Today we are delving into the 2010 novel A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. This is an intriguing novel for its setting and depth of character, which is shown through little actions and exploits. While a slim novel, it packs a punch.
Summary
The novel “A Long Walk to Water” is a captivating story told from two distinct perspectives, offering a poignant portrayal of life in Sudan during civil war. Through the eyes of Nya, living in 2008, we witness the daily struggle for survival as she undertakes the arduous task of fetching water for her family, a journey that consumes as much as eight hours each trip. The relentless nature of this responsibility truly emphasizes the challenges faced in her daily life.
On the other hand, the story also delves into the experiences of Salva in 1985, who finds himself forcibly displaced from his village as a result of the ravages of war. The stark contrast between the two characters’ circumstances, separated by time and yet united by the harsh realities they endure, brings forth a powerful exploration of human resilience and the perseverance of the human spirit. As their stories unfold, the eventual convergence of their paths serves as a poignant reminder of the interconnectedness of human experiences, despite the temporal and spatial boundaries that may seek to separate them.
Book Blurb
From Amazon: “A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the “lost boys” of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay.
“Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way. Includes an afterword by author Linda Sue Park and the real-life Salva Dut, on whom the novel is based, and who went on to found Water for South Sudan.”
Reviews
On Goodreads, A Long Walk to Water has 85,842 ratings and 10,884 reviews with an average star rating of 4.26.
Five-star reviews state that the story “seized” the reader’s heart, and the story allows the reader to “learn about the history of Sudan…” Additionally, other five-star reviews found it “inspirational” and “amazing.”
Meanwhile, three-star reviews pointed out the writing style was similar to a “children’s book,” but the story itself was “heart-wrenching.”
Finally, one-star reviews stated that the book was “boring” and “hard to follow.” Likewise, some reviews felt that it was “too long” in telling the stories, and that the subject material may be too dark for children.
Impressions
I read A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park with my students one year, and I’m delighted to report that they responded with enjoyment for the story. The narrative captured their interest, and once they grasped the intricacies of the two intertwined storylines, they engaged with the plot. Personally, I found the book to be a delightful read as well. The quality of the writing stood out to me, and the characters within the story displayed a remarkable depth and dynamism. If you haven’t read it yet, I would highly recommend it, because it leaves a lasting impression.
Works Cited
Park, Linda Sue. A Long Walk to Water. Clarion Books, 2010.
