The
Ink Bridge follows the separate but intersecting journeys of two kids who don’t
speak. One can’t (his tongue was removed
by the Taliban); one chooses not to.
Omed’s
journey is gruelling and traumatic as he travels from Afghanistan to Australia with
the dubious help of a nefarious people-smuggler. He ends up working in a candle factory in
Dandenong, where he befriends Hector. Omed’s
courage and bravery help Hector deal with his own trauma. I enjoyed reading this section about places
that I’m familiar with. The descriptions
of the ominous atmosphere surrounding the West Gate Bridge were spot on.
Many
years later Hector travels to Afghanistan to find out what became of Omed. The descriptions of Afghanistan detail a beauty
that I never knew existed in that country.
The third part of the book is a great travelogue. The book as a whole is not perfect, but an
interesting and thought provoking read nonetheless.
Best
Bit of The Ink Bridge: Her head is now on my chest and I
can feel the words inside me. – Neil Grant
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