In the Sea There are Crocodiles
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Review
`a moving and eye-opening account chronicle of hardships no child should have to endure, mitigated by intermittent kindnesses' --The Sunday Times
`Geda's voice combines the plucky survivor's determination of his charge with moments of pathos - soaked poignancy and others of joyful laughter...It's sobering and heart lifting to see the stoical determination and achievement of someone who makes out world look like paradise. This little gem, beautifully and unobtrusively translated, will raise tears of sorrow and joy'
--The Independent
`If anything, this book is more chilling than heart-warming. Though Enaiatollah survives the Iranian shooting, the man next to him is killed. After a three-day journey in the false bottom of a lorry, during which he is unable to get out even to go to the toilet, he "pee[s] blood for the next few weeks". And though he survives the journey across the Aegean in an inflatable dinghy that comes, with oars, in a box ("an Ikea flatpack for illegals"), his young companion is tossed overboard in a storm and "taken by the darkness"...What is clear from this beautiful book is that young Enaiatollah finally reaches Turin and, much to his delight...finally goes back to school. An end one might go so far as to call heart-warming' --The Times
`a beautifully written and moving book.' --Choice
`What happens to Enaiatollah - from selling sweets beside street urchins in Quetta to working on the construction of the Olympic venues in Athens - is rarely pleasant. The threat of arrest and deportation is constant, with worse to fear at the hands of traffickers...And so it goes on, almost unimaginable horrors related with a lack of sentiment and bombast that makes their description all the more remarkable. We know this story ends well for Enaiatollah; it might be too awful if it didn't. Innocence remains uncrushed. But his remarkable story inevitably leaves you wondering about what happened to the unlucky ones and about the west's wilful blindness to their suffering.'
--Financial Times
`Geda's voice combines the plucky survivor's determination of his charge with moments of pathos - soaked poignancy and others of joyful laughter...It's sobering and heart lifting to see the stoical determination and achievement of someone who makes out world look like paradise. This little gem, beautifully and unobtrusively translated, will raise tears of sorrow and joy'
--The Independent
`If anything, this book is more chilling than heart-warming. Though Enaiatollah survives the Iranian shooting, the man next to him is killed. After a three-day journey in the false bottom of a lorry, during which he is unable to get out even to go to the toilet, he "pee[s] blood for the next few weeks". And though he survives the journey across the Aegean in an inflatable dinghy that comes, with oars, in a box ("an Ikea flatpack for illegals"), his young companion is tossed overboard in a storm and "taken by the darkness"...What is clear from this beautiful book is that young Enaiatollah finally reaches Turin and, much to his delight...finally goes back to school. An end one might go so far as to call heart-warming' --The Times
`a beautifully written and moving book.' --Choice
`What happens to Enaiatollah - from selling sweets beside street urchins in Quetta to working on the construction of the Olympic venues in Athens - is rarely pleasant. The threat of arrest and deportation is constant, with worse to fear at the hands of traffickers...And so it goes on, almost unimaginable horrors related with a lack of sentiment and bombast that makes their description all the more remarkable. We know this story ends well for Enaiatollah; it might be too awful if it didn't. Innocence remains uncrushed. But his remarkable story inevitably leaves you wondering about what happened to the unlucky ones and about the west's wilful blindness to their suffering.'
--Financial Times
Book Description
A bestseller in Italy, a beautiful, heartbreaking novel based on the true story of an Afghan boy's journey in search of safety.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read this book in complete amazement. The idea that such a young child should have to endure the horrors of this long and terrifying journey, at the mercy of people traffickers, with no family to turn to for help, was almost too much to bear. I am the mother of two sons and I just cannot imagine what would drive a mother to abandon her child in any circumstance, however I live in suburban England not war-torn Afghanistan and so I am not passing judgement on the actions of a desperate woman.
But back to Enaiatollah's story - and what a story it is! Having been abandoned in Pakistan, this 10 year old made his way through Iran, Turkey and Greece before finding a safe haven with a caring family in Turin. He hid in lorries, he walked over mountains, crossed the sea in a leaky rubber dinghy. He watched many people die, but others simply disappeared along the way. In our country many 10 year old aren't even allowed to walk to school alone!
Sadly, I am sure there are many children, born in the poorest corners of the world or in the world's war zones, who face such huge challenges, but I am delighted to have read Enaiatollah's story and I delighted to know that at least this one child has the chance of a safe and happy future.
