This book really harkened back to the epic novels of trauma and tribulations and humanity of Rohinton Mistry and Michael Ondaatje. The story, about the war in Sierra Leone told through the connections of various parties and they live and relate to one another in the post-conflict society as it rebuilds itself, weaves a rich tapestry of lives and personalities and scenarios. This book was excellent. Everyone was so well written, no one was all good or bad. I was extremely fond of many people, and invested in all of them. Bad choices seemed to be human choices, and even things I hated, I could understand. The book intensified into a crescendo of past and current crises that made it harder and harder to put down. Im so glad it was written by a Sierra Leonian, she was able to tell the story of her place and her people in an honest and complex way, and call out the racism of aid workers so spectacularly. Many of the coincidences were maybe a bit too coincidental, but the book was so good I’m able to overlook it. I’ll check out her newer works for sure.