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Scattered: The making and unmaking of a refugee
**A Guardian book to look out for in 2024**
'A compelling story from a gifted storyteller … In a moment where refugees are often talked about but rarely heard from, her voice breaks through' GARY YOUNGE
A staggering investigation into the costs and consequences of displacement, from a young woman uniquely placed to explore the refugee experience and its aftershocks
In 2015, Aamna Mohdin travelled to Calais to report from the frontlines of the refugee crisis. When she returned to London, and discussed what she had seen with her parents, their response surprised didn't she remember being a refugee herself?
Aamna was faced with a reality she had been outrunning for nearly two that her parents had been refugees of the Somali civil war; and that her arrival in the UK aged seven had been preceded by an early childhood in a refugee camp, followed by years of displacement and desperation – as her family, sometimes together but often separated, fought for a place to call home.
For the first time, Aamna's parents told her their of the lives they had built in the newly independent Somalia, and the shattering effects of civil war that followed. From London, she travelled to Somalia, a homecoming to a place that had never been home; before retracing her parents' flight to Kenya, and the Kakuma refugee camp – the site of a very present refugee crisis, now three decades in the making.
Scattered is a staggering investigation into the costs and consequences of displacement, from a young woman uniquely placed to explore the refugee experience and its aftershocks. A powerful reportage, it is also an epic story of returns and reunions; and a joyful celebration of family and belonging.
'The only way out of the crisis of exclusion sweeping across the Atlantic Ocean is storytelling … In so luminously recounting the story of her family Mohdin achieves an imaginative breakthrough that everyone should read' SAMUEL MOYN, Professor of Law and History at Yale University
'A compelling story from a gifted storyteller … In a moment where refugees are often talked about but rarely heard from, her voice breaks through' GARY YOUNGE
A staggering investigation into the costs and consequences of displacement, from a young woman uniquely placed to explore the refugee experience and its aftershocks
In 2015, Aamna Mohdin travelled to Calais to report from the frontlines of the refugee crisis. When she returned to London, and discussed what she had seen with her parents, their response surprised didn't she remember being a refugee herself?
Aamna was faced with a reality she had been outrunning for nearly two that her parents had been refugees of the Somali civil war; and that her arrival in the UK aged seven had been preceded by an early childhood in a refugee camp, followed by years of displacement and desperation – as her family, sometimes together but often separated, fought for a place to call home.
For the first time, Aamna's parents told her their of the lives they had built in the newly independent Somalia, and the shattering effects of civil war that followed. From London, she travelled to Somalia, a homecoming to a place that had never been home; before retracing her parents' flight to Kenya, and the Kakuma refugee camp – the site of a very present refugee crisis, now three decades in the making.
Scattered is a staggering investigation into the costs and consequences of displacement, from a young woman uniquely placed to explore the refugee experience and its aftershocks. A powerful reportage, it is also an epic story of returns and reunions; and a joyful celebration of family and belonging.
'The only way out of the crisis of exclusion sweeping across the Atlantic Ocean is storytelling … In so luminously recounting the story of her family Mohdin achieves an imaginative breakthrough that everyone should read' SAMUEL MOYN, Professor of Law and History at Yale University
- GenresNonfictionMemoirSomalia
317 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 6, 2024
31 people are currently reading
338 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 8, 2024
I don’t think I’ve read a text since Baldwin, Márquez, Saramago or Ferrante, that has taken me through such a whirlwind of emotions as ‘Scattered: The making and unmaking of a refugee’. This book is that rare combination of captivating storytelling, gut-wrenching honesty and relentless wit, all geared towards telling one family’s story of struggle against war, the global border system, racism and the affects these systems of power have on our sense of self. It’s a book that takes you through - in unflinchingly lucid and clearsighted ways - the chronicle of a refugee who has fought to make a life for themselves in a foreign country they now call home. It’s a tale of life-making, of the experience which confronts refugees, and the interpersonal and political struggles they have to wage to ensure their claim to life, freedom and a connection to the country they once lived in. It’s an account of one woman’s battle over the terms of her own subjectivity in the face of racism and the new and novel of starting a life in a new country
In this dark world that we live in, as colonial genocides rage and empires and climate change make new refugees everyday, this book is of enormous importance. It tells us that we can and must fight for a world free from racism and borders. If you read anything this year, then make it this. Even better, organise a launch or a reading group around it in your ends. This is one of those magical examples of a text that has the power to move and change people.
In this dark world that we live in, as colonial genocides rage and empires and climate change make new refugees everyday, this book is of enormous importance. It tells us that we can and must fight for a world free from racism and borders. If you read anything this year, then make it this. Even better, organise a launch or a reading group around it in your ends. This is one of those magical examples of a text that has the power to move and change people.
May 5, 2024
“This is a book about finding where I belong in the world”
A heart wrenching and thought provoking memoir from a Somali refugee. “Scattered” tells the story of Aamna and her family’s transition into British Somalis and the horror story of how they got here.
As someone who was heavily involved with the Calais refugees, I knew this was a story I’d be interested in. And it didn’t disappoint.
“I look at the similarities between the refugee crisis I was born into, and the one I report on several decades later. Their fear and desperation is the same. Their deaths are the same. The response from the neighbouring countries, the indifference and hostility - that too has remained the same”
Mama, in particular, I adored. What a brave, brave woman. What she must have gone through, as a mother, is the absolute stuff of nightmares. Deportation, imprisonment, being separated from her child. I can’t even begin to try and understand her experiences.
