These 15 African books published since 2020 showcase some of the most compelling contemporary writing from across the continent.

African literature has always given us memorable characters that stick with us long after we’re done reading.

What if African authors used literary devices like this?

A lot can happen in five weeks. I mean life-altering situations, like being a widow one minute and getting married the next.

Buchi Emecheta went from an orphaned girl in Lagos to a librarian, sociologist, novelist, lecturer, and internationally recognised writer.

Sefi Atta turns everyday motions into something remarkable, stories that make you ask what parts of your own life you’ve been overlooking.

Musih Tedji Xaviere is a Cameroonian writer whose quiet confidence, empathy, and belief in overlooked stories mark her as one of African literature’s most promising new voices.

Chika Unigwe’s forte is characterization and code blending. Her characters feel real because their choices are grounded in lived experience. 

Akwaeke Emezi zeichnet sich besonders dadurch aus, vielschichtige und moralisch komplexe Figuren zu erschaffen, und Little Rot bildet dabei keine Ausnahme.

When confronted with evil, some individuals will go to any length to protect themselves and their loved ones by blurring the lines between good and evil. 

The title itself is a plea, a lamentation, a bucket of memories tired of the cycle. A question. An anger. An act of giving up and letting go.