A Gift From Darkness is a vivid and straightforward nightmare in the land of Boko Haram. Journalist Andrea Hoffman travels to Maiduguri, Nigeria and talks to Patience Ibrahim, who gives a first-hand account of seeing family and neighbors murdered as terrorists attack and occupy the rural farming communities that she calls home. She herself is abducted twice and escapes twice, but cannot escape the fear and horror as the brutal group expands its territory. For a few hours, I felt almost as though I was part of Patience's horrific world. I'm glad I read this story, and that she had a chance to tell it. It's not for the faint of heart.

Patience, a young Christian living in northern Nigeria, has experience the kind of trauma that many of us could only read about. At times, her story made me so overcome with emotion that I didn't know if I could continue reading. In fact, several times I wanted to abandon the book, but quickly admonished myself as I realized that I had the privilege of distancing myself from these traumatic experiences, but she, and others like her, did not. I felt it was my duty to continue reading because Patience and other Boko Haram victims need people like me to be made aware of what is happening in Nigeria.

While there were times when I knew the language didn't quite "fit", I understood that this was due to the translating. Nonetheless, I am grateful that Patience found the courage to share her painfully traumatic story. I'm left, once again, feeling as if the global community needs to do better. Everyone needs to read this book to know fully the horrors that northern Nigerians are experiencing.

Heartbreakingly touching and moving, I cried more then once while reading this book!

My first thought about this exceptional book was that it took me completely out of myself, and my own world. Patience, the protagonist, lived a life that no one could even imagine-twice abducted by Boko Haram, seeing her husband's decapitaded head laying on the ground, and giving birth alone, in the jungle. She survived all those horrendous events, and much more, ultimately being gifted with a beautiful daughter.

The author, Andrea Hoffmann, is a skilled author and journalist who won the trust and friendship of her protagonist. I appreciated reading and hearing Patience's story told in her way, rather than how the author thinks it should be told. The author also writes about her desire to fly to dangerous northern Nigeria and meeting up with a missionary, accompanying her there. A brave and selfless act that assisted in getting more of the story of the Boko Haram atrocities out into the world.

I commend Ms. Hoffmann on her exceptional book and her career as a writer of human rights stories.

Thank you NetGalley.

Hoffman has written an incredibly engrossing book. She tells the story of her journey to Nigeria and introduces us to Patience as she meets her. Then she lets her tell us her story. I knew when I requested this book that it was going to be hard, violent, and for a mature audience. I realized that horrendous, unspeakable things were done to her. I’ve read enough books about the Holocaust, the killing fields, and the Rwandan genocide to have been prepared ever so slightly for what it might be like.
However, I only made it halfway through the book. Up to that point, she was very delicate about the intimate aspects of her marriages. Then she described her rape in great detail, way too much detail. I was expecting that it would be part of her story but would be handled more delicately.
The Christianity spoke of is very nominal. They go to church regularly, but she enters a polygamous marriage that’s winked at by church and encouraged by her family. I couldn’t really tell what her view of salvation was. There was a lot of talk about losing salvation, but it sounded like they considered themselves Christian just because they were born to certain families. Religion really wasn’t the focus of the book. It was just about Patience and her story.
I received this as a free ARC from NetGalley and Other Press. No favorable review was required. These are my honest opinions.

I just cannot believe what people can inflict upon other people, all in the name of religion. I guess that is why we are to put all of our faith in Jesus Christ, not in religion. One is God-Made, the other is man-made. The horrors and atrocities these women have had to endure.
If you want to get a true picture of what is happening in Nigeria, and other African countries, just read this book. You will never be the same again, as these women will never be the same.
Thank you to the brave German woman who is risking her life for this group of women, and their children. You will definitely wear many jewels on your crown in heaven.