
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When Rachel is 12, her mother dies and she is shipped off to England 'temporarily' to finish schooling. At 18, she goes back to what she remembered as HOME in the highlands of Kenya. Nothing is the same and Rachel will struggle mightily against so many important forces that threaten to bring her down. All the while, here is an intelligent teenager just trying to fit back in. She wants to remember her mom; she wants others to also.
The description of the land is colorful and beautiful and frankly amazing. I feel as if I was able to see the setting although there is nothing familiar to me in the time (the 1950s) nor in the setting (Kenya).
The political unrest becomes a looming terror. My heart raced picturing the attacks that the farmers feared. And Rachel still pushes on. She deals must confront - or learn to deal with - so many horrible people from her dad's new woman friend to a government official (who I feel was one of the most unstable characters; I was afraid every time he entered a scene).
Rachel is young. And she is so honest and good-hearted. At times I wanted her to lie, wanted her to retaliate. But she needs to belong and a lot of what she goes through, I feel she was not able to control. The situations were happening to her. She is also keeping a horrible secret that threatens not just discomfort but the lives around her.
I was rooting for Rachel the entire time. I loved her character but wish I could have gotten to know her more thoroughly. It's incredible just how much Jennifer McVeigh fit in to this novel! There are so many places she would still be able to go with it; side stories, the future of the characters, etc.
Jennifer McVeigh's writing is rich and meaningful. I loved this novel and stayed up all night reading it; I simply could not wait to see what would happen next. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, women's fiction, coming-of-age novels and descriptions of lush landscapes. Brilliant, really.
Note: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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