by Derek Owusu
First published 2022
Tyler, a young British-Ghanaian writer, confronts the silences in his family history. When he discovers an old photograph and fragmented letters from his birth mother, he begins reconstructing the narrative of his own origins. His search leads him through London's complex immigrant neighborhoods, uncovering layers of migration, trauma, and unspoken cultural transitions. Each document and conversation reveals another fractured piece of his personal history—challenging his understanding of family, belonging, and self-narrative. Tyler must decide whether to pursue the complete truth or accept the incomplete stories that have shaped his life.
Genres: literary-fiction, african-literature, british-literature, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Ghana, London
Period: 21st-century
160 pages · Hardcover · Canongate Books Ltd.