I learned so much about Somalia. The history, the people. And what stood out most to me was their laughter and their resilience. I found myself on instagram and Google, wanting to know more. Wanting to see pictures and try and get a bigger sense of what the author was describing and where she was. I wanted to see the photography in Kakuma that she spoke of, I wanted to see the country she felt naturally at home in.
“Why do some children get to live their lives never worrying about whether they’d see their parents again? Why am I always losing one of my parents? Why was this the life that was chosen for me? Why don’t I just get to be a child?”
The sense of family and the kindness from others was heartwarming. Aamna’s family, immediate and extended, provided great support along the way and the love she has for her parents in particular, just shines through the pages and made me smile. I found this book really emotive and I felt such a wide range of feelings throughout her story.
Aamna’s struggles didn’t end when she reached the UK. The racism she speaks of makes me cringe in embarrassment at the behaviour of my “fellow countrymen” and the story of Mama and her shoe only made me love her more!
“I scratched my legs and saw the white, ashy streaks it left behind. I started scratching myself all over, with a desperate vigour. I wanted to cover myself in those white ashy streaks. I scratched as deep into the skin as I could, wanting to tear at the blackness. I didn’t stop once I started bleeding.”
I’ll never understand why Britain seems to have open arms for the Ukrainians, yet shun the African nations. The unashamed, outwardly racist, remarks that can be read in comments sections on social media are absolutely disgusting. I wish more people would educate themselves on the harrowing histories people have suffered in these countries.
I am so proud of you Aamna, for building a wonderful career, all the while supporting your family, discovering who you are, where you come from and integrating yourself into Britain. You’re truly remarkable.
Thank you to you, and NetGalley, for allowing me to read your story. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that has taught me so much and been so thought provoking. This is one story that will stay with me.
A heart wrenching and thought provoking memoir from a Somali refugee. “Scattered” tells the story of Aamna and her family’s transition into British Somalis and the horror story of how they got here.
As someone who was heavily involved with the Calais refugees, I knew this was a story I’d be interested in. And it didn’t disappoint.
“I look at the similarities between the refugee crisis I was born into, and the one I report on several decades later. Their fear and desperation is the same. Their deaths are the same. The response from the neighbouring countries, the indifference and hostility - that too has remained the same”
Mama, in particular, I adored. What a brave, brave woman. What she must have gone through, as a mother, is the absolute stuff of nightmares. Deportation, imprisonment, being separated from her child. I can’t even begin to try and understand her experiences.
I learned so much about Somalia. The history, the people. And what stood out most to me was their laughter and their resilience. I found myself on instagram and Google, wanting to know more. Wanting to see pictures and try and get a bigger sense of what the author was describing and where she was. I wanted to see the photography in Kakuma that she spoke of, I wanted to see the country she felt naturally at home in.
“Why do some children get to live their lives never worrying about whether they’d see their parents again? Why am I always losing one of my parents? Why was this the life that was chosen for me? Why don’t I just get to be a child?”
The sense of family and the kindness from others was heartwarming. Aamna’s family, immediate and extended, provided great support along the way and the love she has for her parents in particular, just shines through the pages and made me smile. I found this book really emotive and I felt such a wide range of feelings throughout her story.
Aamna’s struggles didn’t end when she reached the UK. The racism she speaks of makes me cringe in embarrassment at the behaviour of my “fellow countrymen” and the story of Mama and her shoe only made me love her more!
“I scratched my legs and saw the white, ashy streaks it left behind. I started scratching myself all over, with a desperate vigour. I wanted to cover myself in those white ashy streaks. I scratched as deep into the skin as I could, wanting to tear at the blackness. I didn’t stop once I started bleeding.”
I’ll never understand why Britain seems to have open arms for the Ukrainians, yet shun the African nations. The unashamed, outwardly racist, remarks that can be read in comments sections on social media are absolutely disgusting. I wish more people would educate themselves on the harrowing histories people have suffered in these countries.
I am so proud of you Aamna, for building a wonderful career, all the while supporting your family, discovering who you are, where you come from and integrating yourself into Britain. You’re truly remarkable.
Thank you to you, and NetGalley, for allowing me to read your story. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that has taught me so much and been so thought provoking. This is one story that will stay with me.
February 18, 2026
This was a poignant read and I learnt lots about the history of Somalia that I was very ignorant about even though the events described have taken place within my lifetime. The legacy of colonialism is at the root of so many refugee crises and yet those old colonial powers now take zero responsibility. The geopolitics of it all aside though this was also a very personal raw story of how one child refugee navigated the world. It was beautifully told.
August 12, 2025
I feel honoured to have been able to read such an intimate, gut-wrenchingly honest account of a family’s struggle with war, statelessness, border politics, and the weight of experience itself.
Cried profusely, no notes.
Cried profusely, no notes.
July 30, 2024
This memoir written by an established journalist follows the lived experiences of a Somali-British refugee. Tracing the political through the personal, and the collective through the intimate, Mohdin illustrates the ongoing struggles with her past and the lack of belonging she receives in contemporary Britain. In particular, this book documents the author's thinking on the topic as well as the conversations she held with her parents trying to dig into her own heritage and family history. Following Mohdin across time and place - both literally and figuratively, the book is structured around the different stages of the refugee experience. Altogether, this is a fascinating work which manages to intersect personal reflection with journalistic investigation.
