ln a world of teenage pregnancy, government disruption, and extreme poverty, hope for a future is low. Survival is prioritized, as many don’t live long due to starvation and disease. This is the reality of many children in the slums of Kampala. Tim Crothers writes the non-fictional novel about the story of a young girl named Phiona Mutesi, who was trained to use her talents by Robert Katende, a former child of the slums himself. Robert started a chess program for children from Katwe, to give them hope and a purpose. One day, in a predominantly male group, the little girl, Phiona, took an interest in the game. After practice, she proved to be very good, and the book continues on to tell her journey to success.
Crothers writes in a suspenseful and dramatic style, and isn’t afraid to share the bad side of a story. However, his writing could get confusing, as he told multiple stories at the same time, which eventually connected. He told stories that needed to be told, and provided thought-provoking messages.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book for anyone that doesn’t usually like nonfiction, anyone that likes chess, and anyone that wants to appreciate what they have, for others may not be as fortunate. It was different from any book I’ve ever read, and was hard to put down.
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