3.75/5

What I liked
- the historical setting of Zaire as a civil war breaks out
- the rhythmic writing that mirrors jazz music
- the blend of serious themes of poverty, violence and dark humor of the characters’ lives through funny dialogues

What I struggled with
- I’d encourage readers unfamiliar with the history of Zaire and Angola to first read about it. Or at least read the author’s notes first!
- there are quite a lot of characters and I feel like none of them are fully realized. I wonder if the purpose is more to paint a picture of what life is like for the “street kids” during the 90s