Must-Read African Fiction Books For the Second Half of 2024 – WAW Edition

Ikenna ChurchillDecember 12, 20243 Mins read64

The year 2024 has been a great year for African fiction, with the second half shining no less, with narratives powerful, crossing continents, tackling complexities of society, and reflecting on the resilience of the human spirit. Here are some recommendations from us:

1. The Road to the Salt Sea by Samuel Kọ́láwọ́lé

Publication Date: 2nd July 2024

This searing novel tells the story of Able God, a hotel worker whose life spirals out of control after a chance encounter with a sex worker. The Road to the Salt Sea explores migration, survival, and faith from Nigeria to Italy. Samuel Kọ́láwọ́lé delves into the human cost of global inequalities with mastery in this tale that is heart-wrenching and illuminating at once.

2. We Were Once Girls by Aiwanose Odafen

Publication Date: 25th April 2024

This novel is set in post-independence Nigeria and narrates the story of three friends whose relationships are torn by political unrest and personal tragedy. Odafen explores themes of ambition, trauma, and the burden of generationally linked individuals in a country still searching for identity through Ego, Zina, and Eriife.

3. Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Publication Date: 19th March 2024

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, the critically acclaimed author of Ace of Spades, returns with a dark boarding school mystery. When her roommate disappears, Sade Hussein must navigate her grief, secrets, and danger. In contrast, Sleeping Girls Lie is a gripping exploration of loyalty, identity, and the hidden lives within elite spaces.

4. And So I Roar by Abi Daré

Publication Date: 6th August 2024

In this powerful sequel to The Girl with the Louding Voice, Daré weaves the stories of Tia, a woman uncovering family secrets, and Adunni, a runaway teen fighting for girls’ rights. Set in Nigeria, this is a story of courage, advocacy, and transformation through education.

5. The Eternal Ones by Namina Forna

Publication Date: 13th February 2024

The final instalment in the Gilded Ones series sees Deka racing to stop the gods from destroying her world. Namina Forna delivers an epic fantasy filled with high stakes, moral dilemmas, and the ultimate question of what one must sacrifice for power and freedom.

6. Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu

Publication Date: 30th July 2024

Mengestu’s new novel concerns race, immigration, and family in the story of Mamush, a journalist who reconnects with his Ethiopian roots. Someone Like Us spans time and place in its contemplation of belonging and all the secrets we keep.

7. Like Water Like Sea by Olumide Popoola

Publication Date: 28th May 2024

This powerful novel follows Nia, a queer naturopath in London, through her journeys of grief, sexuality, and motherhood. Ranging from decades, Popoola crafts a tender yet raw story of resilience and self-discovery.

8. Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow by Damilare Kuku

Publication Date: 1st July 2024

A witty first novel, Kuku follows beauty standards and family secrets through the tale of Témì, a young Nigerian woman fiercely determined to improve her body. Sharp humour and bold comments- this book is both hilarious and poignant.

9. A Very Gidi Christmas by Tomilola Coco Adeyemo

Publication Date: 28th October 2024

Set against the vibrant chaos of Lagos, this novel is a story of romance, ambition, and secrets buried. The entwined scandals BG Gomez and Kunle Bakare go through form a journey told with heart, humour, and second chances.

10. Besaydoo by Yalie Saweda Kamara

Publication Date: 9th January 2024

Sierra Leonean American poet Yalie Saweda Kamara braids together her Sierra Leonean and Oakland roots in Besaydoo, a stirring homage to home, memory, and Black identity. Winner of the 2023 Jake Adam York Prize, the collection explores themes of belonging through place, people, and language.

Kamara is a 2023 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow and former Cincinnati Poet Laureate. She is also the editor of What You Need to Know About Me and the author of two chapbooks. She has a PhD in Creative Writing and English Literature and teaches at Xavier University.

This list of African stories in 2024 contains genres and perspectives to intrigue every reader. Which of these titles do you have to add to your TBR pile?