Okay I have always been a sucker for war books and books about people who try to help poorer countries so obviously I was going to read this book. I was not let down by it at all and thought it was an excellent read. Rye Barcott (the marine in the book and founder of CFK) did a great job of showing the struggle that he went through between trying to start up an NGO in Kibera while juggling a career in the Marines. I also found it quite inspiring to read a first-hand account of one person trying to make a difference and succeeding. People often talk about doing something to help but to actually make it happen and be as involved as Rye was, it is just completely amazing. It just goes to show what humans really are capable of doing and that the need and want to help one another, no matter our differences, still does exist.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this books is how the stereotype of Marines (which I never agreed with) being aggressive and bloodthirsty was challenged by the true story of a Marine that was the opposite of those stereotypes. The books showed the compassionate nature and the fact that people join the marines and the military to help, not to fight and kill. The author does speak of a point you get to where you can either go down the dark path as a soldier or pull away from it and he explains that the dark is usually triggered by seeing too much evil or being so trained and passionate. I liked how he actually spoke of this internal conflict and when it happened to him and that he chose to steer himself away from the dark path. I think for him to talk of this struggle was brilliant and it helps you, as a civilian reader, to understand a little more of what these soldiers go through and how they can easily become hurt or broken.

I very much enjoyed the parts where the author was in Kibera and working to build CFK. It gave me insight into a world that I never knew much about and I learned so much from it. It is amazing to learn of people in such horrible situations (like living in the slums of Kibera) that are still so positive and strong and do what they can to try to make life for themselves and those around them better. Sometimes the jumping back and forth from Kibera and CFK to Marine life broke up the flow of the story a bit for me but I also understand that was what it was actually like for the author; he was basically leading two lives at the point and they did not always flow together harmoniously.

This book was well written, inspiring and hopeful. It is not often that you read a war story and finish it with a smile on your face. I feel like stories like this one are not told enough so we never learn of how much good is still being done and the strong desire that still exists to help one another. Reading something like this sparks something in the reader to want to do more and be a part of the bigger picture. I highly recommend this book and can honestly say that it is a story that I will never forget.