by Ishmael Beah
First published 2014
After the civil war, Benjamin and Bockarie return to their ruined hometown of Imperi. The village is in ruins, the ground strewn with bones. As more villagers trickle back, the friends try to forge a new community by reclaiming their old teaching posts. But they face a relentless onslaught of obstacles - food shortages, murders, thefts, and a rapacious mining company intent on poisoning the town's water. As Benjamin and Bockarie struggle to restore order, they must confront the uncertain future and their own haunted pasts.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, african-literature, contemporary
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Sierra Leone
Period: Civil War, 1991-2002, 1991-2002 (Guerre civile)
272 pages · Paperback · Sarah Crichton Books
Content warnings: violence, war