The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon is a wonderful book that highlights the life of Subhi who belongs to the Rohingya culture of Burma. The unfortunate guy was born in a refugee camp and has never actually set foot on his homeland.
The existence of Subhi is restricted by razor wire and brutal guards who keeps track of every move of the people living in the camp. Subhi has never seen the outside world except for in his dreams where he finds himself in the world of richness.
The days of Subhi are filled with squalid and deprivation enough to make anyone feel depressed. On the contrary, he still manages to stay cheerful and is quite optimistic towards life. His imaginations are as big as the ocean, something which he has never seen.
The stories that he tells are like treasures and he is given company by a plastic duck who is his only friend. This is the only way that enables him, his adored mother and sister to overcome all the sufferings.
The Australian writer Zana Fraillon has given an aboriginal lilt to Subhi’s speech in the book, The Bone Sparrow, which makes everything, looks poetic and musical.
“Some of the oldies ask me to draw them things. Sometimes they ask me to draw them things I haven’t ever seen. And then they have to talk and talk until I can see in my head what they have in their memory,” he says.
In this place of suffering and deprivation lives Jimmie, not far away from the camp, on the outside. Looks like that the character Jimmie is Australian as most of the Rohingya refugees have been imprisoned at this place. However, this is something which has never been told explicitly in the book.
Jimmie found a hole in the fencing and got the opportunity to meet Subhi. The two found good friends in each other. Jimmie lost her mother, is emotionally adrift and is unable to read. She has a book that belongs to her mother and a precious one. She takes the book to Subhi, so he can read it out to her.
Subhi, who is quite fond of new stories, is quite delighted to help Jimmie out. In return, Subhi is being gifted hot chocolate and delicious food, something which is nowhere to be seen in this deprived land of refugees.
Subhi has a bright and optimistic view of the outside world and this has masked the suffering and deprived life of refugees. The camp is a place where there is no entertainment, no work and no hope that life will be any good in future.
On a rare occasion Subhi expresses that it took him years to understand that they are not wanted in Burma or in this place, or any other place for that matter. He did not understand that they are not required anywhere.
The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon is a beautifully crafted book, although with a sad story. The hero in the book puts everyone to shame. It is a must read for everyone.
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