Gabriel is a ten year old boy living in Burundi in 1992.  He has a happy life-a French father, a Rwandan mother, a seven year old sister, a warm, loving extended family, and four close friends who do everything together.  However, when the genocide in Rwanda spills over into Gaby’s country, his happy childhood becomes a nightmare.  Neighbors, relatives and friends are murdered for no reason and and the perpetrators face no consequences.

Faye, who experienced much of what his fictitious character faced,  does a wonderful job of quickly taking Gaby from a somewhat idyllic life to one of unadulterated horror.  Small Country is a novel I will not soon forget.