But back to Enaiatollah's story - and what a story it is! Having been abandoned in Pakistan, this 10 year old made his way through Iran, Turkey and Greece before finding a safe haven with a caring family in Turin. He hid in lorries, he walked over mountains, crossed the sea in a leaky rubber dinghy. He watched many people die, but others simply disappeared along the way. In our country many 10 year old aren't even allowed to walk to school alone!
Sadly, I am sure there are many children, born in the poorest corners of the world or in the world's war zones, who face such huge challenges, but I am delighted to have read Enaiatollah's story and I delighted to know that at least this one child has the chance of a safe and happy future.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Based on the true events of a ten year old boy's escape from Afghanistan to Italy, it is realated in the first person as told to author Fabio Geda. Enaiatollah Akbari was about ten years old when his mother secreted him across the border from Afghanistan to Pakistan, and then having given him three essential pieces of advice, out of love abandoned him - her way of saving him from the Taliban.
After six years of working in and travelling through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Greece via Lesbos, saving the money from his employments as an "illegal" to pay the people traffickers for his next stage, Enaiatollah eventually reaches Italy, which turns out to be his final destination. On the way he has to learn languages, avoid not always successfully the police, suffer being repatriated only to start over again, endure weeks crossing mountains in freezing conditions, days in the false bottom of a lorry, see fellow escapees fall by the way side, cross the sea in nothing more than an inflatable, and these are just a few of the hardships he experiences during those years.
But he has a fare share of good fortune too, friends who advise him, strangers who help him, until he comes into contact through a friend with the Italian family that will foster him.
This is a most compelling account, a book once started hard to put down; and it is surprisingly a relatively easy read. While it is a times heartbreaking, it is never too harrowing, it never dwells on the terrors or horrors Enaiatollah suffered in those six years. It says much for the Enaiatollah's strength of character, good nature and mild disposition that he keeps his story positive. He is also clearly a determined young man, the occasional very brief interjections in the account where Enaiatollah and Fabio converse in the present about the story reveal much, and show that Enaiatollah knows what he wants to tell, what is important to him, and of his loyalties. I felt these little snippets a valuable part of leaning who Enaiatollah is, and these combined with his story reveal a remarkable young man.
Enaiatollah's story is compelling, it is much lighter than I expected, but it was also very informative revealing a few facts about life for some minorities in Afghanistan where the Taliban exercise a reign of terror, about people traffickers, about the treatment of illegal aliens, about the motives of some asylum seekers, and reassuringly that there are some altruistic people to be found in most place too.
After six years of working in and travelling through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Greece via Lesbos, saving the money from his employments as an "illegal" to pay the people traffickers for his next stage, Enaiatollah eventually reaches Italy, which turns out to be his final destination. On the way he has to learn languages, avoid not always successfully the police, suffer being repatriated only to start over again, endure weeks crossing mountains in freezing conditions, days in the false bottom of a lorry, see fellow escapees fall by the way side, cross the sea in nothing more than an inflatable, and these are just a few of the hardships he experiences during those years.
But he has a fare share of good fortune too, friends who advise him, strangers who help him, until he comes into contact through a friend with the Italian family that will foster him.
This is a most compelling account, a book once started hard to put down; and it is surprisingly a relatively easy read. While it is a times heartbreaking, it is never too harrowing, it never dwells on the terrors or horrors Enaiatollah suffered in those six years. It says much for the Enaiatollah's strength of character, good nature and mild disposition that he keeps his story positive. He is also clearly a determined young man, the occasional very brief interjections in the account where Enaiatollah and Fabio converse in the present about the story reveal much, and show that Enaiatollah knows what he wants to tell, what is important to him, and of his loyalties. I felt these little snippets a valuable part of leaning who Enaiatollah is, and these combined with his story reveal a remarkable young man.
Enaiatollah's story is compelling, it is much lighter than I expected, but it was also very informative revealing a few facts about life for some minorities in Afghanistan where the Taliban exercise a reign of terror, about people traffickers, about the treatment of illegal aliens, about the motives of some asylum seekers, and reassuringly that there are some altruistic people to be found in most place too.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
In the Sea there are Crocodiles is the true story of a young boy from Afghanistan and his journey through Iran, Turkey and Greece before he requests asylum in Italy. This is truly an extraordinary tale and one that you need to read with a box of tissues close to hand because I defy you to get through it without shedding at least a few tears. Enaiatollah is just 10 years old when his mother takes him to a town on the Pakistan border, when he wakes up in the morning his mother has gone. Alone in the world Enaiatollah has to do the worst kind of jobs just to earn enough to feed himself, all the while searching for a place where he can belong, a place to call home.
