I learned so much from reading this book.

Young Gulwali’s journey from rural Afghanistan, through Iran and Turkey (and back again), and on through Europe… Athens, Patras, Italy, Ventimiglia, Paris, Calais… To eventually arrive in the UK, still aged only 13.

Gulwali’s resilience in prison, in exhaustion, starvation, surviving in the most adult of worlds.

His honesty about his views on the world learnt at home, and how his understanding of equality and tolerance and difference changed as his experiences grew. And, at the other end, here in the UK, his all-too familiar story of age dispute and asylum rejection at the hands of our hostile authorities.

This true story has helped me understand how the smuggling rings work, how they’re paid, how refugees – even 12 year old ones – are just money-making commodities, just how many people are involved, and why. The rays of light of friends made and unexpected care received… the flashes of goodness that give just enough hope to find the strength to keep going… and so much much more.

Recommend? Yes, absolutely. The Lightless Sky is a must read.

And I truly hope more refugees find the strength and the heart to share their own stories the way Gulwali, shadow-authored brilliantly by Nadene Ghouri, has done.