Review of "Dumb" Orphans
Posted: 24 Feb 2025, 22:50
[Following is a volunteer review of ""Dumb" Orphans" by Allan Low.]
‘Dumb’ Orphans is a historical fiction trilogy written by Allan Low that follows a family of orphaned children navigating life during the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in Southern Africa. The story focuses on the Bundu Bunch, a group of orphans who live in Bundami Valley. Through their eyes, the reader experiences the harsh realities of life as an orphan—losing their families, struggling to meet basic needs like food and water, and facing obstacles in their pursuit of education. Despite these challenges, the Bundu Bunch holds onto their "CAN DO" motto, supporting each other and finding moments for exploring and enjoying the lightning bugs.
The first book is narrated by one of the orphans, Sipho, who provides the background of the Bundu Bunch and introduces the lifestyle in Bundami Valley. The second and third books are narrated by Elah, the youngest orphan, as she admires her older family members and starts to develop her own identity. Book two focuses on the orphans growing in their abilities, despite the abuse of power by the adults around them. This mostly serves as a transition, setting the stage for the Bundu Bunch to fully rise and pursue their dreams in book three.
I enjoyed the storyline a lot and for the most part it is a well written trilogy. The writing occasionally leans more toward telling than showing, which reduces the emotional impact of certain events. For instance, the author could have explored Elah and Aiyasha’s journey through the various African countries or added more depth to the events leading up to the big race. In book three there are also several time jumps, which makes the plot feel more rushed and takes away from the passion of the characters, although it is nice to see the characters develop into mature adults in the end.
Overall, ‘Dumb’ Orphans is an enjoyable and thought-provoking series. The inclusion of occasional drawings helps visualize details with an original illustration style. The characters are easy to grow attached to. I would rate this trilogy 4 out of 5 stars and definitely recommend for children to young adult readers.
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"Dumb" Orphans
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
‘Dumb’ Orphans is a historical fiction trilogy written by Allan Low that follows a family of orphaned children navigating life during the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in Southern Africa. The story focuses on the Bundu Bunch, a group of orphans who live in Bundami Valley. Through their eyes, the reader experiences the harsh realities of life as an orphan—losing their families, struggling to meet basic needs like food and water, and facing obstacles in their pursuit of education. Despite these challenges, the Bundu Bunch holds onto their "CAN DO" motto, supporting each other and finding moments for exploring and enjoying the lightning bugs.
The first book is narrated by one of the orphans, Sipho, who provides the background of the Bundu Bunch and introduces the lifestyle in Bundami Valley. The second and third books are narrated by Elah, the youngest orphan, as she admires her older family members and starts to develop her own identity. Book two focuses on the orphans growing in their abilities, despite the abuse of power by the adults around them. This mostly serves as a transition, setting the stage for the Bundu Bunch to fully rise and pursue their dreams in book three.
I enjoyed the storyline a lot and for the most part it is a well written trilogy. The writing occasionally leans more toward telling than showing, which reduces the emotional impact of certain events. For instance, the author could have explored Elah and Aiyasha’s journey through the various African countries or added more depth to the events leading up to the big race. In book three there are also several time jumps, which makes the plot feel more rushed and takes away from the passion of the characters, although it is nice to see the characters develop into mature adults in the end.
Overall, ‘Dumb’ Orphans is an enjoyable and thought-provoking series. The inclusion of occasional drawings helps visualize details with an original illustration style. The characters are easy to grow attached to. I would rate this trilogy 4 out of 5 stars and definitely recommend for children to young adult readers.
******
"Dumb" Orphans
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon