Hotel Sarajevo

by Jack Kersh | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 1885983212 Global Overview for this book
Registered by Hawkette of Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on 5/26/2003
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14 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Hawkette from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Monday, May 26, 2003
Alma's story is sad and frightening, in that this 14 year old is alone but for her group of peers living in the Hotel, in war torn Sarajevo.

Journal Entry 2 by Hawkette from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Monday, June 2, 2003
Am offering this up as an international bookray.
Participants so far.....

Robbiesmum - UK
PenelopePitstop - Milan, Italy
Maria-Nunes - Lisbon, Portugal
Witchie - Portugal
Zmrzlina - Massachusetts, USA
Ardy - Pennsylvania, USA
mysteryfan03 - Missouri, USA
Bestaunt NY, USA
Arwen-Galadriel - Canada
Aisling78 - Massachusetts, USA
twinmaker - WA, Australia
libragirl - Christchurch, New Zealand
Fushmush - Sydney, Australia
WittySquirrel - Malaysia

Journal Entry 3 by Hawkette from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, June 10, 2003
Have sent this the the UK, in my first bookray. Enjoy!

Journal Entry 4 by Robbiesmum from Thirsk, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Monday, June 16, 2003
This just arrived from Australia this morning! It looks a good read!

Journal Entry 5 by Robbiesmum from Thirsk, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, June 20, 2003
Oh dear, not a good start! I started reading this and was enjoying it, but lost my way about a third of the way through. The story itself didn't grab me, but seemed a bit too obsessed with Alma's thoughts. Some parts on the futility of war and death were disturbing, and I wanted to know more, also the dismissing of the rape was intriguing. But I think I just wasn't interested enough in the boys mentioned. Some didn't seem real enough. I hope the other people enjoy it more!

Journal Entry 6 by Robbiesmum at -- Controlled Release in Lancaster, Lancashire United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 24, 2003
Released on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 at Postal Release in Lancaster, lancashire United Kingdom.

Posted on to PenelopePitstop

Journal Entry 7 by PenelopePitstop from Melzo, Lombardia Italy on Sunday, June 29, 2003
Found it yesterday in the mail box...
Already started it..

Journal Entry 8 by PenelopePitstop from Melzo, Lombardia Italy on Tuesday, July 1, 2003
The beginning is almost annoying, to much focused on the pseudo-hormonal turmoils of an adolescent, who cares?
Later the book becomes more interesting, but the author is so concerned with Alma and her daydreaming that he loses the chance to describe better the feeling of the people in a city under siege. His children are so unreal...
It seems like it was written by somebody who didn't live that absdurd episode of modern history.

I'm sending it today to Portugal.

Journal Entry 9 by Maria-Nunes from Lisboa - City, Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Friday, July 11, 2003
It arrived from Italy two days ago :-)
I like the first sentences: "Again the rain. Always the rain."
(The heat in Lisbon this time of the year makes me dream of rainy and chilly days...)
Maria-Nunes

Finnally, I've read it!(it took me a while, because I've had some personal problems...). I must say I liked the story ; it's a sad story, but I liked reading it; it reminded me of "Anne Frank's Diary".
Maria-Nunes

I mailed it this morning (9/9/2003) to Witchie, who has come back from holidays :-)

Journal Entry 10 by Witchie from Espinho, Aveiro Portugal on Monday, September 15, 2003
I just got this book on the mail, from Maria-Nunes! Thanks a lot! I'll write some more when I read it, just after I finish the one I am presently reading.

Journal Entry 11 by Witchie from Espinho, Aveiro Portugal on Sunday, September 28, 2003
This is a very disturbing book. But a good one, also.
It«s written with such realism that made me want to ask the writer how he knows all that. Was he there? Did he talked to someone? Is the story, somewhat, true?
Close to the end, I knew it could only end the way it did. But knowing the end was even more disturbing than the end in itself, because it made feel hopeless, even if the story isn't true. But I don't know if it isn't true, after all...

Journal Entry 12 by Witchie at on Sunday, September 28, 2003
Release planned for Monday, September 29, 2003 at Mailed to another bookcrosser in Espinho, Envio Postal/Postal release Portugal.

This book will be sent to Zmrzlina, in the US.

Journal Entry 13 by PostMuse from Wellfleet, Massachusetts USA on Thursday, October 9, 2003
Received today and will post more after I've read it. Thank you!

Journal Entry 14 by PostMuse from Wellfleet, Massachusetts USA on Thursday, November 13, 2003
I am going to pass on this. I really wanted to read it, brought it with me on holiday, and just didn't get to it. Someday I'll come back to it, reminded by the journal entries of the readers after me, and I'll take it out from the library and then post my thoughts. Off to Ardy tomorrow. Thank you Hawkette!

Journal Entry 15 by mysteryfan03 from Moberly, Missouri USA on Monday, December 1, 2003
I received this book today! Thanks for the chance to read it. I have a few other rings in my TBR pile, and when I read this, I will journal again.

