A review by nordstina
Happiness by Aminatta Forna

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Happiness is a reflective book on the interconnectedness of lives and resilience in the face of trauma. It is a slow, thoughtful book. While there is a driving plot through most of it, it is more about the connections that the characters have with one another. Jean is living in London studying the urban fox population. While crossing a bridge she runs into Attila, a Ghanaian psychiatrist who is in town to give a talk on trauma. He plans to meet with his niece while in town and finds her gone from her apartment- picked up in an immigration raid along with her son who runs away from the home he is placed in temporarily. What transpires is a city-wide search for the boy by Attila, Jean, and her connections through the city. It is nice seeing all different types of people come together for a common purpose. But the quiet moments between the characters are memorable and deeply resonant. It's a quiet book that won't work for everyone, but I enjoyed.