Book of the Month - April: Diamond Boy

By Michael Williams                                                                                                                                                                         Patson has a relatively normal life. Living with his father, stepmother and younger sister in Zimbabwe, he attends high school, is on the cross country team, and spends his free time with his best friend Sheena. His life isn’t going to stay normal for long, though – it’s about to change in ways he never thought possible.

According to Patson’s stepmother, there are ‘diamonds for everyone’ in the Marange region where her brother runs a diamond mine. Patson’s father gives into his wife’s nagging and agrees to move the family to the diamond fields. Completely unaware of the region’s dangers and violence, and it’s obvious from fairly early on that things aren't going to work out quite as they'd thought.

Their driver abandons them in a forest filled with diamond thieves. When they finally arrive at the uncle’s house, it isn't long before they are no longer honoured guests, and Patson and his father both labour in the diamond mines, to varying degrees of success.

To make matters worse, the military takes over the mine, causing even more chaos.
Diamond Boy offers a glimpse into the harsh reality of what happened after diamonds were discovered in Zimbabwe and how greed, power and money can transform lives forever.