Publish Date: 2019 Awards: 2020 Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year
Maryam is only a young girl when she is abducted by the Jihadis, finding herself married into Boko Haram. Inspired by the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping, her story is that of many girls, abruptly stripped of their innocence and forced to become women and mothers all too soon. Set against the backdrop of brutality and violence perpetrated by men, this novel witnesses the abuses inflicted on Maryam but also her resilience in a chaotic and unforgiving world. The reader follows Maryam through her journey to escape her captors, into the forest and to safety. And yet, even safe, Maryam will have to face the hypocrisy and stigma of a society in denial.
