5 African books published this August you should shelf
From the pile of books published this month, here are five written by Africans we think you should check out for your reading pleasures.
In no particular order:
1. “The Death of Vivek Oji” by Akwaeke Emezi (Riverhead Books)
On the 4th of August, 2020, Akwaeke Emezi gifted the world their third book — The Death of Vivek Oji. In less than two weeks after publication, the novel became a New York Times Best-seller and the author’s first book to be on NYT’s best-selling list.
The Death of Vivek Oji follows the story of the aftermath of a mother losing her son in a strange manner.
Synopsis: One afternoon, in a town in southeastern Nigeria, a mother opens her front door to discover her son’s body, wrapped in colorful fabric, at her feet. What follows is the tumultuous, heart-wrenching story of one family’s struggle to understand a child whose spirit is both gentle and mysterious. Raised by a distant father and an understanding but overprotective mother, Vivek suffers disorienting blackouts, moments of disconnection between self and surroundings. As adolescence gives way to adulthood, Vivek finds solace in friendships with the warm, boisterous daughters of the Nigerwives, foreign-born women married to Nigerian men. But Vivek’s closest bond is with Osita, the worldly, high-spirited cousin whose teasing confidence masks a guarded private life. As their relationship deepens — and Osita struggles to understand Vivek’s escalating crisis — the mystery gives way to a heart-stopping act of violence in a moment of exhilarating freedom.
If you’ve read Emezi’s debut, Freshwater, then you should know this won’t be any less beautiful.
2. “Ikenga” by Nnedi Okorafor (Viking Books)
Nnedi Okorafor is back again with another with another stunning YA novel, Ikenga. Ikenga is the 18th published book of the multi-award winning SciFi and Africanfuturism writer, Nnedi Okorafor.
It is a story of vengeance, but there is more.
Synopsis: Nnamdi’s father was a good chief of police, perhaps the best Kalaria had ever had. He was determined to root out the criminals that had invaded the town. But then he was murdered, and most people believed the Chief of Chiefs, most powerful of the criminals, was responsible. Nnamdi has vowed to avenge his father, but he wonders what a twelve-year-old boy can do. Until a mysterious nighttime meeting, the gift of a magical object that enables super powers, and a charge to use those powers for good changes his life forever. How can he fulfill his mission? How will he learn to control his newfound powers?
3. “Aviara: Who will remember you?” by Othuke Ominiabohs (Masobe Books)
Aviara is Ominiabohs’ third novel and the sequel to his second, Odufa. The Guardian describes it as, “Fluid. Magical. Enthralling.”
Synopsis: When twenty-five-year-old Anthony Mukoro returns from the city, to his hometown Aviara, it is with news that shatters the hopes of his retired parents – he is dying. This startling revelation sends his family into a frantic search for answers. But the answers they seek will come at a cost.
To save his life, he must confront forgotten memories from a traumatic experience in his past and a darkness that swells and grows unnoticed within the town. Unknown to Anthony, this begins a journey that will lead him into a dark world of murder and a town’s history steep in blood and shadows.
Aviara explores the complex balance between science and spirituality, fate and ancestry, within the labyrinth of one man’s unravelling reality.
4. “Addis Ababa Noir” edited by Maaza Mengiste (Akaschic Books)
Addis Ababa Noir is an anthology of short stories edited by recently Booker Prize nominee, Maaza Mengiste.
The collection is a continuation of the Akaschic noir anthology series started in 2004, with Brooklyn Noir.
It features stories by Maaza Mengiste, Adam Reta, Mahtem Shiferraw, Linda Yohannes, Sulaiman Addonia, Meron Hadero, Mikael Awake, Lelissa Girma, Rebecca Fisseha, Solomon Hailemariam, Girma T. Fantaye, Teferi Nigussie Tafa, Hannah Giorgis, and Bewketu Seyoum.
5. “Love in Colour” by Bolu Babalola (Headline)
Love in Colour is a collection of short stories by Bolu Babalola. It features adaptations of existing love stories drawn from history, myths, e.t.c.
“So rarely is love expressed this richly, this vividly, or this artfully.” Candice Carty-Williams, author of Queenie and winner, Book of the Year, 2020 British Books Awards comments on the book.
Happy reading!