July 30, 2024
3.5* but rounded up because I've never read a non-fiction account of a refugee or about Somali hence needing to appreciate this gem (as well as all the many great authors and poets the author includes such as Viet Thanh Nguyen). It would have received a further * if there were photos. The author encounters photographers in Mogadishu but didn't add any photos of all the beautiful and fascinating scenery she describes. In fiction I'm happy to use my imagination but for non-fiction i would rather see what the author is seeing, whether it's Italian colonial architecture, hipster cafes (they have a big coffee culture) or beaches.
Chapter 1: A Fine Line
The first thing I'm going to take from this is that human kindness is part of us. That hatred or indifference to suffering is harder when faced with a refugee directly in front of you rather than statistics in a tabloid. No different to witnessing lambs being slaughtered rather than seeing them in sanitised packages in a supermarket.
"She was then put on a coach, but she didn't know where it went. It was there that she met a young Indian man. 'I spoke to him in Hindi and told him what happened. I said I was caught be border guards and needed to return to my family in Holland. I told him I didn't have any money or food on me,' she says.
The man, who looked about twenty-four years old, told her to get off the bus and took her to a nearby cafe. He bought her food and drink, which she wolfed down. He then scolded her. "He said, "When you're pregnant, you shouldn't travel long distances without any food for yourself and your baby." He gave her money to use a payphone and call her family.
The Indian man paid for a ticket to get her on a train that would take her to the Netherlands. He took her to the train station.
Chapter 2: When Faatma Met Mohamed
Aamna Mohdin shreds the stereotypical image that the West has of women from developing countries, particularly of Muslim heritage. Her parents, Faatma and Mohamed have a loving relationship where they laugh constantly and Faatma, a "do-not-mess-with-me" bada$$ always has the last word. This chapter shares some of their love story.
Faatma is Yemeni on her mother's side (Arab) and Somali on her father's side and thus speaks both languages fluently. Her father was living in India, when Indra Ghandi was assassinated.
This chapter explores the changes brought by the new revolutionary government leading to the civil war that engulfs Somalia.
Chapter 3: The Great Escape
Explores the collapse of Said Barre, the former commander of the Somali National Army, who becomes the president of Somalia after the 1969 coup d'état that overthrew the Somali Republic. He was initially a Marxist–Leninist who had adopted scientific socialism (with support from the Soviet Union). He had brough in many popular reforms that allowed Somalia to flourish. But in 1977, he started the Ogaden War against the Derg in Ethopia, against the advise of the Soviet Union. Upon losing that war he pivots away from the Soviet Union and turns to the USA, which leads to inequality and corruption.
Chapter 4: The Making of a Refugee
This chapter starts with the funny account of how Somalians give each other funny nicknames e.g. Faatma's nickname is John because she had a crush on a man named John.
This details the account of the family applying for asylum and being rejected.
Chapter 5: The Separation
Details the account of how the author had to pretend her aunt was her mother so that she could remain in Saudi Arabia while her mother was deported to Kenya.
Chapter 6: Finally in Europe
The long journey to the UK. They first land in Germany in 1998 and then after many attempts manage to reunite in the UK after years of being apart.
Chapter 7: A Journey Back in Time
The author finally goes back to Somalia to understand her roots. And discovers how Somalia is a Nation of Poets
Chapter 8: You Were Once Amina
The author's name had been changed at some point. She explores how it feels to try and reclaim her original name.
Chapter 9: Lunch with the Youth of Mogadishu
Explores the women's football team, the experiences of the youth in Mogadishu including the terrorist attacks and the losing the use of one's mother tongue called "first language attrition" which Monika Schmid of the University of Essex is the leading researcher on this field.
Chapter 10: The Permeance of Exile
Explore Harmar Weyne where the author's father has renovated the house and he and Faatma lived in when they first were married. More of the diaspora who left are returning, hoping to transform the country.
Chapter 11: The Past Isn't Dead
The author visits a coastal town called Malindi, where the Italians once launched their satellites from. The Ngomeni beach is considered dangerous due to kidnappings and terrorist attacks. Lots of shipwrecked boats scatter the beach.
Chapter 12: Welcome Back to K-Town
The author visits Kakuma refugee camp, where the author had spent part of her childhood and attended school. The contrast of her, a UK citizen and the refugees is very sad.
Chapter 13: Girlhood on Two Fronts
The struggles of fitting in and navigating her identities.
Chapter 14: Black and British
Accepting her Black British identity and racism in the UK (the rise and fall of the BNP) as well as gaining British citizenship (the meaning of being Stateless to being a citizen of one of the richest countries in the world).
Chapter 15: The Trauma that Binds Us
Her mother's panic attacks and the trauma they both share.
Chapter 16: We Were Girls Together
The other thing I learned from this book is that women who are denied stability and education seem to have a lot of children. Whether it's the author's mother or the author's childhood friend, who had 3 children while living in a refugee camp and then another while being resettled in The Netherlands. And she's barely 30 years old. In contrast the author is hoping to pursue her career before considering children. This isn't said in judgement against refugees. I've noticed this with my own family who arrived to the UK as first generation immigrants
Part One
Chapter 1: A Fine Line
The first thing I'm going to take from this is that human kindness is part of us. That hatred or indifference to suffering is harder when faced with a refugee directly in front of you rather than statistics in a tabloid. No different to witnessing lambs being slaughtered rather than seeing them in sanitised packages in a supermarket.
