Winner of the International Booker Prize 2021

Alfa Ndiaye is a Senegalese man who finds himself fighting with the French during World War I. When his friend is killed on the battlefield, Alfa cannot find peace.

It’s hard to describe this novel. It is unflinching, hypnotic, and moving. It examines war, colonisation, and masculinity. It’s gruesome, but I also found it tender. It’s so hard to describe – it’s unlike almost anything I’ve read before. I loved Diop’s mesmeric, almost confessional style. Totally worthy of the International Booker. – Luka