This was a tough read. Not because of the writing style but because of the content. Most of the time I did not want to believe that the events described are events that could really happen in our world. Especially to a child. It is remarkable how Ishmael Beah went through his teenage years as a boy soldier and was able to continue life after. Like many other children can. Human beings are remarkable. Some are capable of truly evil things, but so many can recover as well. I am fascinated and somehow hopeful that this world will turn out well one day.

Ishmael Beah is an amazing storyteller. He recounts events with a lot of important details and connects what he experiences with relevant anecdotes to make his points even stronger. 

This book paints a dark story of Sierra Leone during the 90s as a state. It captures some remarkable and kind people well, but otherwise there is not much hope.
Now I really want to read a positive book about the country, I do not want to keep such a sad impression of Sierra Leone. One thing I know by now is that many of it's people are extremely resilient. Incredible.