"She was then put on a coach, but she didn't know where it went. It was there that she met a young Indian man. 'I spoke to him in Hindi and told him what happened. I said I was caught be border guards and needed to return to my family in Holland. I told him I didn't have any money or food on me,' she says.
The man, who looked about twenty-four years old, told her to get off the bus and took her to a nearby cafe. He bought her food and drink, which she wolfed down. He then scolded her. "He said, "When you're pregnant, you shouldn't travel long distances without any food for yourself and your baby." He gave her money to use a payphone and call her family.
The Indian man paid for a ticket to get her on a train that would take her to the Netherlands. He took her to the train station.
Chapter 2: When Faatma Met Mohamed
Aamna Mohdin shreds the stereotypical image that the West has of women from developing countries, particularly of Muslim heritage. Her parents, Faatma and Mohamed have a loving relationship where they laugh constantly and Faatma, a "do-not-mess-with-me" bada$$ always has the last word. This chapter shares some of their love story.
Faatma is Yemeni on her mother's side (Arab) and Somali on her father's side and thus speaks both languages fluently. Her father was living in India, when Indra Ghandi was assassinated.
This chapter explores the changes brought by the new revolutionary government leading to the civil war that engulfs Somalia.
Chapter 3: The Great Escape
Explores the collapse of Said Barre, the former commander of the Somali National Army, who becomes the president of Somalia after the 1969 coup d'état that overthrew the Somali Republic. He was initially a Marxist–Leninist who had adopted scientific socialism (with support from the Soviet Union). He had brough in many popular reforms that allowed Somalia to flourish. But in 1977, he started the Ogaden War against the Derg in Ethopia, against the advise of the Soviet Union. Upon losing that war he pivots away from the Soviet Union and turns to the USA, which leads to inequality and corruption.
Chapter 4: The Making of a Refugee
This chapter starts with the funny account of how Somalians give each other funny nicknames e.g. Faatma's nickname is John because she had a crush on a man named John.
This details the account of the family applying for asylum and being rejected.
Chapter 5: The Separation
Details the account of how the author had to pretend her aunt was her mother so that she could remain in Saudi Arabia while her mother was deported to Kenya.
Chapter 6: Finally in Europe
The long journey to the UK. They first land in Germany in 1998 and then after many attempts manage to reunite in the UK after years of being apart.
Part Two
Chapter 7: A Journey Back in Time
The author finally goes back to Somalia to understand her roots. And discovers how Somalia is a Nation of Poets
Chapter 8: You Were Once Amina
The author's name had been changed at some point. She explores how it feels to try and reclaim her original name.
Chapter 9: Lunch with the Youth of Mogadishu
Explores the women's football team, the experiences of the youth in Mogadishu including the terrorist attacks and the losing the use of one's mother tongue called "first language attrition" which Monika Schmid of the University of Essex is the leading researcher on this field.
Chapter 10: The Permeance of Exile
Explore Harmar Weyne where the author's father has renovated the house and he and Faatma lived in when they first were married. More of the diaspora who left are returning, hoping to transform the country.
Chapter 11: The Past Isn't Dead
The author visits a coastal town called Malindi, where the Italians once launched their satellites from. The Ngomeni beach is considered dangerous due to kidnappings and terrorist attacks. Lots of shipwrecked boats scatter the beach.
Chapter 12: Welcome Back to K-Town
The author visits Kakuma refugee camp, where the author had spent part of her childhood and attended school. The contrast of her, a UK citizen and the refugees is very sad.
Part Three
Chapter 13: Girlhood on Two Fronts
The struggles of fitting in and navigating her identities.
Chapter 14: Black and British
Accepting her Black British identity and racism in the UK (the rise and fall of the BNP) as well as gaining British citizenship (the meaning of being Stateless to being a citizen of one of the richest countries in the world).
Chapter 15: The Trauma that Binds Us
Her mother's panic attacks and the trauma they both share.
Chapter 16: We Were Girls Together
The other thing I learned from this book is that women who are denied stability and education seem to have a lot of children. Whether it's the author's mother or the author's childhood friend, who had 3 children while living in a refugee camp and then another while being resettled in The Netherlands. And she's barely 30 years old. In contrast the author is hoping to pursue her career before considering children. This isn't said in judgement against refugees. I've noticed this with my own family who arrived to the UK as first generation immigrants
February 17, 2026
I found this to be an incredibly thought-provoking book, about a subject I shamefully had previously known nothing at all about.
Aamna Mohdin tells her family's story alongside the story of the residents of the Calais refugee camps with such a gentle hand, even though she covers such brutal topics.
How do you keep your identity when you've had to change parts of it so many times?
This was beautiful.
Aamna Mohdin tells her family's story alongside the story of the residents of the Calais refugee camps with such a gentle hand, even though she covers such brutal topics.
How do you keep your identity when you've had to change parts of it so many times?
This was beautiful.
January 24, 2026
This book should be compulsory reading for all those who speak disparagingly about refugees. The difficulties and separations that the author's family faced in firstly escaping from the war in Somalia , then when they were in Saudi Arabia and Kenya are unsettling to say the least. How they came through it to eventually settle in London, a move that again involved separation, is nothing short of miraculous.
