This week I finished reading Little Bee by Chris Cleave. The story centers upon two women, a Nigerian refugee desperately seeking safe haven in Britain, and a posh 30-something English magazine editor. It's told in alternating chapters from the point of view of these women and flashes back to fill in their life stories. Although on the surface it would seem that these two women have nothing in common, they form a strong, believable bond through their mutual sufferings.
I loved this book for two reasons: one, the story of the Nigerian girl, Little Bee, was thrilling and eye-opening on its own, and, two, I found Cleave's writing of both women's voices very convincing and authentic. This is a must-read! I liked, too, how it made me think about the plight of immigrants in this country and around the world. I hope it causes more sensitivity in our society and in other western countries towards the immigrants' cause--but perhaps I'm a bit too optimistic!
