REVIEW: Torn by David Massey

Summary from Goodreads:
Afghanistan. In the heat and dust, young British army medic Elinor Nielson watches an Afghan girl walk into a hail of bullets. But when she runs to help, Ellie finds her gone. Who is she? And what’s happened to her? What Ellie discovers makes her question everything she believes in, even her feelings for the American lieutenant who takes her side.

REVIEW

When I picked this book up I didn’t expect to like it as it isn’t the type of book that I usually read. Having said that I completely and utterly loved it. I loved it so much that I stayed up until all hours reading it and had it finished in a few hours.

There isn’t much that I can say because I am completely lost for words. This book was wonderful and haunting and addictive. There was always something happening, whether it was gunfire or bombs you were kept in constant suspense. You just  wait for something bad to happen because it’s war and bad things happen. And people die and it’s tragic.

The writing style was very strong and easy to read. Massey expertly crafted images designed to shock us and to make us feel and think. There very eerie moments in the book that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I was nearly in tears at several instances. Having said that, the book was certainly not all doom and gloom. There were some very humorous moments courtesy of Ellie and her friends.

My favourite thing about this book was how much Ellie developed and grew as a character. She was so different in the end as compared to how she was in the beginning. I also loved the relationship that developed between Ellie and Husna, a twelve/thirteen year old boy. It was such an unlikely friendship and I think that’s what I liked about it so much. 

The only thing that annoyed me was that it just wasn’t long enough. I would have loved a longer book but that might have taken away from the story.