Black Mamba Boy is a novel set in 1930s Somalia spanning a decade of war and upheaval, all seen through the eyes of a small boy alone in the world. Aden,1935; a city vibrant, alive, and full of hidden dangers. And home to Jama, a ten year-old boy. But then his mother dies unexpectedly and he finds himself alone in the world. Jama is forced home to his native Somalia, the land of his nomadic ancestors. War is on the horizon and the fascist Italian forces who control parts of east Africa are preparing for battle. Yet Jama cannot rest until he discovers whether his father, who has been absent from his life since he was a baby, is alive somewhere. And so begins an epic journey which will take Jama north through Djibouti, war-torn Eritrea and Sudan, to Egypt and beyond. This story of one boy's long walk to freedom is also the story of how the Second World War affected Africa and its people; a story of displacement and family. From the description on the back cover, this book sounds like it promises rich tale full of adventure and excitement. While the story definitely has the foundation for a book that can't be put down, for some reason I found I couldn't quite get into the story.
Parts of the book are so well described that I can imagine I am a 10 year old sitting in Aden in 1935. At the beginning of the book the main characters are vivid and well written, but I find that once I get halfway through the book I feel like the later part of Jama's life has been rushed past.
This book has all the elements needed for a gripping story: love, grief, humour, war and history. I still recommend this story but would have preferred the first half of the book to be as well written as the first.
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