Popular books of 2021 by African authors

Featuring The Gilded Ones and My Sister the Serial Killer.

From African Science fiction to the international Booker Prize winners, it should come as no surprise that 2021 has been a great year for African writers and readers. As the year comes to an end, here’s a reminder of some of the books by African authors that made 2021 enjoyable.

My Sister The Serial Killer

Written by Oyinkan Braithewaite, this book is an absolute joy to read even though it’s about murder. And, yes, her sister really is a serial killer.

The opens, as you would expect, with the murder of the narrator’s sister’s third boyfriend.

The Last Villains of Molo

Written by Kenyan author Kinyanjui Kombani, The Last Villains of Molo, is an elaborate revenge story set against the backdrop of the 1991 tribal clashes of Molo.

The Gilded Ones

For fans of the African Fantasy genre and books with girl warriors like The Children of Blood and Bone series, this is one for your bookshelves. Steeped in mythology and culture, the story follows Deka, a girl descended from the feared and abhorred Gilded Ones who must become a warrior in order to survive a world that would not have her otherwise.

At Night All Blood is Black

Although the book was originally published in 2018, in 2021 it won the International Booker Prize making the author David Diop, the first writer of African descent to do so. That feat itself made this book a must-read this year. However, it is not for the faint-hearted. The book tells a harrowing tale by weaving industrial warfare, colonialism, violence, youth and friendship into one heart-wrenching story.

The Blessed Girl

Currently on sale, this novel by Angela Makholwa will give you a new appreciation for sugar babies and if not, at least you’ll laugh while you’re at it. The story revolves around Bontle Tau who has Johannesburg wrapped around her finger. With admirers falling over themselves to pay for her Mercedes, her penthouse, and her Instagrammable holidays, Bontle will have you know that it has not been easy.

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