A resonant coming-of-age novel, and a story of intergenerational struggle and societal change

Iro left his village to continue his studies in Abidjan. With his friends, Thierry, Malick, and Yeo, they form a happy, resourceful group, doing odd jobs around the neighbourhood. Of all of them, Iro is the most determined and ambitious. 

But when his father dies everything is turned upside down, as he realises how little he knew about his life, his dreams, and his losses. Iro’s certainties collapse, and new, more complex truths emerge that will allow Iro and his friends to chart their path and find reconciliation and peace for themselves and their families. 

A novel that questions the heritage of fathers, the ambition of sons, the divide between the villages and their laws and the freedoms and loneliness of the cities, Falle’s debut is the story of a young man who rises, emancipates himself, and finds his truth. 

"“Fallé’s intergenerational tale of struggle, endurance, and relative success constitutes a very readable and promising entry into the world of francophone African literature.”" - World Literature Today

"“Through simple yet profound writing, Fallé shines a light on inheritance, transmission, and the quest for identity.”" - Afriki Press