The Orchard of Lost Souls is a 2013 novel by the Somali-British author Nadifa Mohamed. It is set in Hargeisa, Somalia on the eve of the civil war.
It tells the story of war from the perspective of three women, a small girl who flees a refugee camp (nine year old Deqo), a young soldier (Filsan), and an elderly widow (Kawsar).
The women survive in a dictatorship that is ravaged by war. The war is between the dictator and his loyal force and rebels.
Deqo is homeless after running away from the refugee camp where she found herself after her mum gave birth to her and thereafter disappeared. Despite her young age she takes care of herself. She is later taken in by a prostitute who takes care of her but who later abandons her but leaves her with a man who wants to take advantage of her but she flees just in time.
Filsan is in Hargeisa as part of the army to quell the armed rebellion. She has moved from her comfortable life in Mogadishu with an overbearing father who was also in the army.
Kawsar is an elderly widow who has lost both her husband and her daughter. She lives comfortably in a house with a garden.
The story is unique because is told from the eyes of the three women. Very few stories are told from the eyes of the women. They either ignored or painted as just victims.
Their stories interconnect when Kawsar intervenes to protect Deqo at a Government event and is then arrested. Filsan is one of the interrogators and ends up maiming Kawsar. They end up needing each other as they all connect when the civil war breaks out.
It is an amazing story of survival and tells the story how complicated war is and how we can all end up being victims of war despite our station in life. It also gives an insight into the decisions ordinary women make in their lives despite being in challenging situations.
You can buy The Orchard of Lost Souls by Nadifa Mohamed from Soma Nami Books somanami.co.ke/the-orchard-of-lost-souls-by-nadifa-mohammed.