Tuesday 2 September 2014

Blog Tour | Scar of the Bamboo Leaf by Sieni A.M. | Book Review


“Her heart wept when she realized that the hardest part about loving him was the idea that his love was never meant for her.”
Walking with a pronounced limp all her life has never stopped fifteen-year-old Kiva Mau from doing what she loves. While most girls her age are playing sports and perfecting their traditional Samoan dance, Kiva finds serenity in her sketchbook and volunteering at the run-down art center her extended family owns.
When seventeen-year-old Ryler Cade steps into the art center for the first time, Kiva is drawn to the angry and misguided student sent from abroad to reform his violent ways. Scarred and tattooed, an unlikely friendship is formed when the gentle Kiva shows him kindness and beauty through art.
After a tragic accident leaves Kiva severely disfigured, she struggles to see the beauty she has been brought up to believe. Just when she thinks she’s found her place, Ryler begins to pull away, leaving her heartbroken and confused. The patriarch of the family then takes a turn for the worse and Kiva is forced to give up her dreams to help with familial obligations, until an old family secret surfaces that makes her question everything.

Immersed in the world of traditional art and culture, this is the story of self-sacrifice and discovery, of acceptance and forbearance, of overcoming adversity and finding one’s purpose. Spanning years, it is a story about an intuitive girl and a misunderstood boy and love that becomes real when tested.
Pages: 296 | Format: Kindle | Goodreads | Amazon
Review
Note: This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review
Scar of the Bamboo Leaf is a book which is best described as stunning. The words flow on the page like works of art, which is apt considering there are such strong links with art in this book.
I found myself pulled in by Kiva's story, and drawn into her world. I loved that through her story I could explore a different culture.
This book has an effortless beauty to it. The writing style tugs at your emotions and gets you really attached to the characters.
The characters themselves were well written, and developed so nicely that they felt real to me as I was reading this book.
There's a wonderful blend of family issues, love story and personal struggle in this book. There's love and tragedy and everything in between, and each emotion is handled in a delicate and enthralling way.
There is no doubting that this book is an emotional rollercoater, and there were parts which did have me in tears.
One of the things that I loved about this book was that it spanned so many years, and yet the jumps never felt jarring. The passages flowed gently from one to another, and the pacing, as a result, was spot on.
There were just enough big moments to keep me on the edge of my seat, and just enough emotion that it kept me longing for more.
Kiva's world is touched by tragedy and yet this book manages to shed a lot of focus on the beautiful things. I think in part this is because Kiva is such a wonderful main character.
Culture, art, family, love and tragedy come together in this book to create a stunning story of Kiva's self-discovery.
I would highly recommend this book. It's a stunning read.

Rating 

10/10

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