I picked up this paperback in the discount bookstore, the Bookcase in Chiswick, which I absolutely love. (I have to admit, I don’t go there as much now that I have the Kindle, but if you live in West London, it’s well worth a visit.)
I picked this book up for my mother as I thought she would enjoy it. She did. As it was a short read, I decided to read it this Christmas while I was in Madrid. I loved it too.
The writing, the story and the characters are all quite unassuming. The insight into the characters’ lives is such that you get a real feel for their past. Children of the Revolution (apparently also released under the title Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears, according to an Amazon review) is the story of an Ethiopian living in the USA. Of course, like all good books, it manages to build a whole community of characters, creating plenty of stories and images that linger in your mind after you have finished the book.
It’s an easy read because it is well written (it won the Guardian First Book Award); sometimes it can’t help being sad because of the reality it is rooted in but it also has plenty of hope, much like its central character.
Think Write Draw 