I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes as I finished this.
I don't usually pick up 'serious' reading as I prefer to keep the serious stuff to real life - thank you very much! But the historical background of this caught my attention. What I didn't expect was the deep religious message that was also included.
Suitable for both children (age 10 I would say) and grown ups alike this story takes you on an awesome adventure of discovery. And at the end the protagonists find not only 'the lost boy' but God. You also realise that Joseph was not only literally lost, but metaphorically too.
The family dynamics are very realistic and draw you into their lives from the very first pages. As they research their country's past, the children are also let into a tragic family secret. This is very much a tale of growing up and reaching some maturity in thought and ideals.
We who have lived through tragic times in our lives - be in apartheid in South Africa, or the civil war in my home country Sri Lanka - have accepted those troubled times as part of our lives. It is not history - it is real fact. But, this is something I realised while reading this book, to the next generation, to those who are our students or children, all that 'stuff' is history. Bringing them to an understanding of that history is our duty.
Coming to the other aspect of the tale - Christianity. The book has a very strong, inspiring, positive message about God and his mysterious ways, put in a very simple way. The lesson in the sand, for example, was beautifully put across and any child reading this book would grasp a very deep concept. I am a Catholic and therefore had no adverse reaction to this aspect of the book - I do not know how non-Christians would react. I myself did not find it preachy.
Overall, a very good book. ( )