Review: Perfect Conclusion to Neima's Story
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 19, 2013
Stephanie Parent wrote the perfect conclusion to Neima's story...in vivid detail.I think one of my favorite things about Neima's story is the way in which Ms. Parent's prose creates such real images. I'm living on the ark, right along with Neima and her family. I can hear all the noises from the animals and the ark, smell the unpleasant smells, and feel the hunger and the fear of both the people and the animals on board.Forty Nights begins where Forty Days left us - with the discovery of Jorin, a friend of Neima's but NOT a member of Noah's family. A moral dilemma ensues - what should be done with Jorin if Noah is to believe his God? Noah's God told him that only his family is to survive the flood.Once again, Ms. Parent has provided a philosophical topic for discussion and I was very impressed with her thought-provoking ideas and explanations. I found this conclusion to Neima's story equally as satisfying as the first portion. Living through the story of Noah's Ark - seeing it through the eyes of his granddaughter, hearing her thoughts and seeing her actions and the action of her family, was riveting. I also delighted in seeing emotional growth in Neima's family. That the time on the ark allowed them to grow bold enough to shrug off some of their old ways and evolve in a manner perhaps better suited to living in the strange new world brought about the flood and Noah's God. Also, I found it interesting how Ms. Parent seemed to weave sin into the story.Neima, as her grandmother Naamah said, is a survivor. She was always a bit headstrong, but her time on the ark allowed her to gain the confidence to go against custom and live her life as defined by her.I can't leave out the animals. I adore how Ms. Parent personifies the animals - they essentially are part of the supporting cast. Enise and Bilal, the elephant siblings, infuse joy in the story, as well as Aliya, the dove. The tiger and the wolves added tension and fear. Since the animals are an important element to Noah's story, I suppose it's not surprising they'd be in Neima's, as well.I am so very pleased with the conclusion to Neima's story. It was thought-provoking, suspenseful, and heartwarming. And well worth the wait!