Sunday, October 14, 2007

Grains Of Sand: The Fall Of Neve Dekalim

In Israel, an average family of two children and two parents
are living in Gush Katif. The two children, Yair and Efrat,
are growing up as all children do, but with one large
difference: the Disengagement is looming over their studies
and every-day life. Their parents, Yoram and Miri, are doing
their best to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but when the
family finds gun shots at night normal, perhaps it is time
to become worried. Yair, Efrat's younger brother, finds his
new hobby as finding live bullets, while Efrat goes into
recession, trying to escape all the Disengagement horror...
while their government crumbles around them.

Grains of Sand begins a little too calmly. However, once
I got four chapters into the book, it began to pick up the
pace. The descriptions of all the different objects were
wonderful, ranging from a bloodied moon to a fluffy dog. The
action was wonderful (once four chapters in), ranging from a
peaceful walk across sand dunes to a protest led by
teenagers. And most of all, the psychological message was
powerful. All at the same time, it informed me of the
happiness of a regular family, moving onto the frustration
and anger of that same family, all because of a government
that could not sustain itself. Grains of Sand closely
follows the story of a once happy community destroyed by
powerful outsiders.


Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Eagle Creek, OR USA