Literature, Historical Fiction -- 5 stars
In 1987, Somalia was torn by civil war. This is the fictional story of three of Somalia's most ordinary citizens--nine year old Deqo, a child of the refugee camps--Kawsar, a poor widow trying to hold onto her dignity in her small home as her humble neighborhood crumbles under the weight of war--and Filsan, a female soldier sent to the northern city of Hargeisa to help repel the rebels. Three stories, siphoned into one powerful fight for survival. ----- Ms. Mohamed has written a book that will force you to smell, and hear, and taste a world unimaginable to our Western psyches yet populated by characters so relatable they could live next door. Her lyrical writing brings Somalia's people - "...she can feel the heat of her soul through the oily palm of her hand, as smooth and alive as an egg" - and the country's destruction - "(They) have reached the end of their time; the soldiers will return the street to the desert, unplug the stars, shoot the dogs and extinguish the sun in the well" - alive in a way that will stay with you after the final page is turned.
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