Kathryn Den Houter

This story has historical value.
I wanted to bring the character Esy home with me and take care of her. I have empathy for Esy and feel her pain. My heart also goes out to the children in the Congo who have been and continue to be exploited. The author dives into the harsh realities the children of the Congo face working in the cobalt mines. I was glad the author added in the Afterword section the quote from an article that was printed in Forbes Magazine about child labor and “corruption free electric cars”.
Esy was forced by her father to work in the cobalt mines. She worked until her hands bled then sold what she dug up to the Chinese brokers. Any money she earned her father took it to support his gambling habit. All Esy wanted was an education. Nobody cared for the children in the mines. Esy had the missionaries, a family that used her as a servant, the ladies in the brothel, and herself.
Esy did not give up on dream to get an education. She was determined to make her life work. I was near tears at the end of the book.… (plus d'informations)