirteen.
Our story is split between the now - when Abdi is being cared for by Sam, a worker for the UN - and then - the process that lead to Abdi being recruited by the group and the activities he was forced to take part in.
There’s no getting away from the fact that the subject matter is tough reading. The indoctrination of children to such groups, and the callous disregard for human life shown by such leaders, is graphically conveyed to us. However, making it clear that Abdi did not participate willingly, and that he is now in fear for his life, meant the book did not seem to glamorise such actions at all.
The details given about how the group operated were fascinating. What struck me, however, was the very real focus on the emotional impact on Abdi and others like him of such groups. There was an emotional honesty to this that is hard to ignore, and I cannot wait to see how it goes down with teen readers.
Our main focus is Abdi, a sixteen year old Somali boy, who - in order to protect his family - was asked by the Americans to infiltrate the jihadi terrorist group Al Shabaab. He vividly recalls the day that Al Shabaab boys came to his town and took his brother. Abdi was thirteen.
Our story is split between the now - when Abdi is being cared for by Sam, a worker for the UN - and then - the process that lead to Abdi being recruited by the group and the activities he was forced to take part in.
There’s no getting away from the fact that the subject matter is tough reading. The indoctrination of children to such groups, and the callous disregard for human life shown by such leaders, is graphically conveyed to us. However, making it clear that Abdi did not participate willingly, and that he is now in fear for his life, meant the book did not seem to glamorise such actions at all.
The details given about how the group operated were fascinating. What struck me, however, was the very real focus on the emotional impact on Abdi and others like him of such groups. There was an emotional honesty to this that is hard to ignore, and I cannot wait to see how it goes down with teen readers.
January 20, 2019
This book was definitively difficult to read. With its topics of violence, sexual abuses, and religious terrorist groups, this Somali based story gave no air to breathe. Every page felt like a constant struggle where I even felt on edge and as if eyes were watching me. For Abdi, our brave and persistent MC, he was so young to have to mature and experience all of the hardship and blood at 16. I gave this a 4 stars rating because although this story was a unique tale that I would have never thought would be released into the world, something was lacking. I understand why because there did not seem to be a clear fluidity where the story just skated in a straight line, but it was a hectic rollercoaster ride. It is an honest and raw story that does not attract the light-hearted. Those who experience war or have faced difficult times can handle this story about a young boy risking it all for his family as I hope we all would.
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