This book had been sitting on my shelf for a long time. Having grown up in Nova Scotia, 40 minutes away from Shelbourne, I knew this was an important read about a topic not often talked about when I was a child.

This was such a beautifully devastating sweeping historical book. What I loved most about this book is how language was such an important part of Aminata’s life. The way she described the world around her changed as she did. How frightening and disorienting it was to be surrounded by people you can’t understand and in a place you don’t have the words to comprehend.

The author spent the right amount of time in each part of Aminata’s life so that you could get a glimpse of how other people’s circumstances were. While the book was based around Aminata, you didn’t feel like it was only following her life and experiences.

This a book is for anyone who enjoys sweeping historical novels that are heavily people and location focused.