Kololo Hill by Neema Shah

 

 I had this one as an audio book. I actually downloaded it by mistke. I thought I was just clicking on "info". But I'm really, very glad I did.

It's starts in Uganda under the rule of Idi Amin. I don't really know a huge amount about that time in Uganda or Idi Amin. I think I remember him dying, or losing power, but I was 6 in 1979 so maybe not! My only other real knowledge is from the film The Last King of Scotland, which is excellent, by the way. Highly recommend. Anyway, the story follows a fairly well-off middle class Asian family after Idi Amin announces that all Asians (non-Ugandans?) were to be expelled. 

It starts with their fear, disbelief and uncertainty, only the oldest generations having ever lived anywhere else. Then their struggles as they are forced apart - India won't allow some of them in to India and Britain won't have the others. When Uganda got its independence back from the UK, all Asian people were forced to decide whether to get Indian or British citizenship, the family in the story chose to have a mixture thinking it would help them to have both in the family. Then the actual harrowing escape.

The second half of the book is about the UK contingent settling over here. Trying to fit in, getting used to an entirely different way of life, their changing relationships with each other, dealing with their own traumas.

It's a great book. The characters growth and development is compelling. The historical setting is horribly fascinating but excellently told. One really, very confusing thing though. About 75% of the way through the book they suddenly start to talk about the missing arm of one of the characters. He was born with an arm missing. I swear, it was the first time they mentioned it! Completely threw me! So many scenarios throughout the story where this would have been relevant but no mention made. I must have dozed off in those bits. Which is odd since I only listen to audio books when I'm out walking!