We, the Kindling

by Otoniya J. Okot Bitek

A concise, searing novel centred around the unforgettable voices of schoolgirls in Uganda who survive capture by the Lord's Resistance Army.In northern Uganda in the 1990s, girls as young as eleven were abducted from schools and homes by the Lord’s Resistance Army and thrust into the horrors of war. Facing long, perilous treks, gun battles, and underage marriages, while forced to be pawns in political machinations they did not understand, many did not survive. Those who did make it through continue to bear the physical and psychological weight of these terrors.As We, the Kindling begins, we meet Miriam and Helen, two survivors who are now in their twenties but haunted by their years in forced servitude to the Army. In spare, graceful, yet unflinching prose the novel weaves past with present, layering folk tales with taut realism to reveal the rhythm of the girls’ lives before the war, unspooling the circumstances of their abductions and tracing their harrowing journeys home again. Reminiscent of The Buddha in the Attic, this is a luminous novel, full of life and care, that insistently refuses to spectacularize brutality and tragedy.

Genres: Fiction, Canada, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Literary Fiction, Africa

256 pages, Hardcover

Published August 20, 2024

About the author

Juliane Okot Bitek (born 1966), also known as Otoniya J. Okot Bitek, is a Kenyan-born Ugandan-raised diasporic writer and academic, who lives, studies and works in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Source: Wikipedia

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We are the kindling used to start the fire.”

I had the pleasure of meeting the author and hearing her read a chapter titled ‘The Things We Carried’. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room - especially after she sang for us.

I wanted to read this book to learn about the experience of those Ugandan girls captured for the Lord’s Resistance Army and learn about the origins/goals of the LRA.

I wasn’t expecting such a moving, powerful and instructive story nor was I expecting such a wonderful format and such unique storytelling.

Stories hold us together, don’t they? It was no different for these abductees.

With nobody to witness what they endured, the characters in the stories they told became the witnesses to their experience.

Peppered in with the collective ‘we’ experiences are traditional Ugandan folklore stories from all over the country aimed at showing the survivors and their children that all of Uganda was impacted by the experience in the north.

I won’t forget the guinea worm story for quite some time! I’m glad I heard firsthand why it was included in the narrative.

I’m thankful to have attended the author talk as I learned about the displacement of the Acholi people, the horrific inequality of the resettlement packages offered to returnees, and the author’s journey to publication.

Grant me a moment on my soapbox: Why is it that the male soldiers could come home and hand over their AK-47 in exchange for land and a new beginning, BUT NOTHING WAS OFFERED TO THE GIRLS? They were young teenagers whose innocence was taken, they learned to foster life in horrific circumstances and came home covered in keloid scars and with children (some theirs, some of classmates who had died along the journey) to support…many who had no family to return to as TLRA had killed them.

“From today, you should all forget about studies. From today, you need to put it into your minds that you are no longer students. You are soldiers.”

“In the bush, the AK-47 is your mother and your father.”

“We waited for normal, but normal never showed up.”

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this debut novel up since it's longlisted for the 2025 Giller Prize and I'm so glad I did!! While at times heartbreaking, this was a moving story based on real events of young girls stolen from their families and forced to serve in the Uganda army. Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of books like Girl with the louding voice. Definitely a strong contender for the grand prize this year and I will be keeping an eye out for more by this author!

[Sara Soete · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Wij, aanmaakhout' is een straffe roman over een heel heftig thema. We lezen een collage van verschillende verhalen van meisjes die werden ontvoerd en opgeleid tot kindsoldaat in het Verzetsleger van de Heer (het LRA) in Oeganda.

De verhalen zijn bikkelhard en misselijkmakend maar Okot Bitek slaagt er in de blik níet (alleen) op de gruwel en wreedheid te leggen maar wél op de vrouwen zelf en hun ongelooflijke kracht.

De poëtische toon, het ritmische van de hoofdstukken, de non-lineair vertelde verhalen waar op geniale wijze ook liedjes en volksverhalen zoals 'Reus en Haas' en 'Aap en Katvis' in worden verweven, verbloemen of verzachten de feiten niet. Ze leiden niet af maar helpen je als lezer te kijken voorbij het sensationele naar het echte lijden, het vreselijke onrecht en de indrukwekkende kracht van deze vrouwen, wiens verhalen móeten verteld worden.

[Lisa Goodmurphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

We, the Kindling weaves together the tragic stories of several girls in northern Uganda who were abducted in the early 1990s from their school and forced to join the rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) until they made their way home as young women several years later. The insightful narrative moves between past and present layering Ugandan folk tales between the memories of individual girls of the circumstances of their abductions, the brutality of their captivity, unwanted marriages, gun battles, endless treks and their perilous jouney home.

This concise, thoughtful novel is not easy but it is an impactful read that will appeal to readers who enjoy literary fiction. The author is also a poet and each word of her beautifully-written prose is as carefully selected as the words of a poem. It's gutwrenching to contemplate the extent of what these girls endured in captivity and also heartbreaking to realize that, in many cases, they weren't welcomed home but were blamed for the time they spent with the LRA. The voices of these young women are unforgettable.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for sending an ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Mizuki Giffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most beautiful books I’ve read in a while. A mosaic of stories that piece together a challenging history with love and compassion. I had no context of the war in Uganda/rising of the Lord’s Resistance Army in the 90s, but was still able to sink into this novel and appreciate every page.

