by Ishmael Beah
Rating: 4.00 (2 ratings)
First published 2008
At 12, Ishmael Beah flees his war-torn Sierra Leonean village. Brainwashed by the army, he becomes a ruthless child soldier, perpetrating unspeakable acts. But at 15, UNICEF rescues him, and a rehabilitation program helps Ishmael return to humanity. This is the searing true story of a lost childhood reclaimed.
Genres: biography, historical, autobiography, memoir, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, redemption, survival
Setting: Sierra Leone, Freetown, United States, Kamator, Mattru Jong, Mogbwemo, New York City, Guinea
Period: 1991-2002, 1961, 1996
229 pages · Paperback · Sarah Crichton Books
Content warnings: child-abuse, graphic-violence, war