The book I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai incredibly moved me as I read it, and by reading the reviews on Goodreads I noticed it did the same for many others as well. The most common thread among the reviews is how inspiring Malala is. Her bravery, courage and caring soul are a few of her many traits that captured the readers and made them fall in love with her and her book. Some reviewers noted: “I admire her courage and her tenacity”, “Malala is the symbol of enlightenment in modern age” and “It continually blows my mind that a girl my age had the courage to stand up for something when the odds against her were heavily stacked” (Diane, 2013) (Vikas Lather, 2013) (Alexandra, 2013). It is evident through the reviews how inspired the readers are by Malala’s story, and how surprised they are that someone so young could do something so great.

Another common point that occurred through the reviews was how Malala’s story opened the readers eyes to the terror that is occurring in Pakistan, and how they had no knowledge of severity of the country before reading her book. Natasha expressed: “I was indeed aghast to discovere that in certain parts of the world, women are being treated as second class citizens. It brought a tear to my eyes, how Malala and her friends struggled to continue their education despite the horrors of war”, Lather also said, “It is very sad that homicidal and illiterate people continue to dictate what adult minds should write,read and speak” (Natasha, 2013) (Vikas Lather, 2013). Malala’s book shares a part of the world that not many people are accustom to, a part that faces severe discrimination and violence on a regular basis. Her book not only shares a story of incredible heroism but also informs the world of the the sever discrimination that is occurring in Pakistan, and the lengths some will go to prevent girls from getting an education.

Link to Goodreads reviews

Cited works

Yousafzai, Malala, and Christina Lamb. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. New York: Little, Brown, 2013. Print.

Lather, Vikas. Review of I am Malala, by Malala Yousafzai. Goodreads, December 19th 2013.

Alexandra. Review of I am Malala, by Malala Yousafzai. Goodreads, December 3rd 2013.

Diane. Review of I am Malala, by Malala Yousafzai. Goodreads, October 12th 2013.

Natasha. Review of I am Malala, by Malala Yousafzai. Goodreads, December 3rd 2013.

Lamb, Malala Yousafzai Christina. “I Am Malala.” Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2016