First published 2010
This collection gathers fifteen writers who transform Haiti's neighborhoods into noir landscapes. Each story unfolds in a specific location, from Port-au-Prince streets to rural villages. The contributors include Edwidge Danticat, Madison Smartt Bell, Yanick Lahens, and Gary Victor, among others. They craft tales where characters navigate poverty, violence, and corruption in a country marked by devastating earthquakes and political upheaval. The stories reveal how ordinary Haitians survive in extraordinary circumstances. Despite the harsh realities these writers explore, their prose demonstrates the exceptional quality of contemporary Haitian literature. The collection shows that even in one of the world's most impoverished nations, storytelling flourishes with remarkable skill and insight.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, mystery, crime
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, thought-provoking
Tropes: ordinary-people, survival
Setting: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Period: Contemporary
300 pages · Paperback · Akashic Books, Ltd.
Content warnings: violence