LitPick Review
Camel From Kyzylkum is a memoir by Lara Gelya that narrates the life experiences of Lara from her childhood to her aging years. Starting from her childhood, Lara tells us about her background, parents, and experience. As a little girl living in Ukraine, she explains her religion and what it felt like to be a Jew in the Soviet Union. She got married at an early age and gave birth to a daughter she named Natasha. As life went on, things began to take a drastic turn, from her husband's affair with another woman which devastated her to trying to leave the Soviet Union for America without her daughter. Her escape from the country stripped her of her citizenship. Now she is to embark on a journey to start life alone with a low probability of ever seeing her daughter again. This memoir is a must-read for all who would like to know what the early life of Lara Gelya was like.
Opinion:
The memoir is one that explains the life of the author and survival in different countries. The title Camel From Kyzylkum does not tell the stories of camels, but it is used to refer to the author's strife to keep moving forward despite the tumbles that might pose a hindrance to her journey. This is quite similar to that of camels in the desert. In the book are numerous pictorial images, some are colored and others are in black and white. They are all pictures that have been put in book to aid the mind of readers as they take a trip into Lara's life journey.
The protagonist, which in fact is the author, is a woman who has experienced and survived many tragedies. While reading, I sensed her effort to make life better for herself and her daughter, even if it meant embarking on a lonely journey and facing severe injustice. I actually appreciate that notwithstanding the hardship she suffered, she still came across some kindhearted individuals who helped her along the way. Their kind and helpful gestures lived rent-free in Lara's mind. The book also discussed the author's travel from one country to another as she traveled to more than five countries! All she wanted was a free and safe place to reside in.
After all the crisis and things were back to normal, she did not stop her travel, but this time, she did it with her new husband, Sparky, whose real name is Emerson C. Norton, Jr. I did not like the betrayal that was exhibited towards Lara by Natasha, her daughter, which was supported by her aunts. I was hoping they would reconcile at the end, but unfortunately, it did not happen and that left a massive scar on her mother's heart. To the characters that possessed loving, caring, and compassionate qualities towards Lara Gelya, I am glad that these qualities made an impact on the author's life, and she undeniably praised them in her book.
