What a compelling proposition this book offers -- the chance for women to take serious action when oppressed! I loved the premise and loved the unexpected twist at the end! This book smartly twines a current protagonist with past lives of women and girls -- one of my favorite story lines. And there's plenty of material for thought and for book group discussions -- what are the implications of taking these actions? Is it OK? Would I? Would I tell?

A tough read for me, not just because of the animals and what happened to them. The story about the people and living in a war zone controlled by brutal and insane people -- one army of them after another -- was eye-opening and awful. The fact that the story was told in a factual way that almost made it seem like the backstory to the zoo and not intended to sound horrifying only made me understand better how life could be lived under those conditions. The risks people must take to eat, live, protect family, and protect what's important to them is wrenching and inspiring.