Review by Tablito -- Divided World by Kenneth Pickering

[Tablito]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Divided World" by Kenneth Pickering.]

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

I usually snap out of the mere thought of having a terrible experience; lest my fears are snatched from me and become a reality. Divided World by Kenneth Pickering is cognisant of the fact that, real people who share in my fears, continue to suffer from acts of terrorism, bombing attacks, and political upheavals, the world over. The text comprises of plays by Hannah Khalil, Kate Al Hadid,and Hassan Abdulrazzak, with Kenneth Pickering introducing the trio's work.

None of the plays pass as a charity case; thanks to the first pages of the book, that expatiate on where the refugees are coming from. Parents want their children to have a better life than theirs; the likes of Hana and Reem are no exception, they dare to dream with their children, Yousef and Younis respectively, regardless of the predicament their families face. Just enough information created scenes, that could have otherwise disturbed sensitive readers; a world-shaking historical event that happened years back, and continues to shape world history to-date, was worth noting. I encourage doing the text in doses; this way, the reader will enjoy the quaintness of the plays.

The surprise that Ray had in store for his sister got me laughing out loud; lucky me, I wasn't in public at the time. Name is everything; joining Yousef and Reem in keeping their secrets safe from everyone, especially their loved ones, was of essence; what you don't know can't hurt you. The play, "Corner of a Foreign Field", was sprinkled with Indian English; which gave it a makeover, I could visualize Sadr ud-Din, in particular, doing the Indian head bobble while reading his lines. This is what stood out in the book.

A play was dedicated to one John Bibby; he was just mentioned, a brief biography about the chap would enable the reader to celebrate him. Also, the conclusion of the text was uncouth; replacing it or generally chucking it off would have given the book a graceful culmination. This is what I disliked about the text.

The book will benefit from another round of editing; errors kept popping up while reading it.I therefore withhold a star and give Divided World by Kenneth Pickering a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. An audience that has been of the view that theatre plays are outdated will find Divided World different; it is up for the challenge. Lovers of history will also borrow a lot from the text. The read will not stand well with children; it contains vulgar language and sexual content.

******
Divided World
View: on Bookshelves

[Leroy2017]

Sad what the people in this world go through. Thanks for the poems and plays like this that act like the eye openers. Thank you

[SamaylaM]

This is an eloquent review of this anthology. When I read it, I found the plays bittersweet. Thank you for this amazing work of yours regarding this beautiful piece.

[Tablito]

Sad what the people in this world go through. Thanks for the poems and plays like this that act like the eye openers. Thank you

Thanks, Leroy, for dropping by.

[Tablito]

This is an eloquent review of this anthology. When I read it, I found the plays bittersweet. Thank you for this amazing work of yours regarding this beautiful piece.

Thanks SamaylaM for commenting. Nice to know you also read the book.

[Sou Hi]

Thanks for your meaningful review. This sounds like a collection of heartfelt stories filled with love. I would love to see how their lives unfold in these plays.

[Tablito]

Thanks for your meaningful review. This sounds like a collection of heartfelt stories filled with love. I would love to see how their lives unfold in these plays.

Indeed, the stories get to the reader, thanks, Sou Hi, for stopping by.

[Eutoc]

I equally found those errors to be disturbing. But other than that Divided World is one of the best books I read this year. I'm glad you also liked the book.

[Tablito]

I equally found those errors to be disturbing. But other than that Divided World is one of the best books I read this year. I'm glad you also liked the book.

Divided World was indeed skillfully crafted. Thanks, Eutoc, for stopping by.

[Saint Bruno]

I don't really enjoy drama books but for your review, I might just try this one out. Thanks for the awesome review and recommendation.

[Tablito]

I don't really enjoy drama books but for your review, I might just try this one out. Thanks for the awesome review and recommendation.

Try it out, Saint Bruno, you won't be disappointed. Thanks for stopping by.

[Raluca_Mihaila]

I also reviewed this book and I really liked it. Some of the stories were not easy, but the authors did a great job. Great job with the review!

[Tablito]

I also reviewed this book and I really liked it. Some of the stories were not easy, but the authors did a great job. Great job with the review!

Thanks, raluca_mihaila, it's nice that you also liked Divided world

[Mtibza eM]

I am disappointed that it had errors but nonetheless, this seems like a good book. Thank you for the review

[Tablito]

I am disappointed that it had errors but nonetheless, this seems like a good book. Thank you for the review

Correcting the errors will do a lot of good to the book. Thanks, Mtibza eM, for stoppingby.