by Téa Obreht
First published 2011
When a young doctor's grandfather dies, she becomes obsessed with his final quest: the hunt for "the deathless man," a vagabond claiming immortality. Delving into her family's past, she uncovers a tale of love, loss, and the power of superstition that has shaped their lives. Weaving together folklore and history, this lyrical novel explores how the past can both liberate and entrap us.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, magical-realism, folklore, 21st-century, africa
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, lyrical
Tropes: unreliable-narrator
Setting: Africa
Period: 21st-century
338 pages · Hardcover · Random House