This book is EPIC! It was so incredibly well written and well spun. I'm beyond impressed with how well Lawrence Hill mapped out the life of Aminata Diallo, from her brutal capture all the way until the end of her amazing life. I was completely drawn into this story from the start and felt very attached to Aminata throughout. She was so real. All of the characters had such depth and layers. While the topic is heavy and the brutality of the situation was intense and heart wrenching, it is such a necessary story. It should be a required reading in school so that more people can understand the truth of the slave trade and the lives of those captured. It's the narrator's strength and courage that make the story bearable. Her ability to keep on going when all the odds are against her. It's truly a magnificent journey that all Americans should read.