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Content Warning - Abduction, Kidnapping, Sexual Violence, Rape, Physical Abuse, Torture, Psychological Trauma, Terrorism, Forced Marriage, Child Exploitation.
On April 14, 2014, 276 young girls were abducted from their school by the extremist terrorist organisation Boko Haram. The news horrified the world, yet the international community did little to help these girls.
Edna O'Brien travelled to Nigeria, where she met some of the survivors. This fictional story is based on their cumulative experiences, combining them into the fictional character Maryam. Through her eyes, we witness the horrific ordeals these young girls endured.
This is not an easy book to read. Its brevity and quick pace contrast sharply with the harrowing, heart-breaking reality it depicts. The fact that these experiences are drawn from real events makes it all the more compelling and beautifully written.
While I found the book profoundly moving, I also felt a bit uncomfortable with the fact that the author - a white Irish woman, was the one to give voice to their ordeal. O'Brien is undoubtedly a superb writer, but I would have preferred to see her talent, empathy, and intelligence applied to a non-fictional account of her time in Nigeria and her conversations with the survivors.
It is incredibly important to know what happened to these young girls, for their stories to be told. We cannot forget them, their suffering, or the fact that so many of the girls remain missing.
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