Must read. Incredibly harrowing and will change the way you view your everyday life. Every modern comfort we have comes with its own pound of flesh.

I think this is probably the first book about the Congo's current situation told while including perspectives from the Congolese people. I have to admire the author for doing the journalistic work even when it was dangerous; he met a lot of opposition on his journey through the DRC. 

Siddharth Kara calls out by name the companies, countries, and executives who profit off of the deaths of people in the Congo, including women and children. 

The writing itself was hit-or-miss, and the author has a tendency to focus on mundane details that often didn't add to the information being presented. Admittedly, I had a hard time keeping track of the different city/village names, so when they were brought up in conversation later it was hard to piece together the differences. However, Kara shows us expertly that there is no place untouched by the cobalt industry and its harsh, exploitative, and violent practices.