The devil danced on the water - Aminatta Forna

The Devil Danced on the Water is an intimate and moving family portrait. The story of Aminatta Forna and her family is also the history of Sierra Leone. And what happened there has happened throughout Africa. Once the great hope of Africa, Sierra Leone is now the poorest country in the world.
The recent violence and political chaos in Sierra Leone has made Forna's story relevant again. In terms of emotional intensity and political insight, her book is comparable to Jung Chang's Wild Swans and Isabel Allende's Paula.