by Imbolo Mbue
Reviewed by Linda:
The author of the critically acclaimed novel Behold the Dreamers has a second book out that proves the first one was no fluke. How Beautiful We Were takes readers to a fictional African village called Kosawa, and lets us come to know the men and women, adults and children living in the village of their ancestors. Tragedy strikes when children begin dying after an American oil company is given official permission to drill for oil on their land. After seeking solutions from the company and the government (run by a dictator), some of the residents conclude that a more violent approach is necessary. A beautiful and heart-breaking tale.