I Am Malala: A Reflection

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai is a book that was recommended to me by many people online. I've seen many people write reviews of it and it immediately caught my interest. I had been interested in the book to begin with and wanted to educate myself further on the topic of the Taliban and what exactly is going on in the countries they are terrorizing.

I feel that the book's strengths lie in its perspective--reading such wise words coming from a girl my age was inspiring and truly moves the reader towards wanting to help. In America, kids normally see education and school as a burden, a place we don't want to go every day. To Malala, school is a dream come true. It sheds light on how lucky we are to have education readily available to us every day and makes you realize how grateful you truly are for being able to go to school.

However, I feel that there could have been more detail in the writing style. The way the book is written makes the reader feel as though they are listening to the story, and aren't much a part of it. The beginning of the story was slow, as it went over much of Pakistan's history (however, it's necessary to know later in the story). Overall I felt a better job could have been done to entice the reader and get them to want to read further.

The strengths of the book definitely outshine the weaknesses. I loved reading Malala's inspiring story and it makes me happy that she continues to speak out against talibanization, yet she still remains humble. The book made me realize how little, in America, we learn about the Middle East and maybe that's why there are so many misconceptions about Islam and their way of life. All in all, I would rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars because of the courage it took to write and the inspiration it brings to its readers.

I would recommend I Am Malala to everyone I meet if I could. Awareness of the issues highlighted in this book are vital to the effort in stopping the Taliban. I would especially recommend the book to any close-minded person that believes the stereotypes set against Muslims and their culture. I feel that any person that loves inspiring stories about young people overcoming extreme struggles would love I Am Malala; it is definitely worth the read.