Official Review: The Amazigh's Apprentice by Ri J. Haare

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desantismt_17
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Official Review: The Amazigh's Apprentice by Ri J. Haare

Post by desantismt_17 »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Amazigh's Apprentice" by Ri J. Haare.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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The Amazigh’s Apprentice by Ri J. Haare follows the journey of Abi Hemluck, both across the desert and through her soul in search of answers about herself. Told partly in the present of Abi’s desert trek and partly in flashbacks of her previous time in the city, Abi faces dangers both physical and emotional. From hungry predators to the demons of her past, Abi has her work cut out for her as she strives to fulfill the role of Amazigh—a “free person.” Can Abi complete her journey and come to terms with her life, her lot, and herself?

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The description, I felt, didn’t quite do it justice. Or, perhaps, there was so much happening here on a spiritual and intellectual level that the description couldn’t have possibly captured it all. Thus, my own summary may, too, fall short of the mark, something I will here try to rectify.

Abi is a character worth reading about. Referred to as “differently abled,” she has some physical deformity—a lump on her back, among other things. She does not, however, let this stop her from taking on the dangers of a desert hike. Abi spends a good chunk of the story writing in her diary in an attempt to understand what life truly means. She faces some truly frightening odds, brushing hands with death many times. Still, no matter how close she comes to succumbing or how bad things get, she comes out at the other end turning all the negatives to positives. As someone who has a tendency to dwell on the bad side, watching Abi flip negative situations on their heads was inspiring. If she can do it with dehydration and illness, I can do it for spilled milk.

Despite always finding the positive, Abi is not without flaws. Quite the contrary, she struggles with feelings of inadequacy just as much as anyone else. Being “differently abled” myself, I could identify with her easily; though, being “differently abled” is not required to understand Abi’s struggle. At one point, Abi writes in her diary that she wishes she could go to sleep and wake up a “normal” person. This line punched my heart. In today’s society, there is an emphasis on the fact that there is no “normal.” Everyone is who they are, and that is fine. Despite this, there is still an underlying current pressuring us to be prettier, smarter, physically/neurologically/sexually “normal.” Don’t we all lie awake some nights and think “If I could only wake up normal?” And I do mean “all,” even the people who fall smack dab on the above description of “normal.” We are all in some way “differently abled.” Abi may be more different than some, but her wishes are not foreign ones. As a protagonist, they make her beautifully flawed and able to care about.

The Amazigh’s Apprentice is full of bits of wisdom and important lessons, as well. One that stuck with me the most is learning to think of how our actions affect others. At one point, Abi comes across a tree baring dates. Starving, Abi fashions a lasso from a length of rope and loops it around one of the tree’s branches. She pulls until the branch snaps, thus bringing the dates into reach. Though food is in range, Abi bursts into tears for what she’s done to an innocent tree. It did nothing, but yet she harmed it. Yes, she did it out of self-preservation, but does that make it right? Aren’t all creatures, even plants, allowed to live in peace? The lesson here is not “never hurt anyone.” To quote The Princess Bride, “life is pain, Highness.” Rather, the idea is to think about actions before pursuing them. What are the consequences, not just for ourselves but for the creature we are to act upon? All this stems from Abi simply getting something to eat, and I commend Haare for packing so much into such a short scene.

Haare’s writing is full of beautiful imagery, too. I could see the desert sunset, feel the scorching heat, taste the relief of sweet water when Abi was parched. The style uses many complex sentences and interesting phrasing. This meant that I was unable to read this quickly. It did not, however, hinder my enjoyment. I will say that this is a story that requires active reading—it is not something to be read passively for entertainment. There is much to learn and understand here. I think I could read this a hundred times and come away with a different nugget of truth each one. If you are the kind of reader who doesn’t want to work for their story, this may not be the book for you.

For its touching story, many lessons, and beautiful protagonist, I rate The Amazigh’s Apprentice 4 out of 4 stars. The book is edited very well. Had I not been looking for mistakes, I would not have seen the very few I found. A 3-star rating was never a thought for this book. I recommend this book for anyone seeking to learn and grow. Those interested in culture or stories of survival may also find this interesting. As I mentioned in my summary, a good percentage of the book is flashbacks. The flashbacks add much to the story and did not seem to hinder the flow. Still, if you find flashbacks bothersome, there may be too many. Even so, I encourage everyone to give this book a try. It truly is a gem.

******
The Amazigh's Apprentice
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You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
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Post by gen_g »

This seems not only like a book with a well-developed story, the characters are also rounded and the writing style beautiful. I am definitely tempted to pick this up. Thanks for the detailed review!
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Post by Sahani Nimandra »

I see that the main protagonist is trying to develop her self, I think this will set a lot example to so many people. Thank you for your review!
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Post by Chigozie Anuli Mbadugha »

This is one of the most enticing reviews I have read recently. I love well-rounded characters and writing that evokes imagery. I will be checking this one out. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm about this book with us. Cheers!
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Post by Nehson »

The Amazigh’s Apprentice by Ri J. Haare is a book that proves that gender (female) is not weakness. Thanks reviewer for this book. I love your hand work...
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Post by Aezeihediba »

:D All in the mystery of masterminding ones trueself. I think Abi must really be an adventurous lady. Filled with curriocusity and Strong spirited attitude. Wow I can't wait to really get a main glance at this wonderful write up
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Post by DathanReeves »

It sounds like an amazing book, but the despair for the date tree is too hyperbole for me. I might read, but if I so it will be with a carful, skeptic eye.
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Post by Suzy1611 »

With such an interesting protagonist even with life's ups and downs. She manages to over come many obstacles. Metaphorically speaking. A very good descriptive review. Thanks.
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Post by Kristy Khem »

The imagery in this book seems excellent, especially if you related to the heat of the desert sun and so on. Seems like an interesting premise for a book too. I had a friend in primary school named Abi and she was quite gentle and big-hearted, a little like the character here with the date tree scenario. Thanks for reminding me about her. Great review.
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Post by Samantha Simoneau »

What a beautifully-written review for a beautifully-written book! I truly was moved by your review, so if it did the book half its justice, then I've got to read it. I am "differently-abled" as well, and my mom used to tell me, "Everyone has a handicap, just not all of them are obvious." I connected heavily with that aspect of the review. I can't wait to read this! Thanks.
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Post by kandscreeley »

This sounds absolutely amazing. You're right. It doesn't sound like a short blurb can do this one justice. It sounds like it has a lot going on in a very good way. You have me extremely curious. Thanks so much for another great review of a wonderful book.
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Post by strawberrysab »

This sounds like a book really worth reading. So many lessons to be learnt and a strong young character anyone can relate to.
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Post by daniya__shah3 »

Your review makes this book sound like an interesting read. I agree that some descriptions don't do justice to books which are anything but perfect in storyline.
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Post by Ana-Maria-Diana »

Interesting seeing that a woman will survive anything in search of her soul. Thank you for the review.
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