Bernardine Evaristo - Girl, Woman, Other (2019)
Joint Winner of the Man Booker Prize 2019 ‘ Girl, Woman, Other’ is a collection of stories celebrating modern Britain and black womanhood.
It follows the lives and struggles of twelve different characters, mostly women, black and British, waving through changes, victories and loss.
A triumph for a feminist, queer and race represented narrative.
A colourful representation of what it means to be a black woman.
Caleb Azumah Nelson - Open Water (2021)
South East London, two black British young people.
Two struggling artists, he a photographer, she a dancer - trying to make their mark in a city that by turns celebrate and rejects them.
They fall in love, destined to be together but constantly being put at risk by violence and fear.
A brilliant debut novel, despite its short length it brings an impactful impression on the reader. Exploring identity, the trauma of racism, police brutality and the agonising numbing feeling of not being seen, only perceived as black to the eyes of others.
Such an important read to better understand the feelings and struggles black people constantly have to face in a world that keeps on trying to forget them.
Damian Barr - You Will Be Safe Here (2019)
Set in South Africa, it reveals legacies of abuse and redemption exploring the extraordinary strength of the human spirit. It entangles two stories in two timelines between darkness and light.
One is set in 1901 at the height of the second Boer War, where a mother and her six-year-old son are welcomed by invaders in a concentration farm camp.
The other set in 2010 follows the story of a queer boy sent to a camp where they are ‘ proud to turn boys into men’.
Important and hauntingly story of South African history that shines a light on Britain’s brutal colonialist regime.
Recommend your favourite ones in the comments below
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