K+ Book Club

I’m amazed by The Curious Tale of the Lady Caraboo: a book about getting over your past and accepting who you are. I was completely immersed into the book from the start. I must admit that Catherine Johnson is an amazing writer; I assume that her interest in history and people makes her empathetic. This is because the real Mary Willcox had a complicated past and what Catherine Johnson has done, is to put herself in Mary’s shoes and write a historical novel. This could count as an interpretation of what happened to the real Mary Willcox. Due to the fact that it is a fiction based on a true story, it also leaves the reader to wonder about the actual facts regarding Mary Willcox.

I was able to relate to Mary Willcox to an extent as I am sure many would have too because most people run from their past or are always trying to avoid remembering or bringing up situations that were embarrassing or compromising. Mary Willcox hardly ever told Cassandra or Fred about her past. From the start we find out that she is from Devon and has lost a baby as well as a lover. Could it get worse than this? I thought not, but she then gets exploited and violated by two men on the street. So, as a reader, I sympathise with her. If I was her, I would want to live as someone else too: stronger and lionhearted. The good thing is that she stands up and turns the tables around. In my opinion, she gets another chance to live. Mary Willcox decides that she will not allow people to step all over her, hence she becomes a princess. Princess Caraboo.

No longer weak and vulnerable, Caraboo finds freedom in living with the Worralls. Due to the fact that she comes to believe who she wants to be, she also is able to do things she never thought she could do as Mary. Caraboo is able to fish, hunt and fight! The Princess was the talk of the house as well as the town. Caraboo was able to persuade everyone except two crucial men within the novel: one that used her secret for his own interest and the other that fell in love with her and rescued her from being handcuffed.

The highlight of reading this book, that some would say, was the fact that whoever she decided to be- whether Ruth or Caraboo- was because she was running from her past. The only time she was facing her former days was when she was Mary. She found freedom in choosing who she wanted to be instead of being just one thing. Relating this to society’s standards, this fact suggests that Mary did not just want to be categorised, but wanted to stay divergent. As a matter of fact, after losing so many things one would imagine Mary to be grieved, but maybe she was…in a beautiful manner. Caraboo gave her the opportunity to shout, mourn and be free! Although Ruth existed for a short while, she also gave Mary the chance to escape from the Captain.

Another person I like is Fred Worrall. A sceptical, arrogant and middle class beau, yet with a soft heart and a graceful soul. At first, Fred hesitated to believe that Caraboo was a princess and was convinced that she was nothing but a liar. However, as he began to spend some time with her, he opened up to her and demonstrated that he was different from Edmund or other men that Mary had encountered. He was expected to do many things, but he eventually found himself and what he wanted to do in Caraboo. From one’s point of view, it can be said that Caraboo was freedom for both Mary and Fred. He also did not want to be bound to society or other people’s expectations. Fred believed that having a stranger in his house was a curse, but he soon came to the realisation that Princes Caraboo was a blessing in disguise. By the end of the novel, Fred is the character that has been most developed because his actions are completely different from the beginning.

Moreover, the issues or/and themes mainly explored were: the British social system; gender; identity; and love. Mary Willcox is able to infiltrate herself into a middle-class family by becoming a Princess from overseas. If she entered the Worrall household and was seeking for help as a working class, mixed raced woman,  Cassandra’s father would have not even considered thinking about letting her stay. That could have happened, but the chances of her being accepted would have been slim. Therefore, as well as reading the novel, the reader also finds out interpretations of how society was in the early 19th century and how it has affected Britain today. In addition, Mary did lie a lot to stay in the Worrall’s house. Hence, does it mean that lying is right if it means that someone is being protected? Ethics is being also used in this novel. Finally, Caraboo was a female that was able to do as many things that a man could do.

In conclusion, I really loved this novel! As an adolescent, it is a good thing to be reminded to be true to yourself and to face challenges, good things, bad things instead of running away from them as they will make you become stronger. For example, when Mary confessed to Fred, she may have been worried, but she was also relieved because it meant that she was facing her past and moving on. We all have a Princess Caraboo within us, but that should be part of the process of becoming who we really are.

I definitely will be recommending this book and hope those who read it will enjoy it as much as I did.

This book, written by Catherine Johnson, was surprisingly easy to understand and well written. The fact that the main story was based on the real life events in Mary Willcox's life make it even more of an interesting read. 

This book features a working class woman who yearns to be someone else, this dream leads to her pretending to be a princess from a faraway land- thus Princess Caraboo is born. Doing this she deceives a wealthy family and promises to never fall in love again, however the wealthy Fred might just be the right man for her.

My favourite character so far was Fred Worrall, although most people would hate him, i think that his character develops the most throughout the book. At the beginning we meet him in a brothel where he behaves inadequately with a prostitute, creating a feeling of dislike for him. However, as the book continues we realize that he has a guilty conscience. As he starts to develop feelings for the lady caraboo he realizes that his behaviour had been inappropriate, no matter who was concerned. Therefore, his character was my favourite.