Journal Entry 16 by mysteryfan03 from Moberly, Missouri USA on Tuesday, December 16, 2003
I ended up liking this book, although I thought that I was going to stop reading it in the first third. It got so boring with adolescent stuff for a while. Then it seemed to pick up and get back to how Alma saw her life. I wondered how much of this is based on reality. Did the author talk to someone who lived thru this, or is it total fiction?
I really wanted Alma to see the sea in the end. A very sad book that makes us imagine living in a war zone all the time as a child.
Will pass this on soon.

Journal Entry 17 by Bestaunt from Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA on Wednesday, January 7, 2004
Received today in the mail. Goes to the top of Mount To Be Read!!

Thanks.

Journal Entry 18 by Bestaunt from Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA on Sunday, January 18, 2004
This is a very haunting and disturbing book. I think it will stay with me for some time.

This is a good read, but now I will have to have something uplifing or a good mystery. I felt that Hotel Sarajevo rang a little too true. I'd love to know how the author got his facts.

Journal Entry 19 by Bestaunt at Post Office in Scarsdale, New York USA on Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Released on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 at Post Office in Scarsdale, New York USA.

Mailed today to Arwen-Galadriel

Journal Entry 20 by Arwen-Galadriel from Edmonton, Alberta Canada on Saturday, January 31, 2004
Received book last night from BestAunt and am already half way finished. I will journal when I am finished to let everyone know what I thought.

Journal Entry 21 by Arwen-Galadriel from Edmonton, Alberta Canada on Monday, February 2, 2004
So I started and finished the book this weekend and although it is disturbing that kids are having to deal with the effects of war, I didn't really like this book all that much. I liked (for the most part) the style of the writing and the tempo of the book, but the story didn't really grab me. Oh well. On to the next person to read and enjoy.

Journal Entry 22 by Aisling78 from Essex, Massachusetts USA on Tuesday, February 17, 2004
This book just arrived in the mail today from Arwen-Galadriel. I'm about halfway through "McCarthy's Bar" by Pete McCarthy, then I can start this one. I should be able to start reading it this weekend. I'll journal again when done & send it on to twinmaker.
~ Aisling78

Journal Entry 23 by Aisling78 from Essex, Massachusetts USA on Thursday, February 26, 2004
What a haunting story...it reminded me in a way of The Diary of Anne Frank, except that at least Anne had her family with her, while Alma was so terribly alone. I don't know if I have the words to describe how I felt after turning the last page, but I finished it this morning before work, and Alma's story has stayed with me, tugging at me, all day. There really was no other way this book could end, and that made it all the more devastating, knowing in your heart what Alma's fate would be.

This book is on it's way to Australia, to twinmaker, and was mailed Friday, February 27th.
~ Aisling78

Journal Entry 24 by twinmaker from Winthrop, Western Australia Australia on Friday, April 23, 2004
Thank you Aisling78 - received in the post today. I have one ahead of this but will get to it as soon as possible.

Journal Entry 25 by twinmaker from Winthrop, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, April 29, 2004
What can I say, I didn't like the stop/start style of writing. I found the story quite predictable and somewhat depressing. I persevered with it to the end though. Thank you for the opportunity to read this, I enjoy broadening my horizons. Off to libragirl next

Journal Entry 26 by libragirl from Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand on Sunday, May 9, 2004
received this book today, looking forward to reading this

Journal Entry 27 by libragirl from Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand on Saturday, May 29, 2004
Unfortunately this book didn't keep me interested, and as I have so many more to read I am going to pass this on to the next person on the list. thanks for the opportunity to try it.

Journal Entry 28 by fushmush from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, June 20, 2004
Yay I had a whole bunch of packages on my desk this morning when I returned from my holiday. I love packages!

I have a few other rays to read but I'll get to it soon :D.

Journal Entry 29 by fushmush from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, July 11, 2004
A bleak and depressing novel. This novel really affected me, especially as I went to see the World Press Photo Exhibit on the weekend. The exhibit is filled with horrible photos from conflicts that are happening around the world. It distresses me that humans have such a capacity for hate and destruction.

I must admit I didn't really know much about what happened in Sarajevo before reading this novel. I've done a little research since finishing the book. Here is some information, if like me you were unaware of the reasons for the conflict.

Update: Posted on the 19th July 2004.

Journal Entry 30 by WittySquirrel on Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Just received the book today, thanks! =)

Journal Entry 31 by WittySquirrel on Tuesday, September 28, 2004
I pretty much enjoyed reading this book, it didn't struck me as disturbing as much as some other books that I've come accross. With Alma's adolescence thoughts and fantasies filling the most of the book, I felt that the author spent too much time (and pages) on developing Alma not enough on the war and the people involved in it. Though not vividly described, it was one of the most recent wars to erupt and it is certainly a very intriguing read.

What should I do with this book now, hm? Bookray?

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