Amie, the heroine, is relatable—she’s human, yet strong enough in personality to provide counterpoint to her international-spy husband and strong enough in character to cope with African civil wars, terrorism, and international spies. Amie is no super-heroine. Though she has flaws and faults, she struggles with situations beyond her control in her attempts to rescue an orphaned child. This heart-breaking story has enough twists to keep the reader enthralled until the turn of the final page.

Author Lucinda Clarke has a gift for capturing Africa in her prose. The reader sees both the savannah’s beauty and harshness, the allure and absurdity of life in Africa. Though some might consider this “escapist fiction”, Amie and the Child of Africa deals with situations present around the world in which humans place their lives on the life to save refugees.