The Garbage King is a novel about two boys. Dani is rich, but lives under the control of his tyrannical father. Mamo is a homeless boy, roughing it on the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital. In a city filled with prejudice and want, they must try to survive together.

Despite being told by others that the book was boring, I found that the plot was very well-sustained. There was just the right amount of description, and the fast-paced nature of the plot made it, for me, all the more absorbing. The characters were well thought out and, coupled with an array of believable locations, they really gave the book some depth.

This book has the kind of ending which leaves it open to the imagination. Throughout the book, despite never having been in a similar situation to that which the protagonists find themselves in, was realistic, and gave me a picture of Ethiopia which is not a stereotype but an image of contrasts. Elizabeth Laird, it appears from reading the preface, has got the credentials to be accurate in the details regarding Ethiopia. However, in doing so, the book for me lost some of its accessibility. I have no idea as to the whereabouts of Awassa; I cannot see how homeless children would be wasting their money on cigarettes when, as the author implies, they are so careful about issues such as wasting money.

In conclusion, I thought that The Garbage King was an exciting and fulfilling read, but one which didn’t appear to offer much beyond the end in terms of possible outcomes. My inkling would be that this book is for 10–15 year-olds, perhaps slightly more for boys than girls, because most of the characters in the middle of the book are male. However, I think that girls would also enjoy reading it.

The bottom line: 8/10!

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