Mr. McCane
This is the reason I love historical fiction. The Attic Child is a dual-timeline story of two children separated by generations. They were both trapped in the same attic, almost a century apart, and are bound by a shared secret.
In the early 1900s, 12-year-old Dikembe was stolen from his homeland and brought to London. He spends most of his time locked away in the attic of a large house. The only time he isn’t bound is when he’s being an unpaid servant.
The second timeline is in 1974, where we find Lawra. She is an orphan who was born into wealth, but must live with her stepmother, where she is also trapped in the same attic. Lawra finds some artifacts in the attic that lead her on a mission not only to escape but also to find out the history of those items.
This is one of the best-written books I have ever read. I found myself completely immersed in the story. It is based on the real life of Ndugu M’Hali. The book even briefly mentions Ota Benga, who terrorists stole from the Congo, took to America, and exhibited at the Bronx Zoo with monkeys. I was constantly doing Google searches while reading, because I had never heard of Ndugu M’Hali.
Anyway, apparently while this was happening to Dikembe, King Leopold II (Belgium) and the rest of the murdering terrorists were busy murdering 10 to 15 million people who lived in the Congo.
It was great seeing both POVs. And yes, I refused to call Dikembe by his slave name (Célestine). This was the easiest five stars I’ve ever given out. It’s a must-read. The twist and turns in this will keep your eyes glued to the pages. I immersed myself in reading with the physical and audiobook. “King Leopold’s Ghost” by Adam Hochschild is next on my list. I will never forget this story!
This is the reason I love historical fiction. The Attic Child is a dual-timeline story of two children separated by generations. They were both trapped in the same attic, almost a century apart, and are bound by a shared secret.
In the early 1900s, 12-year-old Dikembe was stolen from his homeland and brought to London. He spends most of his time locked away in the attic of a large house. The only time he isn’t bound is when he’s being an unpaid servant.
The second timeline is in 1974, where we find Lawra. She is an orphan who was born into wealth, but must live with her stepmother, where she is also trapped in the same attic. Lawra finds some artifacts in the attic that lead her on a mission not only to escape but also to find out the history of those items.
This is one of the best-written books I have ever read. I found myself completely immersed in the story. It is based on the real life of Ndugu M’Hali. The book even briefly mentions Ota Benga, who terrorists stole from the Congo, took to America, and exhibited at the Bronx Zoo with monkeys. I was constantly doing Google searches while reading, because I had never heard of Ndugu M’Hali.
Anyway, apparently while this was happening to Dikembe, King Leopold II (Belgium) and the rest of the murdering terrorists were busy murdering 10 to 15 million people who lived in the Congo.
It was great seeing both POVs. And yes, I refused to call Dikembe by his slave name (Célestine). This was the easiest five stars I’ve ever given out. It’s a must-read. The twist and turns in this will keep your eyes glued to the pages. I immersed myself in reading with the physical and audiobook. “King Leopold’s Ghost” by Adam Hochschild is next on my list. I will never forget this story!