I have incredibly mixed feelings about this book and honestly, this review may change. One reason I'm giving it a high rating is because I have yet to come across a book written by a Congolese author about the situation that is currently happening in Congo and I'm not entirely surprised by the lack of them. Every waking moment of the artisanal miners and their families in Congo is being monitored through invasive and forceful tactics issued by an exploitative and greedy government (and their allies). So let's talk about what did work and didn't work for me in this book.

What did work

Kara does not hold back in what he finds while interviewing and exploring DRC. He showcases the abysmal situations in which he finds Congolese children, men, women, and elderly being poisoned, mutilated, indentured, and murdered. And I do say murdered because what choice do these people have other than these tunnels and mines? Starve to death? Not be able to afford basic human necessities? Not send their younger siblings and children to school so that they may one day have a glimpse at a future that doesn't end in being suffocated under meters of dirt? I enjoyed that Kara does a lot of research into the economy, geography, history, and politics of Congo prior to and during the current events. I think it adds to the book rather than detracts. The interviews Kara does conduct do appear to be very respectful of the situation and he does go through a great deal to hide the identities of anyone who may receive punishment for their part in this book. Kara does directly acknowledge in the Epilogue of this book that this story does need to be told by someone who is living this situation -- that translating and interviewing only does so much. It brings it to a wider audience and perhaps from there we will get more coverage and we will get to hear this story directly from Congolese miners. And I must acknowledge that Kara does in fact put himself into danger while he gathers information for his book. At the end of the day had Kara been killed while in Congo this story would have been completely buried and the general public would have forgotten it's, and his, existence within months.

What didn't work

Kara spends way too much time talking about his own guilt and speculating on how others are feelings. I understand that this type of journalism with have a toll on the author's mental health -- this is entirely expected. I do not think anyone can watch others die and simply walk away without it having a lasting effect. But is the story we are trying to tell in this book about the horrific conditions everyday Congolese people are facing or is this book about 1st world guilt? If you're trying to bring awareness to a situation, stay on subject. There's no real solution given here, not even speculation on a solution. Kara doesn't ask really any of the government officials he talks to what kind of solution anyone wants to this. The government officials go it's sad and Kara goes it's sad and corrupt but ??? That's like the extent of the discussion. And he definitely does not ask any of the miners or their families what kind of solution they want. We understand as the reader that this is sad, exploitative, heartless, and should not be happening. Okay, you've raised awareness for it but now what? HELLO??? Let's talk about solutions! Let's replace cobalt-based batteries and make mines safer. Let's talk about how we support Congolese miners revolutionizing and getting out from under a corrupt government! Let's talk about how we get rid of the Chinese, Lebanese, and other foreign mining companies out of Congo!

Anyway, this is a good starting point but it's not enough.

favourite fantasy I read this year (2025). I love inclusion of catalogued material culture, and the quiet and melancholic atmosphere of the prose.