This book spans four continents, two democracies, one civil war ravaged nation, one autocracy and two countries trying to find their footing. It begins in Somalia and ends in America.
In-between is the author, sandwiched by almost insurmountable odds and mind numbing events, constantly dragged through life like the many women around her. Ayaan Hirsi Ali was born in a hard place for women. A place which left many in a mould too hard to break from. Her honesty, bravery and eloquence captures this reality that’s oblivious to those far removed from such societies.
Daring to begin this book at all, will leave readers exploring the many dead-ends in different cultures. Be it in politics, beliefs, family structures or age-old practices. A wide range of traceable causations abound within its pages. For example, the Soviet menace inflicted on some African nations leaps to the fore clearly. I state this because the ex-Soviet union does get a pass most of the time on the continent.
The human cost of religion and politics gone wrong hits hard in the chapters about Theo and the author’s sister. The latter escaped her birthplace only to arrive Dutch society and suffer disillusionment. She became stuck in a chasm between two worlds, two cultures and two value systems. Her passing on returning to her roots, summed up the message of this book for me.
This material will make emotional and psychological demands on any reader and they’ll be better for it.
