Book Review for January (A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah)

Ishmael tells his story with much clarity of an adult, and in a completely engaging manner that keeps you glued till the end.

It tells the story of a young boy, who got separated from his family of origin at the beginning of the war, and then goes through the whole experience while becoming a part of many families along the line. His bittersweet journey depicts how the family is not just the ties created by blood but also ones formed due to common interests and shared experiences.

The story goes ahead to explain the resilience of a child, who had to deal with loss, trauma, hunger, fear, and the violence that came with fighting in the war as a child soldier. It tells about his fight for survival, his intellectual strength and emotional maturity which may have influenced his coming out of the war a stronger and more determined individual.

The book begins with explaining the simple life and daily routines of a young boy and his family, in a small village. It then quickly escalates to a point where the war hits the villages nearby till it got to his home village. And that began his journey for survival and quest to be reunited with his family. This long journey saw Ishmel go through events that tested his strength, his zeal to keep going, and his hope of meeting his family again. The book took us through the perspectives of a child victim of the civil war, who couldn't find any solace from both sides of the war; the rebels and the military sides. He did not choose to be a child soldier, child soldiering chose him until he got saved, by the bell/belle. The last part of the book takes us through his journey towards rehabilitation, to become a functioning member of the bigger city. This book will keep you glued from the beginning to the end.

Written by

Aisha Bubah