Velocity Magazine

Issue 3, Jan/Feb 2005

'This is the debut novel by London-based Sierra Leone-born author Delia Jarrett Macauley. Her empathy for her homeland's plight informs much of the vivid writing on display here, as she weaves a fictional tale based on very real events and situations. On a trip to Sierra Leone to visit her uncle Moses and cousin Citizen, Julia learns a shocking truth about Citizen: the eight-year-old child is a former soldier. Through a drive to understand the circumstances, Julia strengthens the bonds between her and her relatives. The extremely delicate (and current) subject matter is handled with impressive guile and tact, allowing even squeamish readers to delve into the book without being alienated by the more shocking details. An engrossing slice of factual fiction.'

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