SMALL COUNTRY

The horrors of the Rwandan genocide are dramatized in this novel, told through the eyes of 11-year-old Gabriel. Dominic Hoffman is the thoughtful narrator this title needs; his pensive style highlights the poignancy of a childhood interrupted by civil war. As Gabriel recollects his idyllic neighborhood and friendships in Burundi before the unrest in neighboring Rwanda, Hoffman's wistful tone underlines the intrusion of violence on this specific child and the population in general. Listeners will appreciate being taken gently into a historical moment we all wish had not happened but cannot afford to look away from. This story of loss and resilience will linger with the listener long after it has ended. M.R. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2018]