A book about forgetting your past and creating your own identity, The Curious Case of the Lady Caraboo chronicles the life of the Worralls and Princess Caraboo (aka Mary Willcox). After she has been left heartbroken, her baby dead and raped by two men, Mary Willcox decides to become her own story, Caraboo: a warrior princess who commands respect in the way she walks, doesn't need a man or love and is in every way self-sufficient. Mary is able to believe her story so much that she manages to convince the Worralls of her authenticity and then even a whole town, although not without obstacles and people who want to take advantage of her new creation. What i loved about this book was that it believed in itself, Caraboo was more than the figment of someone's imagination.. she was real even if only for a few months. I think this book teaches us that you don't have to be trapped by your circumstances or the pain of your past, a literal 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger'. The pain that Mary went through is what allowed her to create such a strong and intelligent 'alter ego' so to speak. It also speaks of the power of the mind, it's capability of imagination and it's capacity to heal. However the tale is not just Mary's alone but of the Worrall's too. They really believed in Caraboo even Fred who was skeptic at first, I think because they needed too. They needed someone who was not bound by the expectations that society, class and family had put on people like them. And Caraboo was free to be whoever she wanted; to complete male jobs, to roam the world if she wanted, to love how she wanted. Whilst Cassandra and Fred had already been put in prepackaged boxes of what their lives would be. Caraboo allowed for an escape and the fact that she was fantasy was what made her unbound by these constraints.It is because Caraboo was fantasy that some of the things that she did that seemed too...fantastical were made believable. Being based on a true story just makes the story greater and make me want to treasure the power of imagination and re-invention greatly. Life is what we choose to make of it and I believe that there is a Princess Caraboo within all of us.

A fabulous and remarkable story. It portrays a bit of peoples lives who are at the same position as Enaiatollah. Some parts of the book where emotional especially when he had to move from one place to another. It shows how people risk their lives to earn a living and it portrays some of the dangers that are there. In a way, the story can be applied to many lives out there who are without their mothers and families and Fabio Geda shows how some of their lives could be like. Some families across the world are migrating and moving from their own homes to earn money and live a better life and Fabio Geda portrays some of the dangers that could be posed. I really liked the story and the story of Enaiatollah was emotional and the way the story is narrated makes you feel like you are part of the whole journey.

Although this book was not the type I'd usually pick up to read, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. This true story follows the life of a young boy named Enaiatollah Akbari who, at the age of 10 (maybe), was left to fend for himself in a desperate attempt to survive and find a new place he could call home. Enaiatollah makes the treacherous journey from Afghanistan to Italy alone and experiences extreme: cold, heat, heights and depths while attempting to complete his journey. Although this tragic story was one I thought very few people would be able to relate too, especially me, I found myself quickly becoming attached to the characters. I felt as though I was with Enaiatollah and that we were experiencing all the ups and downs together - celebrating his victories and mourning his losses. I would definitely recommend this book, largely due to the story and how much knowledge can be gained from it, but also due to the unique and intriguing style of writing used by Geda that had me hooked from the start.

The book follows the journey of a young boy in search of safety during a time of hardship. Despite being only ten years old Enaitollah has his wits about and is able to make lots of difficult decisions in order to find a better place for himself. Overall I found the book very fast paced as Enaitollah is constantly moving from place to place, and though these new places bring him money and food they never guarantee his safety. It really puts into perspective the difficulties refugees face every day, and reminds us how lucky we are to have had childhoods not in places of war. So it essentially teaches us gratitude. Even when he has security/safety and people to support him in Italy, Enaitollah still works extremely hard in school as he sees it as a privilege-something he missed out on for most of his childhood. This is quite inspirational as I don’t think most people really enjoy school as much as Enaitollah. But given circumstances like Enaitollah I think most students would try as hard as they can to succeed in school. There are many morals and lessons we can take from reading this book, and I think that this book would appeal to a lot of people.

In the Sea there are crocodiles is a brilliant book. The story of Enaiatollah Akbadi; a young boy who must leave his home and is separated from his family in order to survive in a world gone dangerous; is told with such precision and fervor that it is hard not to love. 

No time is wasted on frivolities so we know that every word that is written is crucial to the telling of this beautiful story. It is a story that doesn't hold back, that doesn't sugar-coat, that doesn't hide. Everything is shown to us whether we want it or not; from Enaiat's happiness at finding a place to stay to the disgustingly inhumane ways he had to travel. And it is through these truths that neither Enaiat or Fabio hide from us that allow this story to enter straight into our hearts, to connect to our capacty for human compassion. 

For me this story is the epitome of 'fight or flight' and Enaiat proves himself to be a fighter. It also shows the length and breadth of strength embodied in one person in order to SURVIVE and see another day so that they may LIVE. 

I am thankful for the break from narrative that took place at irregular intervals, the conversations between Fabio and Enaiat. They reminded me that the story I was reading, wasn't just a story but someone's REAL life. It happened. Somebody's child overcame unbelievable obstacles. Somebody's child crossed borders again and again in hopes of life. Somebody's child crossed the Sea full of crocodiles and lived to tell the story. 

Enaiatollah Akbadi is an inspiration, a person who evokes great courage and puts a human face to the hundreds and thousands of refugees we constantly hear about on the news. Through Enaiatollah they become more than just numbers. 

