4 out of 4 stars
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Hollowed Soldier, written by Annamarie Ibrahim, is a short memoir that narrates the author’s brutal experience in the United States Air Force, where she gets raped and discharged in the most unfair circumstances. In the book, Ibrahim describes in vivid detail the incidents that happened before and after her rape and how it affected the rest of her life.
More importantly, she shares how she fought for justice — even after thirty-five years — and how she put herself back together when the traumatic rape incident broke her spirit and turned her into a hollowed woman. In writing this book, Ibrahim aims to share her story with the world and inspire others in similar situations to stand up for themselves and fight for justice.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Hollowed Soldier. For a nonfiction book, I was surprised at how engrossed I was in it. Indeed, it felt as if I was reading fiction, which shows how good of a storyteller the author is. At some points, I was so invested in the story that I was anxious to know what was going to happen next.
Furthermore, there was something about the author’s writing that made her story so personal and touching. Reading her story, you can understand her emotions and thoughts as though they were yours. It is as if you were right there with her, experiencing her world through her words. Truly, Ibrahim knows how to put her feelings into words, something that most of us struggle with.
The one thing I liked most was the author’s honesty in telling her story, as she doesn’t hold anything back and says things as they are. Reading the book, it was evident that she found it difficult to discuss the incidents surrounding her rape; however, she still shared her story because she wanted to help herself finally heal and also because she wanted to help others who may be going through the same thing.
Further, as I was reading, I highlighted several inspiring words and sentences. Truly, Ibrahim is a strong woman, and I believe her words will inspire many readers who pick up this book. Some of her words brought tears to my eyes, and it feels surreal that someone who has gone through so much pain still has abundant love to give back to others.
Considering the above points, I rate Hollowed Soldier 4 out of 4 stars. Indeed, there was no boring moment in the book, and I found nothing to dislike about it. I believe it was professionally edited, although I found some errors in it. Also, I found a few vulgar words in it. Lastly, I would recommend it to anyone who loves reading inspirational books.
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Hollowed Soldier
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