[Martijn van Bruggen]

Kleine drie maanden geleden gelezen, tot nu toe de mooiste slotzinnen van dit jaar. Die zijn zo beladen als je het verhaal net tot je hebt genomen. Ik moet er minstens twee keer per week aan denken.

'Eeh! Wat is er met jou gebeurd? We dachten dat je dood was.'

[Whatithinkaboutthisbook · Rating 5 out of 5]

We, The Kindling by Otoniva J Okot Bitek
Narrated by Shelby Mwambu

Longlisted for 2025 Giller Prize
Finalist for Atwood Gibson Fiction Prize
One of CBC’s Canadian Books to read in 2025

A compelling and haunting novel that weaves together the horrifying experiences of three girls kidnapped and forced to become child soldiers in Uganda. With poetic yet unflinching prose, Bitek vividly portrays the devastation caused by the Lords Resistance Army unchecked kidnappings of children from homes, communities and schools. Drawing on interviews with survivors, Bitek gives voice to their stories through a powerful, fictionalized narrative.

Intertwining Ugandan folk tales with the girls’ experiences, the novel paints a vivid portrait of their lives before abduction, the trauma of captivity and the painful aftermath when there is no “normal” to return to. It shines a light on the global indifference to their suffering and the inadequate support offered upon their release.

Bitek proves herself a masterful storyteller, layering rich detail with deep emotional resonance. She captures the loss of hope, the resilience required to survive, and the lingering trauma in a way that you will never forget.

The narration was exceptional, perfectly capturing a stoic numbness that makes the story hit even harder. No matter the format, this is a powerful debut that deserves to be read and remembered.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

WE, THE KINDLING by Otoniya J. Okot Bitek comes out next year and I really enjoyed it! It’s a devastating story about three women in Uganda who survived being taken when they’re young to become part of the Lord’s Resistance Army. This novel is sad but I loved the writing style. This author is a poet and once again I just love fiction written by poets. The use of language shines here. I loved this line on page 149: “Respect the elders in your community; they know far more than you will ever read about in books.” I loved the blend of folk tales, repetition, and lyrics. I’m very eager to read this author’s poetry now too!

Thank you to the publisher for my ARC!

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

'De grond in Noord-Oeganda was bedompt, zwaar en donker van alle bloedverhalen die nooit de lichtheid van woorden zouden vinden om ze aan het duister te ontrukken.'

'Wij, aanmaakhout' is een verhaal dat snijdt -diep onder mijn vel. Het boek verzamelt een aantal getuigenissen van Oegandese vrouwen die tijdens hun jeugd ontvoerd werden en als kindsoldaten moesten dienen in het Verzetsleger van de Heer. Biteks poëtische toon is verrassend genoeg erg geschikt om de gruwelijke verhalen van ontmenselijking en foltering te laten doorvoelen. Tegelijk blijven de emoties en energie van de dames vooropstaan. Vier sterren omdat de getuigenissen zich voor mij net iets te snel afwisselen.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

In een ruk uitgelezen! Zo meesterlijk geschreven dat je aan het einde soms niet meer zeker weet of je weer bij het begin bent beland? Verhaallijnen van de vier personages lopen door en over elkaar, waarin verwarring en wanhoop heersen. De zuivere, rake taal en fragmentarische verhaallijnen doen het verhaal hard binnenkomen. Doordat dit boek proza is had ik het wel iets lyrischer verwacht!!!

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked that the story was written in a more poetic way, that it had a rhythm to it, and a beauty to its telling, despite the subject. I am even vaguely aware of the political upheaval in Uganda, though not the specifics. But it didn't catch my attention, so to speak. Though I hope the author writes more, I'd like to read her work again.

[Riley (runtobooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written. Devastating story.

[Vanessa Hrvatin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking but beautifully written 🤍

[KMaeMaier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This is a powerful story. I have heard about students being kidnapped and being put into child armies, and this is one of those stories. In detail. Miriam, Helen, and Maggie are captured in the middle of the night by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Uganda in 1996, now known as the Aboke Abductions. This is their horrifying stories as well as other women’s, of captivity and the sad story of returning home completely different people. Folk tales weaved into history and the fictional character’s stories made a big impression on me while reading. I felt sick to my stomach reading about all the stolen kids and their lives before, during and after. Every horrifying scenario, you could imagine, these children are put through. I went down a rabbit hole learning more about children soldiers. Almost 100,000 children have been abducted to become child soldiers since 1985. This was a heartbreaking book that will stay with me for a very long time.

[Jill Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

It feels hard to write a review for this book that speaks to all the things it made me feel, but here goes!