And the fact that Fabio Geda has been able to convey that in such an empathetic, revealing and honest way... deserves a round of applause.

Geda's 'In the Sea there are crocodiles' is an eye-opening book. It is about ten year old Enaiatollah journey to Pakistan. It discloses many issues which are occurring in the world at the moment, such as migration. In addition, the fact that this book is in first person enables subjective memories to be relayed and buys empathy from the reader. Overall, Enaiatollah narrative, which is a real life personal story, has developed my knowledge on worldly affairs and has allowed me to see struggles from different perspectives. It is an excellent book which I definitely recommend others to read.

‘In the Sea there are Crocodiles‘ is an international Bestselling book based on a true story, written originally in Italian by Fabio Geda. The book is about Enaiatollah Akbari’s five year journey in search for a place to live without fear. He had gone through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Greece in order to live in Italy. When he was ten years old, Enaiatollah, was left behind by her mother in Quetta as a means to protect him from the Talibans. Indeed, the intentions of the mother were good, but abandoning your son in the hopes that he may live a good life seems to be slightly cold and inconsiderate. I personally would want to know about the main events in my child’s life. I was relieved to find out that he eventually made it to Italy and that he lived to tell the story. This story will definitely encourage those who face the same experience because Enaiatollah did not give up when darkness was all he could see and light seemed to be sucked out of his soul.

Enaiatollah was courageous for taking many life threatening risks, helpful to the many friends he travelled with, generous to the boy that was moaning for water, and hopeful to end the seemingly-non-ending trips to different countries. When he arrived in Turkey- at the park- I felt relieved. As a reader I felt attached to the narrator because I felt sorry for the fact that he peed blood for two weeks. This was obviously a personal story, but he decided to share it with the readers because it was something that was very painful to him and it is also a symbol of enduring pain. What he experienced was dangerous, deathly and shocking. The fact that he shared certain details with us, such as how there were seventy-seven people on their way to Turkey and then once in Turkey only fifty something were left, implies that the readers should be grateful for the lives they have, no matter how ‘bad’ it seems to them, because worse happens.

The way the events are described seem vivid and really detailed. This means that the memories are not there because he wants them to be there, but because he is scarred by these events where he saw death and horrors everywhere he went. The gratifying part of this book is the fact that he makes it!

Finally, I’ve come to realise that this book really affected me and made me more considerate of others and more grateful for my life and for what I have. The themes of perseverance, love, loyalty, death were explored well. I could not stop reading this book once Enaiatollah had gotten to Turkey. I still cannot believe some people go through certain experiences such as this! They are an inspiration.

I endorse and suggest this book to everyone!

This is a book that hit close to home as certain aspects of Ena's journey and troubles reflect some that have been present in my past. Saying that it is immediately striking how one, who in this western country would still be in primary school, is expected to not only fend for himself but keep himself alive in an unknown place. 

The fact that the story is told in 1st person is important as the reader is more in tune with what Ena is feeling as he can describe it in detail especially as he likes to use, as fabio pointed out, contrasting similes.

Not only is Ena on a journey of self development and discovery but also the reader in the sense that the vulnerability desperation and hardships of those commonly looked down upon as outsiders or people who take jobs is shown in a very raw sense.

At first, I was surprised how entranced I was by this novel since it wasn't from some of the genres I usually read, so I was pleasantly surprised. I managed to fit in reading this book from when I was travelling places and thinking back on it now, was ironic considering that the protagonist himself, Enaiat. The story itself was riveting and I was always excited where and how Enaiat would go next; this story made me look through the protagonists eyes on the controversial topics such as entering a country illegally and it will probably change my view forever. One thing that the book taught me is that everyone are human beings who need help and understanding some time. 

The only part of the book I found I didn't enjoy as much were the glimpses of the conversation between the author and Enaiat. I found it incongruous to the pace and ethos of the story and also sometimes felt as if they were trying to hard to get a deeper meaning over simple situations. However I may not be understanding the passages fully.

Overall the book was immensely enjoyable and has encouraged me to read books similar to it.

In the Sea there are Crocodiles was an emotional book that was so exciting to read compared to many other books I’ve read, this is due to the fact that something new and dangerous was always lurking in another country, you being to gain empathy for Enaiatollah as you realise that his struggle for a home took him his whole childhood, the sorrow isn’t just portrayed throughout the countries but from the very start, when his mother left him, it was so sad to know that these things still happen and it still teaches you today about refugees and why people actually seek asylum, he mentioned this right at the end at his interview, afghan Taliban’s doing these horrible things, if people had a choice we would all bring these foreign people to safety , no one deserve to live amongst war and violence , and no should have to separate themselves from their children, this book really is an eye-opener and so touching . It was so pleasant to read , you realise so much, like how the world is so small, Enaiatollah met up with old friends, it’s sad he lost them all but it was great company that none . Overall, it was a short but moving book that really had me in tears, it’s such a shame many people cannot escape the terror in their life and this book and Enaiatollah deserves more publicity because it reflects awareness of such struggles that people should be mindful about.