Despite its role in the fight for Kenya's independence and the post-colonial struggles for liberation, Mathare's story is often overlooked. As Gathanga writes in his book, most people outside the settlement associate the name Mathare with the mental hospital bordering the settlement. For others, their narrative of Mathare is one of pity, considering that the place is known to house the urban poor. But Gathanga's story of Mathare is different. As he writes, this book is a counter-narrative of Mathare and one written from a proud insider perspective. It is refreshing to have a retelling of Mathare’s story, especially one from an insider's view. When people tell their own stories, they get to rewrite their history, and this is evident in Gathanga's book. Getting to tell our own stories also moves us from the objects of our story to the subjects. It prevents us from being othered in our history. Gathanga’s book offers the untold story of Mathare, one of Nairobi's most significant informal settlements, unraveling the role of Mathare in the fight for Kenya’s independence and the subsequent betrayals and delayed promises of the post-colonial regimes.