Chris Cleave so convincingly writes with a female voice in Little Bee members of our book club had to check the book jacket to be sure Cleave was male. The story artfully explores the thin veneer of order and civility in the third world countries and how it impacts those of us who live in more "civilized" countries.

Cleave's main characters are compelling and, with the exception of Lawrence, likable. The violence in book will be disturbing to many readers and the images conveyed will remain long after finishing the book. If it was Cleave's intention to raise our awareness of the brutality that exists in many third world countries,he was successful.

Immigrants in our cities and towns may have suffered the same horrors described in this book. After reading Little Bee you many never be able to look at them again without wondering what they had to endure to get to where they are.

Some have described Little Bee as "uplifting." I'm not sure that is a word I would use. I found it more thought provoking than uplifting.

I do admire the author for creating an ending that is open to interpretation rather than tying up the story with a neat bow, letting the reader retreat to the normalcy of their everyday lives.

Little Bee haunts me, knowing that half way around the globe someone, somewhere is experiencing the fear, violence, and humiliation so beautifully captured in this book. I hope they, like Little Bee, have the heart and soul to persevere and find happiness by simply being alive.