I'm not sure what to think about this adult memoir. The atrocities that happened in Sierra Leone were horrible. I vaguely remember hearing about the fighting when I was in high school and college and can't imagine being a child anywhere in the world where this type of fighting takes place. Really, the children were roaming like packs of dogs. Fleeing from war, famine, and anyone who resembled the enemy. There was no "good" side. Both the army and the rebels were horrible. Ishmael was extremely lucky that he was rescued from the army and taken by UNICEF and other agencies to be rehabilitated. I was amazed by how long it took the young boys to get off the drugs and start to become normal again. The boy killed. And he was good at it. The nurses and social workers must have had tons of patience. The boys didn't want to get better. They didn't know anything was wrong with them.
I'm not sure if I can say this is a great book. The topic needs to be heard. And the message that young boys should not be fighting wars is loud and clear. The photographs of the young soldier on the cover and the author on the back of the jacket are amazing. Juxtaposition loud and clear. But I find myself asking tons of questions that I think ought to have been answered. The trip out of Sierra Leone went very quickly. Why did Laura accept him so easily? Why did his parents separate? Did he ever try again to find any of his family members? his other friends?
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