The Last Girl - BookWyrm

audio cd

Published Nov. 7, 2017 by Random House Audio.

ISBN:: 978-0-525-49321-1

(2 reviews)

"In this intimate memoir of survival, a former captive of the Islamic State tells her harrowing and ultimately inspiring story. Nadia Murad was born and raised in Kocho, a small village of farmers and shepherds in northern Iraq. A member of the Yazidi community, she and her brothers and sisters lived a quiet life. Nadia had dreams of becoming a history teacher or opening her own beauty salon. On August 15th, 2014, when Nadia was just twenty-one years old, this life ended. Islamic State militants massacred the people of her village, executing men who refused to convert to Islam and women too old to become sex slaves. Nadia was taken to Mosul and forced, along with thousands of other Yazidi girls, into the ISIS slave trade. Finally, she managed a narrow escape through the streets of Mosul, finding shelter in the home of a Sunni Muslim family whose eldest son …

"In this intimate memoir of survival, a former captive of the Islamic State tells her harrowing and ultimately inspiring story. Nadia Murad was born and raised in Kocho, a small village of farmers and shepherds in northern Iraq. A member of the Yazidi community, she and her brothers and sisters lived a quiet life. Nadia had dreams of becoming a history teacher or opening her own beauty salon. On August 15th, 2014, when Nadia was just twenty-one years old, this life ended. Islamic State militants massacred the people of her village, executing men who refused to convert to Islam and women too old to become sex slaves. Nadia was taken to Mosul and forced, along with thousands of other Yazidi girls, into the ISIS slave trade. Finally, she managed a narrow escape through the streets of Mosul, finding shelter in the home of a Sunni Muslim family whose eldest son risked his life to smuggle her to safety. Today, Nadia's story--as a witness to the Islamic State's brutality, a survivor of rape, a refugee, a Yazidi--has forced the world to pay attention to the ongoing genocide in Iraq. It is a call to action, a testament to the human will to survive, and a love letter to a lost country, a fragile community, and a family torn apart by war."--Provided by publisher.

5 editions

Taylor reviewed The Last Girl by Nadia Murad

Review of 'The Last Girl' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

A heartbreaking account that shines light upon an ongoing genocide. Nadia’s story is a glimpse into Yazidism, ISIS, Iraq, and Greater Kurdistan around 2014.

The three parts are roughly:
1. Background
2. Captivity
3. Escape and Reunion

This is a straightforward story of captivity, shared to raise awareness and help those still suffering. There is very little introspection or examination of the surrounding issues. Unless someone is specifically interested in Yazidi culture or the subhuman practices of ISIS, Nadia’s interviews here or here tell her story well. She's now an activist doing great things out of Germany.

Near the end, Nadia's justification for her potential murder (once escaped) was especially sad to read:

"'You should wait to see how your family treats you. Maybe they will kill you if they find out.’

It was painful to have these doubts about the people who raised you, but Yazidis are conservative. Sex …

A heartbreaking account that shines light upon an ongoing genocide. Nadia’s story is a glimpse into Yazidism, ISIS, Iraq, and Greater Kurdistan around 2014.

The three parts are roughly:
1. Background
2. Captivity
3. Escape and Reunion

This is a straightforward story of captivity, shared to raise awareness and help those still suffering. There is very little introspection or examination of the surrounding issues. Unless someone is specifically interested in Yazidi culture or the subhuman practices of ISIS, Nadia’s interviews here or here tell her story well. She's now an activist doing great things out of Germany.

Near the end, Nadia's justification for her potential murder (once escaped) was especially sad to read:

"'You should wait to see how your family treats you. Maybe they will kill you if they find out.’

It was painful to have these doubts about the people who raised you, but Yazidis are conservative. Sex before marriage is not allowed, and no one could have predicted this happening to so many Yazidi girls all at once. A situation like this would test any community, no matter how loving, or how strong."

gawwrgi reviewed The Last Girl by Nadia Murad

Review of 'The Last Girl' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

The Last Girl is a book that is really hard to read, but should be necessary reading in my opinion. It's a account of brutality against women, courage, perseverance, surviving and thriving. This book is an important read and you'll need time to emotionally recoup from this book.