by David Diop
First published 2021
Alfa Ndiaye has never left his village before he joins the French army as a "Chocolat" soldier in World War I. When his friend Mademba Diop lies dying in No Man's Land, he begs Alfa to end his suffering. Alfa cannot bring himself to kill his friend. This refusal haunts him as madness takes hold. Consumed by guilt and seeking revenge, Alfa begins crossing into enemy territory each night. He hunts blue-eyed German soldiers, kills them, and returns with their severed hands as trophies. His fellow soldiers initially admire his courage, but fear replaces respect as his collection of hands grows. Whispers spread that Alfa is not a war hero but a sorcerer who devours souls. Military officials plot to remove him from the front lines and separate him from his grisly collection. Yet how can anyone control a man who has become something inhuman? Alfa's quest for redemption transforms him into the very demon his comrades believe him to be.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, african-literature, war, military-fiction, psychological-thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Africa, France, No Man's Land
Period: World War I
145 pages · Paperback · Pushkin Press
Content warnings: death, graphic-violence, mental-illness