Formational book review by Megan

3.5/5 stars

“All suffering has an end, David, if only you wait long enough. Try to remember that… Sorrow has its life just like people. Sorrow is born and lives and dies. And when it’s dead and gone, someone’s left behind to remember it. Exactly like people.”

I Am David is a story of a boy who escaped a concentration camp after growing up there and knows nothing of the outside world. It’s a story of his journey to freedom and his perspective of the world.

Reading as a Disciple

“But when he entered the house, his old way of life lost some of its value. He had seen what he could never have, and nothing would ever again appear quite so good and satisfying as it had done before he had learned of the existence of that other life.”

Jealousy is a difficult emotion to navigate, discontent is even harder. We teach our boys that once you see something, you can never unsee it. David learns this through experience and goes on his journey with a discontent at his circumstances. We have all been there, seeing someone get a job promotion, a new car, a dream home… things that we may never enjoy. We are left with this feeling of discontent and sadness at our own situation in life.

I enjoyed reading how David prays to “the God of the green pastures and still waters,” such a beautiful image of contentment and peace. It is this approach that is helpful when the feelings of discontent arise. I can also appeal to the God of the green pastures and still waters for that peace in where I am at in life. God is with me in all parts of my life, and that is enough.

Reading Communally

“He talks beautifully, and he has really charming manners- often better than our own youngsters’- that seem to come from a quite instinctive knowledge that consideration and respect for other people’s rights are the only way to live peacefully and satisfactorily together.”

David meets all kinds of people on his journey north; some are kind, some are suspicious, some are cruel and some are loving. Each encounter is fresh with lessons to be learned whether about life or about himself. What is beautiful when looking at the whole story is that David would never have made it if he did not learn to trust people, people were important to his success. It took another to help pull him out of his discontent when he lost hope of a better life.

Through each encounter, he showed respect for each person. His respectfulness for the worth of each individual, no matter whether he liked them or not, was something that set him apart from the average person. His attitude is a great reminder that we should show respect for the imago dei in each person and that each person we meet has something to offer us.

Final Thoughts

The book is a work of fiction but has much to offer in looking at perspectives and human nature/nurture. The lower score is simply because I don’t generally enjoy first person thought narrative, just too many conversations in his head and there were a few slow parts in the story. The story still holds lots to discuss and think about though.

Other books:

Anne Holm is a Danish author and has written other books. I have not read any others by her but there is a movie based on the book by the same title.