Throughout his journey Enaiatollah faces hardships we can't even begin to imagine, he works long hours for little pay, he lives in squalid conditions and he puts his life in the hands of people traffickers every time he tries to move on. It is horrific to think of the things he went through and even worse to think of the thousands of children around the world who are currently in a similar situation but who probably won't all survive to see a happy ending. Enaiatollah had a long and difficult journey but in a lot of ways he was lucky (I know that sounds like the most stupid thing to say but if you read the book you'll understand what I mean!) and he always managed to maintain a sense of hope. There are a lot of times when he is given a helping hand from a friend or even a stranger and without that there is no doubt he wouldn't have made it as far as he did.
I cried tears of sadness as I was reading the book but I was sobbing with happiness by the end. The kindness shown to Enaiatollah by others was heartwarming to read about and gives you hope for the future. In the Sea there are Crocodiles is a beautiful story. Written in a simple style, mainly in Enaiatollah's own words, it isn't a literary masterpiece but it is an incredibly powerful and compelling read. This is definitely a story that will make you appreciate the little things in life and I can't recommend it highly enough.
Throughout his journey Enaiatollah faces hardships we can't even begin to imagine, he works long hours for little pay, he lives in squalid conditions and he puts his life in the hands of people traffickers every time he tries to move on. It is horrific to think of the things he went through and even worse to think of the thousands of children around the world who are currently in a similar situation but who probably won't all survive to see a happy ending. Enaiatollah had a long and difficult journey but in a lot of ways he was lucky (I know that sounds like the most stupid thing to say but if you read the book you'll understand what I mean!) and he always managed to maintain a sense of hope. There are a lot of times when he is given a helping hand from a friend or even a stranger and without that there is no doubt he wouldn't have made it as far as he did.
I cried tears of sadness as I was reading the book but I was sobbing with happiness by the end. The kindness shown to Enaiatollah by others was heartwarming to read about and gives you hope for the future. In the Sea there are Crocodiles is a beautiful story. Written in a simple style, mainly in Enaiatollah's own words, it isn't a literary masterpiece but it is an incredibly powerful and compelling read. This is definitely a story that will make you appreciate the little things in life and I can't recommend it highly enough.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
As goo as The Kite Runner, only for real
I remember reading and being enthralled by The Kite Runner years ago, only to be a little disappointed when it emerged that the author had not lived in Afghanistan for many years. Read more
Published 12 hours ago by Max
Powerful, archetypal page-turner.
Millions of people have read The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and this book is just as enduring and a real page-turner. Read more
Published 16 hours ago by Mr. B. R. Good
Snap this up.
A cause of both interest and then sadness was the fact that this is based on a true story. However, it is excellently written and brings light to the plight of child trafficking... Read more
Published 7 days ago by Guitar Heroine
An incredible true story of hardship, hope and humanity
Enaiat is just 10 when his mother smuggles him out of Afghanistan in fear of the Taliban. Left to fend for himself in Pakistan, this is the incredible story of how he survives, the... Read more
Published 8 days ago by Roman Clodia
Riveting Reality
The title `In The Sea There Are Crocodiles' is derived from an episode in the book when Afghan "illegals" undertake a frightening and dangerous sea crossing from Turkey to Greece. Read more
Published 15 days ago by D. Elliott
Thought provoking
This book is based on a true story - the 5 year journey of Enaiatollah Akbari from Afghanistan to Italy where he finally manages to claim political asylum. Read more
Published 19 days ago by HJK
Wonderful
This was a wonderful travelogue through a refugee's eyes, linking chance and determination in an uplifting story.
Would recommend to anyone.
Would recommend to anyone.
Published 26 days ago by clarem
Well - I loved it
I picked this one up based on the reviews (thanks all) as one that looked like it might be a good read. In many senses this is s simple story and is told simply. Read more
Published 1 month ago by totnes_nigel
Wow, if only my kids knew about this.
This is a little book with a big story. It follows the travels of a child through adversity and struggles through a number of countries. Read more
Published 2 months ago by FLB
A Compelling Read which gives a Quite Different Perspective on Asylum...
I do not read biographies very often, but this one grabs the attention from the first page and is very hard to put down. Many will read it in one sitting. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Brett H
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