No place to call home : a novel

Summary: A tale of love, loss, identity, and belonging, No Place to Call Home tells the story of a family who fled to the United Kingdom from their native Congo to escape political violence under the dictator, Le Maréchal. Their young son Jean starts at a new school and struggles to fit in. An unlikely friendship gets him into a string of sticky situations, eventually leading to a suspension. At home, his parents pressure him to focus on school and get his act together, to behave more like his star-student little sister. As the family tries to integrate into and navigate modern British society while holding on to their roots and culture, they meet Tonton, a womanizer who loves alcohol and parties. Much to Jean's father's dismay, after losing his job, Tonton moves in with them. He introduces the family ; via his church where colorful characters congregate-to a familiar community of fellow country-people, making them feel slightly less alone. Just as the family begins to settle, a threat to their future-to their very presence in their adopted home-looms.