The characterization and writing style of Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree is phenomenal. The unnamed narrator has a strong voice, dreams, desires and an entire quirky family that she loves before the men of Boko Haram kidnap her and destroy her life. The writing style transports you to Nigeria, with its idioms, traditions and sense of community. It gives you a glimpse at the soul of the narrator, who is very present in her life in rural Nigeria.
Buried Beneath the Baobab tree is an honest look at the situation in Northern Nigeria and the country’s fight against Boko Haram. The book doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff, and be warned, it can be fairly graphic, but not unnecessarily so. It’s a literary work of art and a great tool for bringing awareness to a conflict in the world that you may have never heard of or perhaps lost touch with over the years.
My only criticism of the book is that the story ends abruptly and does not look at how the girl’s life moves on after she escapes Boko Haram. I would have liked more about her returning to her life, especially since you learn in the afterword that girls who escape Boko Haram face community stigma and government barriers that prevent them returning home.
I highly recommend reading Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree. It’s very short, and it’s a beautifully written exploration of an impossible situation some girls are facing in Nigeria today.
