Compelling, reflective, and informative -  that's Shugri Said Salh's memoir in a nutshell. 

Shugri Said Salh's memoir is a story of resilience that everyone should read. Shugri shares her life as a young nomad, given to her grandmother by her mother in order to help her out in accordance with history. Shugri didn't have to share some of the hard hitting details of her life, but she did so. Including her female 'circumcision' - that was tough to read, but her explanation behind the history of the custom was astounding. I appreciated that she brought the reader into her culture by setting the scene and explaining what was happening that may be connected to her culture. Her story of escaping a clan war torn Somalia is truly gripping and I never thought of how important it may be for someone to remember all of their clans and subclans in order to escape danger. 

 I feel like the story of a nomadic Somalian fleeing for turmoil isn’t one that we hear often as many voices are silenced in North America. If I could push a copy to all of my friends right now, I would do so. 

Thank you, Shugri, for letting us into your life. You are truly a remarkable woman. 

Thank you Algonquin and NetGalley for a galley in exchange for an honest review. Algonquin has published some amazing memoirs this year!