It's time the tale were told

There is much debate about whether Iraq is or is near a state of civil war. Internecine violence is among the most horrible as it quickly moves to attacks on civilians. Although set in what appears to be the Biafran War or some future sequel, Chris Abani's Song For Night is a harrowing examination of the effects of civil war on children.

The story is told from the perspective of a boy solider. Radicalized by the murder of his mother by members of another ethnic group, the boy signs up as mine hunter. When he wakes up after a mine explosion, he crosses enemy territory in hopes of finding his unit. Along the way, he tries to make peace with what he has become. Essentially a good person, he has participated in mass atrocities, although he has also tried to stop them. On a macro level, this is the story of war, the good commit evil. The question is whether they themselves become evil for it.

The boy character is well developed. He alternates between a soliderly world weariness and a desire to curl up in his mother's arms. There are times when he appears to be a bit too wise, for a child so young. While we can certainly expect him to be well versed in weaponry, tactics and the way people react to violence, he occasionally puts forth social analysis that would be beyond the education of a young child. These instances are rare, but they do jar a bit.