I was aware of the author as a journalist before I read this but it has opened my eyes to what it is like to be a refugee and to some extent what it is like to be non-white and British. I have nothing but admiration for the author and her family
I was aware of the author as a journalist before I read this but it has opened my eyes to what it is like to be a refugee and to some extent what it is like to be non-white and British. I have nothing but admiration for the author and her family
October 1, 2024
Amazing! Amazing! A must read !!!!
May 27, 2024
Scattered is a bittersweet memoir about the refugee experience, and an honest and thought-provoking exploration of how it shapes a family and a girlhood.
Mohdin takes a sensitive and considered approach to her subject matter, starting with a brief history of the Somali Civil War and her family's flight from Mogadishu. It's a deeply personal story, but always carefully contextualised by time and place, and the views and experiences of others. Mohdin approaches every stage of her journey with a warmth, honesty and understanding that celebrates the complexity of experience, and as a reader I felt like I was right there with her every step of the way.
Thoughtful and compassionate, brave and vulnerable, Scattered feels like a very special autobiography.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
Mohdin takes a sensitive and considered approach to her subject matter, starting with a brief history of the Somali Civil War and her family's flight from Mogadishu. It's a deeply personal story, but always carefully contextualised by time and place, and the views and experiences of others. Mohdin approaches every stage of her journey with a warmth, honesty and understanding that celebrates the complexity of experience, and as a reader I felt like I was right there with her every step of the way.
Thoughtful and compassionate, brave and vulnerable, Scattered feels like a very special autobiography.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
March 14, 2026
Read with @Shelterbox Book Club.
A wonderful book about the personal experience of being ‘Scattered’ tells the moving, shocking and poignant story of the writer whose family was displaced and scattered from Somalia.
We get the statistics of wholesale tragedy through flooding, earthquakes, war, on our tv screens sadly, all too frequently. But in this story we are privileged to read about the courage, determination and resilience of individuals within the population who help and support each other and their small…and big triumphs. We are taken by Aamna from Somalia, to Germany and to the UK. And become increasingly aware of what it is to ‘lose’ ourselves, our friends, our past and our culture when we are offered a safe place, despite the relief of being taken in. The NHS incident towards to end is one which teaches us a lot about this.
A wonderful book about the personal experience of being ‘Scattered’ tells the moving, shocking and poignant story of the writer whose family was displaced and scattered from Somalia.
We get the statistics of wholesale tragedy through flooding, earthquakes, war, on our tv screens sadly, all too frequently. But in this story we are privileged to read about the courage, determination and resilience of individuals within the population who help and support each other and their small…and big triumphs. We are taken by Aamna from Somalia, to Germany and to the UK. And become increasingly aware of what it is to ‘lose’ ourselves, our friends, our past and our culture when we are offered a safe place, despite the relief of being taken in. The NHS incident towards to end is one which teaches us a lot about this.
February 11, 2026
Scattered is a well written and important memoir/history that delves into the difficulties of life as a refugee and issues surrounding that. The trauma, loss of identity and family upheaval. The author skilfully combines personal memories with political history, following Mohdin’s family story, and that of her relatives, friends and others she interviews through the lens of the Somalian civil war. Displacement and the refugee experience are discussed up to the present day. Mohdin’s writing is clear and precise, striking a balance between journalistic accuracy and lyrical reflection, and an examination of Somali literature. All the people mentioned including the author herself, are portrayed with openness , a stark honesty, depth and empathy.
Scattered is moving story that needs to be told. It’s a testament to resilience, memory, and the enduring pull of home, insightful, and well structured. What I admired most was its balance: it is both deeply personal and political, the trauma associated with survivor syndrome perhaps understated but the anger is there along with tenderness and analysis at the same turn. Aamna never simplifies or excuses her story or her heritage, and that complexity makes this book all the more impactful. A solid 5 stars.
#shelterboxbookclub
Scattered is moving story that needs to be told. It’s a testament to resilience, memory, and the enduring pull of home, insightful, and well structured. What I admired most was its balance: it is both deeply personal and political, the trauma associated with survivor syndrome perhaps understated but the anger is there along with tenderness and analysis at the same turn. Aamna never simplifies or excuses her story or her heritage, and that complexity makes this book all the more impactful. A solid 5 stars.
#shelterboxbookclub
July 6, 2024
Absolutely incredible. I hardly have words for it, but I’ll try. This is beautiful and powerful memoir that tells the story of a family and a country that is worth telling a thousand times over. I learned so much and the book also does a great serve to society by showing, with such compassion, the lives of people before and after their identities get flattened into the status of refugee. This story is also filled with joy and laughter. I loved this book so much.
February 16, 2026
Outstanding. I don't read much non-fiction but this autobiography is up there, for me, with Jeanette Winterton's 'Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?'. A search for identity and connection following the Somalian civil war. If you've ever wondered why asylum seekers risk their lives by trying to reach safety on overcrowded boats, read this book. Very well-written, readable and moving. I think the author's journey, both geographically and internally, would translate really well to film. This book touched me deeply, and I can't recommend it highly enough.
February 15, 2026
Just devoured this- easily accessible, engaging writing but also heartbreaking- makes me feel we as humanity have lost our way in identifying and supporting refugees how do we do more and stop this endlessly worsening cycle of hate in the UK right now?
