Zeru by Phillip Vargas was amazing. I have had this copy since the dawn of time – basically, one of my first free review copies on some platform I don't even remember, way before I started blogging. I didn't know this book would move me so much! So when I read it in April, I decided to hold the review until I can post it, maybe together with the reviews for Kindred or Homegoing. But then, I realized Kindred's subject matter is too different – merely it being about Africans is not enough, the topics are too far apart. (And I'm still reading Homegoing, because I just can't read that book without weeping.) So this book was left all alone, and a half a year later, I realized I was doing it a big disservice, not reviewing it outright. So here we are.

Zeru is a short book, but it talks about a very important, serious and sad phenomenon in Africa – the hunting and killing of Black albino people for their organs (although perhaps the better term would be Black person with albinism, I apologize if I've used it in an offensive way, please tell me in the comments), supposedly for their hidden power that the hunter will gain after they consume something of the Zeru – the local name of a Black person with albinism. It is still a big problem in some places (at least, so the book says), and it's truly tragic that these children, already endangered by the sun and the elements because of their sensitivity to light and UV rays, also have to hide from brutal murderers. So at this point, you can probably see why this story gripped me so much. It's about a child, and a capable child at that, who lives in the junk yards because of the Zeru hunters who have killed his family. It's a story of prevailing, although you're the underdog, and also a story of an unexpected friendship – which I won't spoil for you by telling you more about what it was. Please read this book! It's short, but it has important things to say, and the writing is truly great. I am not sure Phillip Vargas has written anything else that's accessible, at least, judging by Goodreads, but I would love to read more books by this author. It was a journey for sure.

As stated before, I got this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion.

Book Blog | Themed Bookstagram | Quick Update Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter