What happens when a war photographer puts into words what her camera has captured during her career?

You’ll have to pick up this debut novel, “Into the Mouth of the Lion” on May 6, 2021, to discover what it is like to go into an unpredictable and unknown landscape like a war zone. Because the author has worked in intense situations, she brings firsthand knowledge to her readers. A. B. Kyazze, a former war photographer, worked in Angola towards the end of the civil war lasting from 1975 to 2002. The author’s experience of interviewing soldiers and warlords in addition to being captured and detained at checkpoints manned by child soldiers has added to the authenticity of this novel.

At the heart of this story are two sisters; complicated and complex women with secrets. Interwoven are love stories, one of which causes lines to be drawn even in a war zone. It begins with Magdalena, a struggling photographer, who flies from London to the war-torn highlands of Angola, after hearing the news of a suspicious explosion where a nurse was killed and a humanitarian worker, her sister, went missing. Magdalena feels she has to do whatever it takes to find her sister because after their parents died, the sisters only have each other. She’d never forgive herself if she didn’t try. Like working on a jigsaw puzzle, Magdalena tries to piece together the reasons behind her older sister’s disappearance, but she gets caught up in the conflict power and is witness to the blood diamond mining. As she gets closer to finding out what happened to DJ, the stakes increase and she finds herself in trouble.

Although difficult to get into at first due to multiple timeline switches and a lack of clear reference benchmarks, this read was worth the effort. Kyazze explores conflict, power, love and hope as her characters find the courage to bear witness to horrific situations and struggle to connect and help people in unexpected ways. I don't think I'll ever forget the scene where she hands over her necklace, where the children are digging in the dirt with spoons, nor the one where the children arrive at the empty school. Kyazze is able to place you right in the thick of the action and evoke an emotional response. She leads readers to question if we are ever able to break away from the foundation of our family and the power it had in shaping us and what happens to us when the person we love is taken away? You’ll come face to face with issues that will have you searching to see your level of commitment or acceptance and the depth of your love. Your heartbeat will increase and you’ll be rapidly flipping pages to find out what happens to Benedito and if Maglalena can catch up to DJ before it’s too late.

I was gifted this advance copy by A.B. Kyazze, Unbound Digital and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.