MixedThe New York Times Book ReviewThe most arresting chapters are those in which Sesay takes us to the girls. We are there, with them, on that hot April night in their schoolyard ... Beneath the Tamarind Tree offers an unsatisfyingly potted history of Boko Haram. It doesn’t give you a textured view of how the group gained a foothold, or how it was persuaded to release half the kidnapped girls. The book paints a drive-by picture of Chibok. Far too much effort is put into explaining why this story matters. This is a common pitfall for authors who are trying to chronicle the lives of others to Americans, and it’s unfortunate ... There is still another to be told about the kidnapping of the Chibok girls. That story should be told by a Chibok girl.