February 20, 2026
3.5 stars - struggled to engage at points
July 21, 2024
A beautiful and illuminating book. It’s a gift to be able to accompany such an engaging, empathetic writer on a deeply personal journey to understand her own experience and identity. Highly recommend.
January 20, 2026
At times this is a difficult harrowing read but in other parts it is joyful and uplifting. It is certainly thought provoking and I learned so much about refugee experiences and difficulties and how these are glossed over and ignored. Highly recommend
February 15, 2026
Oh my god what a fantastic book. So hopeful and joyful, while painting a realistic and truthful picture of being a refugee. Beautifully written with so much to learn. Highly recommend.
February 20, 2026
A very interesting, true account of life as a refugee child told through her own and her parents' experiences alongside the people interviewed whilst revisiting her past.
A fascinating insight into a life so many people are living and many of us will never understand.
Read through Shelterbox Bookclub
A fascinating insight into a life so many people are living and many of us will never understand.
Read through Shelterbox Bookclub
June 2, 2025
Nicely written personal memoir of the events of Ammina’s childhood as a
Somalian refugee. Highlights the plight of all refugees and the displacement from their homeland. And how they can struggle to assimilate into their new homes and the prejudices they face. An important record and a deep wish from me that the western world would be more sympathetic to a refugees struggle
Somalian refugee. Highlights the plight of all refugees and the displacement from their homeland. And how they can struggle to assimilate into their new homes and the prejudices they face. An important record and a deep wish from me that the western world would be more sympathetic to a refugees struggle
January 29, 2026
So honest, visceral and moving. This book will stay with me for a long time.
August 31, 2025
This is an essential read—I want everyone to experience it. It's a deeply honest account of the struggles faced by those who are displaced and the lasting impact this has on individuals and families. How brave her parents were (and had to be) stands out powerfully throughout.
The book sheds light on the harsh realities of seeking asylum when there are no legal pathways, the immense challenges of settling in a new country, and the ongoing search for belonging. I appreciate how we come to know not just the author, but also her parents personalities and the people who crossed their paths, some of whom offered help and compassion. This renews my faith in humanity.
The storytelling is vivid and evocative—it made me want to visit Somalia myself. One thing that struck me, and that I hadn't fully considered before reading Scattered, is the experience of children who grow up in safety, yet feel disconnected both from their heritage and the country they now live in. The emotional support needed by those from different cultural backgrounds is sorely lacking, and this book highlights that gap with clarity.
By the end, I wasn't sure what to feel. The journey stirred so many emotions—hope, anger, sadness, admiration. The world it portrays is undeniably cruel: marked by racism, corruption, profiteering, and political inaction. The injustice is overwhelming—calling it unfair feels like an understatement.
The book sheds light on the harsh realities of seeking asylum when there are no legal pathways, the immense challenges of settling in a new country, and the ongoing search for belonging. I appreciate how we come to know not just the author, but also her parents personalities and the people who crossed their paths, some of whom offered help and compassion. This renews my faith in humanity.
The storytelling is vivid and evocative—it made me want to visit Somalia myself. One thing that struck me, and that I hadn't fully considered before reading Scattered, is the experience of children who grow up in safety, yet feel disconnected both from their heritage and the country they now live in. The emotional support needed by those from different cultural backgrounds is sorely lacking, and this book highlights that gap with clarity.
By the end, I wasn't sure what to feel. The journey stirred so many emotions—hope, anger, sadness, admiration. The world it portrays is undeniably cruel: marked by racism, corruption, profiteering, and political inaction. The injustice is overwhelming—calling it unfair feels like an understatement.
December 2, 2025
An interesting read about displacement, family and love.
January 21, 2026
I really struggled with the first part of this book, and was going to give it two stars initially. Inconsistent writing (names spelled one way on one page, another way on the next), muddled up tenses (jumping from the present to the past, and back again, within one paragraph), history of Somalia mixed up with personal reflection, dotted with Americanisms when there wasn’t a US person speaking, etc. I love to learn about the history of a country, and I don’t know very much about Somalia at all - it was interesting, but I felt that the author should have decided what kind of book she was writing and stuck to it, or divided it into two clear parts, or something. The second and third parts, which were much more about the author’s experiences and consisted of much more personal reflection, were easier to read, however, and I enjoyed them much more. I did wonder why her name was changed, and never found out - although I don’t think she knows herself, to be fair. Also, there was very little mention of her husband. He gets a mention once or twice, and is thanked in the acknowledgements (his family too), but that’s it. Did she deal with all this trauma on her own? Does he work? What does he do? Is he white, Black, Asian? His name (Chris) suggests he’s white, but we never find out. Maybe he didn’t want to be mentioned, but it seems a significant omission from the narrative for me. My husband has been an integral part of my life, and supported me through the trauma of my stroke and the recovery. The author’s family is clearly very important to her, but her husband barely gets a mention. Finally, I found the section on mental health very interesting (ch. 15 - The Trauma That Binds Us) as I have studied counselling and worked for a mental health charity. It deals with the shortcomings of CBT (which I’ve experienced myself!) and how mental health is viewed differently in different cultures, and the importance of family, religion/faith, and spirituality. In summary, this book was hard going overall, and not very engaging, which is why I’ve only given it three stars. Interestingly, the same night I finished it, I was watching Lucy Worsley’s Victorian Murder Club on TV, which featured a Somali-British novelist (Nadifa Mohamed) who’s mentioned in the book. I hadn’t heard of her until she’s mentioned as one of the authors whose work Aamna Mohdin loves, and wouldn’t have looked her up if she’d not then appeared on TV the same night!
