Michael Ondaatje - "Warlight"

Wonderful story of two children who, left by their parents, find their way through teenage and young adult life with various colourful characters such as the Moth and the Darter. There could have been a bit more about the father, his death was explained away in two sentences when not given any attention. Also, why the infatuation with the mother, and less so the father? Because the mother stayed behind a bit longer? We are foolish as teenagers. We say wrong things, do not know how to be modest, or less shy. We judge easily. But the only hope given us, although only in retrospect, is that we change. We learn, we evolve. What I am now was formed by whatever happened to me then, not by what I havw achieved, but by how I got there. But who did I hurt to get here? Who guided me to something better? Or accepted the few small things I was competent at? Who taught me to laugh as I lied? And who was it made me hesitate about what I had come to believe about the Moth? Who made me move from just an interest in "characters" to what they would do to others? But above all, most of all, how much damage did I do?