We Are Displaced

Summary: In this stunning novel, Malala Yousafzai, famously known for being shot by the Taliban after advocating for girls’ education, shares her story of being displaced from her home in the Swat Valley in Pakistan, first due to warfare, and then fleeing after being targeted by the Taliban. After sharing her story, several others share their experiences as refugees and how it feels to be displaced after fleeing your country and home. Their stories are harrowing, heartbreaking, inspirational, and show just how much change is needed in our world. 

Critical Evaluation: Malala writes in the prologue of We Are Displaced, “I wrote this book because it seems that too many people don’t understand that refugees are ordinary people. All that differentiates them is that they got caught in the middle of a conflict that forced them to leave their homes, their loved ones, and the only lives they had known” (2019, p. xi). The book certainly excels at its mission to humanize these refugees who are so often lumped together and criticized in our society. The stories are told from a first person point of view, allowing readers to truly get an insight into the lives of the refugee girls sharing their experiences. 

One of the strongest elements of the novel is Malala’s narrative voice throughout. She starts the book by discussing her story. She says, “...I realized the Taliban had failed in their mission: Instead of silencing me, they amplified my voice beyond Pakistan” (2019, p. 39). This description of her homesickness and wanting to return home is explained in further detail than it has been before. She then goes on to include a short introduction before each girl’s story, telling a little bit about them and how she came to know them. This stylistic choice gives the reader much needed background context for each of the stories. Additionally, this way each writer can focus on describing their experiences of being a refugee, as opposed to how their countries came to be this way. 

Building empathy and understanding is one of the key benefits of literature, both for the reader and the world. In this unique case, many if not all of the readers won’t be able to relate to the experiences of these girls. Their background knowledge of fleeing and the refugee crisis is only informed by the news. We Are Displaced presents a unique opportunity for more privileged people to truly discover and realize in their hearts that each refugee is a person, and many have faced truly horrifying circumstances. 

Because many of the writers are young women, or are discussing experiences from their childhoods, young adults will see themselves in them, and hopefully take away how lucky they are to live with peace, and be inspired to help others around the world in whatever ways they can. 

Reader’s Annotation: We Are Displaced tells the stories of refugee girls from all over the world and their fights for survival. The book is guided by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Malala Yousafzai.