February 19, 2026
Aamna is a Somali, arrived in the UK aged 7. She has a successful education, is literary minded, read Austen at 13, and becomes a journalist on Quartz, then the Guardian. She is posted to the Jungle camp in Calais, is mistaken for a refugee, then becomes a key correspondent on refugee issues. But she has blanked out her own child experiences as a refugee from Somalia, and persuades her parents to recount their own take on escape and survival, as she seeks to create a firm identity for herself. It is not a full memoir, but a focussed account of this search, though told non linearly.
She has a potted history of Somalia, then her parents’ experiences of the war. They move around to distant relatives for safety, always threatened by militias, nearly separated several times. Then they escape in a boat to Kenya, and stay in an overcrowded camp. She and mother go to Jeddah, undocumented. Her mother is expelled for year when Aamna was 4 . She was obliged to say “ she is not my mother “ so she is not taken by officials. They are in several camps in Kenya.
She has no memories of her dad before Europe. They arrive in UK, unofficially, but are given leave to remain and eventual citizenship.
The book is rich on family relations, the classic wide network of cousins who help her parents, and is richly descriptive of her parents and their joshing relationship, but very thin on her brothers and her husband, barely mentioned. She decides to return to Mogadishu but doesn’t really know why. She finds out about country culture herself. She visits dad’s hotel, the last trace of prior life, they were well off before civil war .
She discusses language attrition, she had largely lost Somali, and the impact of her new life in England wiping her recollections, except a camp friend Fatima, who she eventually rediscovers. She has therapy at uni but it doesn’t greatly help her. After the visit to Mogadishu, she identifies as both Black British and British Somali, and finally feels she has recreated a firm identity.
It’s an interesting and very positive tale of the immigrant experience. It benefits from her talents as an inquisitive journalist, and is written in a journalistic style.
I had this from the Shelterbox book group, part of a UK based disaster relief charity.
February 16, 2026
A really fascinating and revelatory account of the author exploring her own legacy of being a refugee child from the Somalian civil war. She grew up in the UK, and it's her journey as an adult to rediscover the story of her parents life in Somalia, their subsequent life in a refugee camp and escape to a safer life. As a journalist she has felt a need to interrogate her past, interviews her family to develop her own sense of self, with all the attendant complexities and traumas that come with losing part of your childhood - her own initial first language got lost growing up - and how that impacted her relationship with her parents growing up. It's a very open and reflexive account of her journey as she details the minutae of interviewing her own parents, and the difficulties she had of only being able to ask certain questions, or take certain steps when she was ready. Journalistic tendencies often coming up against walls of anxieties.
It's a deeply compelling and intimately personal account as she also considers her life as a Black Briton, as a British-Somali citizen, and how those identities have developed over time, facing various challenges, and not least the threat of ongoing tensions with local racists in the UK - a sadly ongoing and very relevant issue still today. Stories like these are vital within that broader need to humanise the news coverage of the reality of refugee life, and the very real dangers and traumas encountered. There but for the grace of god, the author could easily have been one of the hundreds or thousands who have died trying to escape wars and persecution.
Opening up stories like this ought to help understanding and compassion spread for others facing these dilemmas.
It's a deeply compelling and intimately personal account as she also considers her life as a Black Briton, as a British-Somali citizen, and how those identities have developed over time, facing various challenges, and not least the threat of ongoing tensions with local racists in the UK - a sadly ongoing and very relevant issue still today. Stories like these are vital within that broader need to humanise the news coverage of the reality of refugee life, and the very real dangers and traumas encountered. There but for the grace of god, the author could easily have been one of the hundreds or thousands who have died trying to escape wars and persecution.
Opening up stories like this ought to help understanding and compassion spread for others facing these dilemmas.
February 17, 2026
An unforgettable and poignant read on the life experience of journalist Aamna Mohdin, who was struck by her own lived history as a Somalian refugee. She set out to explore her family’s troubled past in order to reclaim her present, her Somalian, British and black identity, and what that means for her future. This book is a deep dive in to her experience as well as the accounts from her parents. She leaves no stone unturned and writes with an honesty both heartbreaking and endearing.
Aamna doesn’t shy away from sharing her own doubts and fears. I was in awe at the courageous steps she took in order to discover her past:
- Reliving the refugee experience through her parents eyes, as a witness to their level of sacrifice, sheer terror and survival
- Unlocking deeply repressed memories and attending therapy as part her own healing and learning journey
- Consolidating and clarifying the pieces of this huge life jigsaw by retracing hers and her parents steps back to Somalia and Kenya, including the refugee camp where they stayed
This book was an awakening and I engaged with every part of it from the people, the places, and the time period. The detail depicting Somalia’s modern history taught me in a digestible way, for an anything but easy-to-digest subject. The self reflection was raw and moving, the change as she discovered herself was palpable- I wanted more of this! The anecdotes were everything, from harrowing to heartwarming, I lived through them all.
Being faced with small font and long chapters always intimidates me, so personal preference for a text this emotionally heavy would have been helped with smaller subheadings and sections to break things down.
I am truly grateful to have come across this valuable and important read via Shelterbox Bookclub.
