This book has all the makings of a compelling novel. It is clearly written and contains an intriguing mixture of war journalists, child soldiers, corrupt officials and blood diamonds. Sadly, it doesn’t quite live up to its promising premise. I found it difficult to sympathize with any of the characters and at no point was I tempted to skip ahead to find out what was going to happen. However, it does raise enough interesting questions that it would make a great discussion book.

This is a exquisitely written, lyrical memoir which shows with devastating force the psychological damage and life-long ramifications caused by childhood sexual abuse. Bandele focuses less on the actual details of her life and more on how she was able to cultivate the resilience and strength necessary to live as a survivor rather than as a victim. She does a marvelous job of showing the power and motivating force of love, especially the love of we have for our children.

An entertaining book about the role food has played in one woman's life. It would have been an even more compelling read had she revealed more about the other people in her life and how they influenced her. An adventurous book club could easily have a potluck dinner using the intriguing recipes included in the book. A mouth-watering discussion would be sure to follow.

While this is a beautifully written novel, it suffers from a lack of narrative drive. A number of the flashbacks were confusing and forced me to stop reading and figure out what had happened when. The characters were, for the most part, completely unlikable. It was hard to feel sympathy for any of them. The glimpses of Turkey were interesting, but for a novel set in Turkey, there were not enough of them.

This is an absorbing, powerful novel that transports the reader to a distant time and place with an ease that is truly amazing. Hill’s intelligent and resourceful narrator, Aminata Diallo, has a wonderfully clear, strong voice. Her tale is just as much about the power of kindness and optimism as it is about the destructiveness of hatred and selfishness. It would be an excellent book club selection.