Dealing with the Dead

From one of Africa's most celebrated novelists comes a ghostly reckoning with Congolese history. Dealing with the Dead follows Liwa Ekimakingaï, abruptly deceased at the age of twenty-four and trapped in Frère Lachaise cemetery, where he encounters other residents each with their own memories of life and death. Refusing to relinquish his bond with the living, Liwa returns to Pointe-Noire to see his devoted grandmother one last time, even as rumours swirl and his memories of his final night blur. This phantasmagorical tale of ambition, community and forces beyond human control offers a sharp, compassionate satire on corruption and political violence, and marks the work of one of the foremost chroniclers of modern Central Africa. Translated from French by Helen Stevenson, the novel measures 207 pages and is available in paperback.

The book has been described as exuberant and damning, frequently funny and always perceptive. Critics have highlighted its satire of political hypocrisy and its humane portrayal of those caught in the web of power, making it a standout example of contemporary African fiction.

Kenmerken

• Ghostly tale in Frère Lachaise cemetery
• Liwa seeks truth about his death
• Satire on corruption and political violence
• Translated from French by Helen Stevenson
• 207 pagina's, Paperback
• Verhaal speelt in Pointe-Noire en Congo-Kinshasa