The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State

This is a great book and a very interesting read. It is very captivating and a great story of a young lady.

I have always been fascinated by real stories from real people--their culture, values, environment, the things, events and people that shaped them and added to their life's purpose or passion. This true story does not disappoint! In fact, I had a hard time putting it down once I started. In terms of the writing and all else that goes into writing a book, this one is of excellent quality. The grammar and punctuation, sentence structure, editing etc., are impeccable. The author provides a map so the reader can identify key places in the story. There are photos of various family members and adequate explanations for words that the average person, unfamiliar with the various ethnicities, politics, culture and religions of Iraq would not be familiar with. Nadia does an excellent job bringing her country to life for the reader and allowing us a glimpse of what life was like before ISIS took over her beloved village and changed the lives of so many. As we look back at even our own country's history, I'm sure there are tragedies that caused alarm, suffering and great loss. Tragedies such as: JFK's assassination, the Oklahoma City Bombing, the Holocaust, 9/11/2001,Columbine and other school shootings, the Challenger explosion, Patty Hearst kidnapping, the Las Vegas shooting, Hurricane Katrina, etc. So much devastation and yet so many of us banded together, shared our stories, offered our thoughts, prayers and support. We felt compelled to be a part of the solution rather than part of the problem. We faced the ugliness head on. And then time flew by and our memories faded some. Do we ever wonder at what cost? Who will the bad guys target next? Will it be more strangers, an acquaintance or friend? Will it be one of us and our families. What and who will be left? There may always be another terrorist or evil-doer in this world. Are we prepared to look at the ugly truths so we aren't caught unaware and forced to lose the very things and people who define us? One can only hope. Nadia and her courageous story brings us a step or two closer to looking at real world problems such as genocide, terrorism and much more. She reminds us to be aware, to help others and to take a strong stand against injustice!

Of ISIS’ acts of genocide and persecution of the Yazidi ethnic minority in Iraq. This young woman’s story is tremendously sad, and very difficult reading about the recurrent rapes, but demonstrates resilience in her quest to expose the acts of ISIS.

Really incredible book by an unbelievably brave young woman, who by her own admission was not cut out for activism, but feels compelled to help her community in any way possible. Truly inspiring.

This book was incredible. I found myself in tears as I read it and couldn't help but feel incredibly amazed at how strong the author was and has become after living through everything. Truly a book about an incredible person who has endured so much and lost even more.

Exquisitely written memoir about the horrors of ISIS. Nadia Murad paints perfect pictures with her words of her beautiful small village and her amazing family members, neighbors, and friends whose lives are ripped apart one August day by men claiming allegiance to a god who would never justify the horrendous torture, murder, rape, enslavement, and genocide that those of Iraq and Syria endured. Nadia bravely escapes her captivity no matter the cost and goes on to win the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring justice for the Yazidi people. I couldn’t put the book down. It was a page turner. Her story is so deeply moving and heroic. I was in tears multiple times while reading this book. When the religious leader of the Yazidi group said there should be no shame in forced conversion and rape and lost it. The women were so afraid to tell their stories and ashamed until that moment. And that awareness and kindness was an affirmation that there is good in the world, even after the most horrible people come and try and destroy everything. There is also a documentary about her efforts in the UN called On Her Shoulders on Prime Video for more information.

“The Last Girl” is the story of Nadia Murad, a young Yazidi woman who was kidnapped by ISIS and forced into sexual slavery. The terror that ISIS brought to Murad, her family, and her community is so barbaric, yet illustrates how powerful and well-written “The Last Girl” is. Murad educates readers about Yazidi history, and how it is defined by its values, community, and its traditions. Unfortunately, it was those same values left the insular Yazidis so vulnerable to an ISIS attack. Murad isn’t just “telling” readers her story, but she is narrating a genocide that she happened to be a part of. In that sense, she is using her voice to speak of other Yazidis who went through what she did. Most enduring was that Murad never lost her will or her strength, which allowed her to be a Nobel Prize-winning activist. Strong is too trite of a word to describe the power of Nadia Murad’s strength.

An incredibly moving account of the atrocities committed by ISIS militants and their co-conspirators. The story is told simply yet is riveting from the first page. The description of Yazidi people living their lives, their beliefs descended from ancient religion, became immediately real as if the reader has known the people all along. Heartbreaking moments, triumphant moments, real grief over the cruelty of the world who failed to help these people. The reader will feel pride for those who did help the Yazidis, and will perhaps will grow richer in understanding our common human bonds from having read this book.

"I know now that I was born in the heart of the crimes committed against me." -Nadia Murad Nadia tells us all very plainly and eloquently about the realities of her life as a Yazidi woman, both before and after the war, and about all the horrifying experiences she had to endure as a captive of the brutal Islamic state. She relays her experiences in great descriptive and emotive detail, all the beauty and all the tragedy, in a very open and honest manner. She shares the events and experiences that will be burned into her memory forever, so many things that even time can never erase. When this type of trauma is suffered and endured, one cannot simply go about life as before. Nadia, and so many others had their old lives cruelly and callously destroyed by those whose hearts and souls are full of nothing but hate, darkness, and a lust for power and control. After her escape, she is able to find a new purpose in life after the death of her old life. She begins a new life focused on telling the world her story - the reality of the pain, trauma, and shock of having people taken away from you and parts of your very being taken away from you that you will never ever get back. Some things in life can never be reclaimed once they are gone. This is the reality that Nadia is sharing in the hopes that we can all listen and learn. She hopes to be the last girl to tell this story.

El testimonio es crudo pero valiente y necesario. A pesar de lo crudo que es el tema, es llevadero y fácil de leer porque lo cuenta como es, sin darle vueltas, como si fuera una plática de tú a tú. Contiene fotos de su vida antes de que fuera destruida. En cuanto a las hojas, son de papel reciclado, por ende un poco delgadas, pero nada serio. Vale mucho la pena.

The Last Girl by Nadia Murad is a very moving book. It’s impossible not to feel deep sympathy for Nadia and all other Yazidis when reading about the gruesome crimes against humanity that ISIS put them through. It’s also a book that made me reflect a lot on minority issues, religion, and religious extremism. The way propaganda and terror were used to invoke fear made many people unable to help ISIS victims in areas under their control. It’s incredibly inspiring to read that Nadia kept fighting. She began receiving threats from ISIS when she started speaking out against them—and yet, she just kept going. At first, I planned to borrow this book from the library, but I decided to buy it instead to support Nadia. Hopefully, the proceeds from book sales and her other activities will help her continue spreading her story—and the stories of other Yazidis who don’t have a platform to share their message. 5/5.

This is a deeply moving memoir that is difficult to put down. The author shares her personal experiences with remarkable courage and honesty, shedding light on the suffering endured by countless innocent people under the Islamic State. While the subject matter is heartbreaking, the book is also a testament to resilience, hope, and the strength of the human spirit. The writing is clear and compelling, making it accessible even for readers who are not familiar with the historical and political background. More than just a personal story, it serves as an important reminder of the consequences of extremism and the need to stand up for human rights. A powerful and thought-provoking read that stays with you long after you've finished it.

Ottimo e molto accattivante racconto sullo stato reale della storia contemporanea nell'area geografica ancora segnata da tormenti e soprusi di ogni genere.