jozi_girl 's review for:

4.0

About 3 years ago I tried this author’s other book, [b:The Fear: Robert Mugabe and the Martyrdom of Zimbabwe|8728554|The Fear Robert Mugabe and the Martyrdom of Zimbabwe|Peter Godwin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1344272080l/8728554._SY75_.jpg|56128862] but really struggled to get into the highly political story.

This one however was much easier to connect with as it was written in the form of a memoir following the author’s childhood in Zimbabwe, his subsequent stint in the army and finally his time as a lawyer and journalist during the change of government in the 1980’s.

I have to say my favourite sections were that of his childhood. Particularly when young Peter's nanny brought him to the Apostolic church. His childhood memories reminded me a little of [b:The Last Resort: A Memoir of Zimbabwe|6449208|The Last Resort A Memoir of Zimbabwe|Douglas Rogers|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320408480l/6449208._SY75_.jpg|6639310] which is hands down my favourite book of Zimbabwe.

As Peter got older and got forced to serve time in the military the narrative changed – as expected – to provide more insight into the politics and guerrilla warfare that happened all over Zimbabwe. How the locals suffered, stuck between the military and guerrillas with no relief from either side.

I found it quite ironic that as a lawyer he had to defend the same war criminals he fought against in the army.

As with all the books I read about Zimbabwe there are moments of hope but also many many accounts of atrocities, with no one coming out the winner.