⋙ [PDF] Braco Lesleyanne Ryan Books

Braco Lesleyanne Ryan Books

Download As PDF : Braco Lesleyanne Ryan Books

Braco Lesleyanne Ryan Books

A must read for Americans that probably never noticed much of the news of the war on the Balkans, I watched the news almost daily but still this book surprised me with the horror reigning in Bosnia after the fall of Srebrenica in July of 1995. News of the genocide came little by little much later, the interest was mostly gone by then. I thank Ms. Ryan for a very good written book, showing us also the good side of the "bad guys", tragic circumstances pitting neighbor against neighbor, but sometimes even at great risk, saved "enemy" lives. 5 stars.


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Braco Lesleyanne Ryan Books Reviews

I met Ms. Ryan at a Halifax, NS book fair as she sat by herself at her publisher's table. I spoke to her, asked if her book was good and she, of course, assured me that it was. I bought the book, not knowing what to expect. Well, was I surprised! It's been awhile since I read a book that had me thinking about it when I wasn't reading and I had trouble putting it down. I really knew very little about the war in Yugoslavia and the genocide that occurred during that period. Braco is a compelling story that exposes the complexity and horrors that resulted from neighbors fighting neighbors. The story brought home for me the importance of press coverage in any conflict.
Read this book! It's thought provoking, you'll learn something and be mesmerized in the process.
I'll admit it. I didn't randomly pick up Braco and think "Hmmm, here's a story I want to read." I normally drift towards books that are clearly not real life. I read it because it was recommended to me. And I'm so glad I did. Not often do you read a book, let alone a first novel, that makes you feel sad for humanity and grateful for your own place in the world. I think Braco is a book everyone should read, and I mean that sincerely. What makes this book really stand out is how Leslieanne Ryan tackles such heavy material. There’s no preaching, no heavy-handed moralizing, just a story told from the point of view of six very real characters. It took me two nights to read this book, and each night once I put it down I snuggled my baby and prayed that he (or I) will never have to face the choices and circumstances of Atif and Marija (I hope I spelled that right!). No one wants to read about the horrors of this world, but even more so, no one should have to bear witness to them. The author took her real life experiences as a Canadian Forces Peacekeeper in Bosnia and found a way to bring the story to life in a beautifully written way that will stay with you long after you are finished.
Braco follows the journey of a young boy as he and his family flee Srebrenica to escape the approaching Serbian army. Told from six points of view the boy, his mother, a Dutch peacekeeper, a Canadian journalist, a Serb soldier, and a Bosnian soldier. Braco gives a broad spectrum of the war and its impact on those caught in its grip.

I wasn't sure about the multiple points of view at first. The story is primarily about the boy, Atif, and his desperate attempt to survive and so I worried the other POVs would jar and confuse me. They didn't. Not by a long shot. What became apparent was that the author wanted the reader to see that the business of war is not black and white. Many shades lie between and as the Dutch peacekeepers and Canadian journalists often question, "Bad guys?" or "Good guys?". Lines blur in the midst of chaos.

Ryan's writing is clean and concise. I love the almost journalistic style which allowed me to connect at my own pace. The subject material in this novel is disturbing and I wasn't bombarded by the author preaching what I should feel. I appreciated that. Braco is an incredible novel telling an incredible story. I look forward to many more from this author.
It wasn't the Braco book that i wanted. Wrong Braco. i was looking for the Braco, who is spiritual that is doing the gazing.
Well-written, and tells the story from the perspective of several different persons on different sides in Bosnia during the fall of Srebrenica, it is eye-opening, and gives a view and perspective to things that the press turned a blind eye to, and many people/governments didn't want to believe and/or ignored. The other reviewers have said all the things I wanted to say, all I can add is that if you really want to start to get a grasp of the complex situation in the former Yugoslavia, you really need to read this book.
I had followed the horrors that followed the break-up of Yugoslavia, but in terms of news media broad strokes. This book humanized the conflict for me in a fascinating microcosm of the lives of a few people intersecting on different sides of a specific event in a short time frame. While fictionalized, it rings true and breaks your heart to think of what thousands upon thousands of Muslims suffered through. No conflict is ever black and white and the author shows the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by some of the characters. Worthy to be on my keep forever book shelf.
Like many Americans, I was only vaguely aware of the conflict in Bosnia. I became interested after taking a tour which visited the area and showed examples of the destruction. Following my return home, along came this book. It really gave a very thorough picture of what happened on a very human level.
Enjoyed is perhaps the wrong word for this book. It is engrossing, thought provoking and disturbing. A book everyone should read.
A must read for Americans that probably never noticed much of the news of the war on the Balkans, I watched the news almost daily but still this book surprised me with the horror reigning in Bosnia after the fall of Srebrenica in July of 1995. News of the genocide came little by little much later, the interest was mostly gone by then. I thank Ms. Ryan for a very good written book, showing us also the good side of the "bad guys", tragic circumstances pitting neighbor against neighbor, but sometimes even at great risk, saved "enemy" lives. 5 stars.