I’ve made a note of some books Aamna mentions which hold meaning for her:
- The return by Hisham Matar
- Small island by Andrea Levy
- Sula by Toni Morrison
Aamna doesn’t shy away from sharing her own doubts and fears. I was in awe at the courageous steps she took in order to discover her past:
- Reliving the refugee experience through her parents eyes, as a witness to their level of sacrifice, sheer terror and survival
- Unlocking deeply repressed memories and attending therapy as part her own healing and learning journey
- Consolidating and clarifying the pieces of this huge life jigsaw by retracing hers and her parents steps back to Somalia and Kenya, including the refugee camp where they stayed
This book was an awakening and I engaged with every part of it from the people, the places, and the time period. The detail depicting Somalia’s modern history taught me in a digestible way, for an anything but easy-to-digest subject. The self reflection was raw and moving, the change as she discovered herself was palpable- I wanted more of this! The anecdotes were everything, from harrowing to heartwarming, I lived through them all.
Being faced with small font and long chapters always intimidates me, so personal preference for a text this emotionally heavy would have been helped with smaller subheadings and sections to break things down.
I am truly grateful to have come across this valuable and important read via Shelterbox Bookclub.
I’ve made a note of some books Aamna mentions which hold meaning for her:
- The return by Hisham Matar
- Small island by Andrea Levy
- Sula by Toni Morrison
March 2, 2026
I was really keen to read this book having worked for an organisation supporting asylum seekers in the past and feeling passionate about the UK having an efficient, caring and supportive system for people fleeing war and persecution, however naive and idealistic that might be. Despite having friends who are refugees I have never felt it right to probe their trauma so this book I hoped would give me a greater degree of understanding. And it did. It finally did - maybe at the end describing the mental health issues that are caused by poverty, racism and the whole system that is as traumatic as the war they fled. It was also helpful to be reminded that last time British fascism arose as the EDL and BNP - they died. Hopefully this current iteration and the horrendous rhetoric in government about migrants will die away too.
Having said all that I didn’t find the book an easy read - and that wasn’t the content - it just didn’t flow for me. I thinking knowing the author was a Guardian journalist I was expecting a well put together read when actually it felt bitty and disconnected and I struggled to engage with it until the end.
Having said all that I didn’t find the book an easy read - and that wasn’t the content - it just didn’t flow for me. I thinking knowing the author was a Guardian journalist I was expecting a well put together read when actually it felt bitty and disconnected and I struggled to engage with it until the end.
March 17, 2026
This was a surprisingly enthralling read for a non fiction book from Shelterbox Book Club. I don't think I'd have necessarily picked it up off the shelf, but the cover is amazing so I may well have done! Shelterbox Book Club is great - you get to vote each month out of 3 books from areas that the Shelterbox charity supports and so by doing so you get to learn about places around the world you may know little about - much as I'm somewhat moritified to say - is relevant for my knowledge of Somalia. Shelterbox then curate events in one week including a Social Media discussion, bookclub chat on Zoom and usually a Q & A with the author which I really enjoying all three of these.
This book which is non-fiction follows Aamna's journey of interviewing her parents to really understand how she came to be living the in the UK. Aamna was born in Somalia, but even before her birth there was signficant political and social unrest which lead to her parents fleeing their homeland. This book depicts the journey her family had to make, at times split up from each other, to get to a place of safety. Aamna write in a journalistic way (which is her "day job" at the Guardian), but it doesn't detract from the pace and narrative of this book. I constantly wanted to read more to make sure people were ok, find out how different people coped with extremely challenging situations.
It's clear this is a "true" story, but the narrative is so compelling, you are driven to find out if everyone is "OK" and it can be hard to put down. I now feel I know a little more about the challenging history of Somalia, which is all too recent for comfort (Aamna's mum is only 5 years older than me I was startled to read) and it's made all the more relevant by being illustrated by the human consequences of political ambitions.
It's a book that in our bookgroup discussion many commented should be required reading for school and it's hard to disagree. With refugees continually being villified for the ills of our society, this really helps shine a light on the fact that we are all just people trying to do the best for our families in often extremely dark times.
Whilst tackling a tough subject matter, I enjoyed reading this, largely down to Aamna's writing style and ability to tell stories and would recommend to anyone! It's an important read.
This book which is non-fiction follows Aamna's journey of interviewing her parents to really understand how she came to be living the in the UK. Aamna was born in Somalia, but even before her birth there was signficant political and social unrest which lead to her parents fleeing their homeland. This book depicts the journey her family had to make, at times split up from each other, to get to a place of safety. Aamna write in a journalistic way (which is her "day job" at the Guardian), but it doesn't detract from the pace and narrative of this book. I constantly wanted to read more to make sure people were ok, find out how different people coped with extremely challenging situations.
It's clear this is a "true" story, but the narrative is so compelling, you are driven to find out if everyone is "OK" and it can be hard to put down. I now feel I know a little more about the challenging history of Somalia, which is all too recent for comfort (Aamna's mum is only 5 years older than me I was startled to read) and it's made all the more relevant by being illustrated by the human consequences of political ambitions.
It's a book that in our bookgroup discussion many commented should be required reading for school and it's hard to disagree. With refugees continually being villified for the ills of our society, this really helps shine a light on the fact that we are all just people trying to do the best for our families in often extremely dark times.
Whilst tackling a tough subject matter, I enjoyed reading this, largely down to Aamna's writing style and ability to tell stories and would recommend to anyone! It's an important read.
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