The prose is sparse but poetic, you can tell Okot Bitek is a poet first. It has a rhythm and uses repetition and non-linear vignette-like storytelling to great impact. Although fiction, it feels blindingly real. Okot Bitek doesn't gloss over the brutality and the trauma, but also doesn't mire us in graphic detail. The stories are simply told. By weaving in folk tales and using "you" through some sections, it feels like oral tradition and demands the reader walk with these women through the version of their lives they didn't choose. The Rooster Woman story will stick with me.

Ultimately I feel like this book examines choice, how we remember, who does the remembering, identity, and home. This is about women's voices narrating their own horrors and history. The kinds of voices we need to hear and listen to.

[Gemington · Rating 4 out of 5]

CW: child soldiers, violence, sexual violence, child abuse, hunger, poverty

Young girls are taken from their school in Uganda to become child soldiers in the 1990s. Each voice is simple and direct. Both are brutalized and have children with their captors. The story is told flatly with direct and honest language. Role of education and loss of school reverberate through difficulty finding work, finding a partner, and getting a bank account. The author focuses on the hope of children and the relentless fear of war and its long term consequences. Child soldiers are largely shunned when they go home and they are usually illiterate with multiple children. Extended presentation of memory after violence while recovering in a hospital. Role of voice and who gets a right to speak and who will be heard. Implicit is the need for witnessing and sharing one’s own story.

[Clare K H · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up. "We, the Kindling" is a stunning debut novel. I picked it up as it is shortlisted for the Giller prize. I found it both brutal and lyrical. It is a novel that burns with grief and resiliance. The writing is spare yet poetic, revealing the lingering trauma of three women who survived abduction by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda, with long flashbacks of the horror and cruelty they endured.

The prose shimmers even in its sadness. Especially when it was clear that their struggles were not over when they escaped the LRA, with their babies and children, to be rejected by family and face blame, stigma and poverty. Incredibly sad, haunting, and beautifully written, honouring the resiliance of the abdutees that survived. A powerful novel.

[Enid Wray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Important subject matter - the perspective of the girl’s who were kidnapped into the Lord’s Resistance Army - this is a literature that is not well explored in our Canadian scene.

There are moments of sheer poetic beauty - as it should be given her bio. But there are also large sections where the writing feels forced, and indeed I feel like I’m being schooled.

She hasn’t quite found “the voices” that she wants to be writing in. There is a distance between the reader and the text. It’s a big leap to make the jump from story-telling in the form of poetry to story-telling in the form of a novel. It’s a big leap. I’m looking forward to seeing what she offers us up next.

[HelenJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a horrific story told with great beauty of poetry and local story telling traditions. Some often repeated folklore was used to negotiate and further the telling of the unbelievable lives of these girls stolen.
What a wrenching job it must have been to interview or use interviews of these women who'd been so subjugated and wanted their stories told to the world. Congratulations Otoniya J. Okot Bitek on accomplishing this first novel.

[Samoyes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I could not get on with the structure of this story. I found myself confused and unsure what was happening most of the time. This book gives a snapshot of life as a child and wife in the LRA in Uganda, and briefly what these children experience when they finally get home or their life after. Yet there’s no real explanation of how they get away/out of the LRA or more explanation of the day-to-day. For me, this was all a bit too vague.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 - This was beautifully written with compassion and grace. A heartbreaking read that expertly blended fact with fiction. I especially loved the way parables and folktales were interwoven into the story. I think the blurb was a bit misleading since I was expecting a bit more time jumping from this, but I did enjoy the way it followed more women than the three named in the blurb. Overall, I would highly recommend.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haunting and heartbreaking. The writing was spare and accessible, putting the spotlight on the stories and testimonies told by the young women forcibly recruited into the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in northern Uganda. The story/chapter 'Who Jah Bless' was particularly gutting, and will stay with me.

[Ogechi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful writing but incredibly heartbreaking.

This book reminds me of the Chibok girls kidnapping in Nigeria in 2014. I wonder if their experiences are similar to those of the LRC abducted child soldiers. I wonder what happened to the girls who made it out alive. Were their stories told? Were they taken care of after their escape/rescue?

[Zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beautiful poetry and writing brings such heavy stories to life. Some chapters focus on our main characters, some are stand alone short stories, some are pure poetry and some are folk tales so it's best to read each page for what it is. I had to read the Acknowledgments at the end to understand the author and their writing process - truly an impactful read.

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh MAN that was grim. I totally get that it's an important book and it's definitely better than my level of enjoyment makes it seem, but I couldn't really get past what really started to seem like misery porn after a while.

[Montanna Wildhack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a devastating story. The singsong language, the « ododo » or folktale format soften the violence enough to take it in. Still, I would have appreciated some kind of appendix with a plain language summary of the history of this conflict and with an update on what happened to these women.

[Joost · Rating 4 out of 5]

De meest verschrikkelijke verhalen opgeschreven op een mooie manier. Over hoe vrouwen (meisjes) in het noorden van Oeganda worden ontvoerd, misbruikt, verkracht, gebruikt, verwaarloosd en vergeten. En kracht verliezen, blijven houden of hervinden.

[Pavitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gutting, told in a matter-of-fact but nevertheless emotional way. Stories of the present and past were interspersed with allegories. Informative.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

see my glowing review: amandaearl.substack.com