This book had my full attention from first page until the last. Koli, a Roma woman has experienced tragedy early in her life when her entire family was murdered by Slovakia's fascist police in the 1930s. But it was my good fortune to pick up this novel and follow her life through the years. Koli, a fictional character, is a literate gypsy, quite unusual for the times. She was also a poet who had an uncanny ability to translate her people's history into song and verse. She paid a heavy price for associating with outsiders, having her work published, and achieving a limited fame. But how can I possibly convey the beauty of this woman's life and this author's novel in just a few words?