The Abduction

Rating:
Summary: The cruelty toward a misunderstood people effectively shown
Review: Mette Newth did an awesome job when writing from the perspective of Osuqo using metaphors and similes to compare her thoughts to landmarks and beliefs of her land. I could see how Christine was caught in the middle of the situation and how she struggled to make the right decisions. This novel gave me a harsh view of how foreigners were treated and the cruelty that Osuqo and Poq had to face just because they were misunderstood.

Rating:
Summary: effective portrayl of foreigners but one dimensional
Review: The Abduction, by Mette Newth is one of those enigmatic, strangely intriguing books. Almost. The book is told by two different people: Osuqo, an Indian girl in third person, and Christine a white girl in first person.The author's portrayl of Osuqo as a confused, hurt, and virginal girl, and his telling of her disgusting gang-rape is extremely effective. However his characterization of Christine falls very short. Christine is too one-dimensionally good: the voice of unquestioned reason in a world of ignorant white people. Christine never once questions the foreigners humanity, even after growing up in an environment of intolerance for non-whites. This is extremely unrealistic. Even after Christine learns that Osuqo accidently killed her (Christine's) father, (another 'good white' unconditionally loving Osuqo), she does not doubt the foreigners. She shows very little anger, or even resentment. Christine is obviously a very understanding girl, but who would be this perfect having grown up taught all non-white Christians are sub-human, (even raised by a third tolerant mother). I think the book would have been much more effective had Christine originally hated the Indians, then GROWN to accept them as human beings. Also, although Osuqo is superbly portrayed as distrustful towards whites, it is a bit unreal to believe that after being attacked by about atleast 10 sailors she would not be scared of them at all- only angry. If the authors message is that tolerance overcomes intolerance,then he should have at least centered the story around a few realistically initially-intolerant Europeans, and focused the story on their gradual acceptance of the Indians. All in all, 50 % compelling story, well-developed foreigners, but too one-dimensional ''heroine.'' Read the book from Osuqo's point of view, and add your own dimension to Christine- it isn't there in the book.