Ten Thousand Shells and Counting: A Memoir (Teenage War Survival Book 1) by Nadija Mujagic – Review by Jenni Bishop

Ten Thousand Shells and Counting: A Memoir (Book 1) by Nadija Mujagic
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 stars
Imagine being a fourteen year old girl living in despair whilst her home town of Sarajevo is ravaged by war. Of having to witness family, friends and neighbours dying in front of you. Of having to live with the reality of bullets and bombs etc and of wondering if you will be next. Imagine trying to survive without the basic necessities of food, running water, electricity and no heat. Ten Thousand Shells and Counting is a historical memoir of just that. A retelling of a that young girl and how a cold and heartless war shaped her life.
This heart wrenching tale will leave you an emotional wreck. Nadija Mujagics incredible yet heartbreaking true story takes us into the horrifying and shocking journey of being a young woman and her quest for survival during the Bosnian War. Imagine the hopelessness for a life you had no control over, and the effect of a senseless war left on people.
Nadija decided to tell the world her story in the hope that no one should have to go through what she did. That no one should have to live through the atrocities that she did, and that history would not repeat itself again. The crimes against others and especially the violence against women that go unpunished. She gives us an eye-opening insight into the aftermath of what a war does to people. The deep scars that will always bleed and the ghosts that live within one’s soul despite the healing.
The blood sweat and tears Nadija put into this story is palpable and (hopefully) it was a cathartic release of pain and torment. If she were here in front of me telling her story, I would have to scoop her up and hug her. It takes a strong woman to reveal your inner demons and share your story with the world and I applaud Nadija for doing so.
Make sure you have tissues on hand because you are going to need them and a few good stiff drinks just to get through this memoir. It is a hard read knowing what these people went through and to see firsthand what the leaders in a war don’t care about in all their greed.

Reviewed by @jennadb

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