A Diamond in the Rough

After a long hiatus, I return with a stunning read- Diamond Boy by Michael Williams. When I first picked up this book, I wasn't really expecting to be wowed. It sounded interesting enough, but I really just though I was lacking in the semi-historical fiction department. But this book delivered. We are spun a tale of change, desperation, hope, tragedy, and rebirth. The book seems to begin slowly, but within a chapter or two I could barely but the book down! Patson Moyo is our main character, a young boy from Zimbabwe. At the beginning of the story, he and his family are traveling to a new home. Many obstacles ensue, and they end up arriving on the doorstep of his step-uncle, who runs a diamond mine. When other options fall through, Patson and his father end up working for the mine. We experience everything from Patson's POV, in first person, which makes the story all the more personal. Williams' writing surprised me with its deftness- I could imagine the entire story with perfect clarity, and yet there was never an overabundance of description. The characters are easy to connect to- they reflect good traits, but also traits that the average person might try to hide. Their flaws are never hidden, which I appreciated. Perfect characters make the story seem less real. All in all, Patson's story was a true diamond in the rough for me. It started seemingly uninteresting, but has become one of the best books I have read in a long time.

P.S. Diamond Boy is the companion novel to Now Is the Time for Running. I plan on reading it soon!

(photo courtesy of amazon.com)