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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
"At Night All Blood is Black" is a read-in-one-sitting book. It isn't, however, an easy one. You must love war books and stories because some descriptions are explicit. In God's truth, I found it a little repetitive, but since this is a tale of Alfa's trauma, the meandering and stream-of-consciousness narrative is fitting. Lastly, I was surprised by the end, which I did not see coming. Overall, it was a wild reading experience that I only recommend to those who love war novels.
So cool. Really stylish. Felt like it wrapped up a little quickly at the end, with some hanging threads and a late-stage thematic event that didn't feel entirely earned, but still, really engaging. First Saloum, now this. I gotta get into more Senegalese stuff.
it took me a bit of time to get my head around this book, and it was definitely disturbing, but a visceral portrayal of the dehumanisation caused by colonialism and racism
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is one of the most unique novels I've ever read. Diop's approach to the subject and the voice he has crafted for Alfa to tell this story is truly one-of-a-kind. I can absolutely see the influence from the epic oral storytelling traditions in all the rhetorical tricks used to build the tension, and especially the ending, which takes on a mythic quality that leaves the reader with lots to ponder. It is truly a feat of translation that the voice of this novel is so dynamic. I don't frequently read war narratives, especially not those set during World War I, and I was amazed at what I learned about the colonial infantry of African soldiers who fought for the French and this "lost chapter" of the war. If you're very sensitive to gore and graphic depictions of violence, I'd proceed with caution, but I'd highly recommend whether or not you are a frequent reader of "war fiction" as this lends a eye-opening perspective that readers are unlikely to have encountered.
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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The fact that this book won the 2021 #InternationalBookerPrize should have been all the assurances that I needed. However, the very opposite happened. While I continue to look forward to their long lists, neither the #BookerPrize nor the #InternationalBookerPrize had picked a winner that I enjoyed in at least two decades.
At Night All Blood is Black tells the harrowing story of Alfa Ndiaye, a Senegalese who’s sent to the front to fight #WW1 for the French. After his close friend is killed in battle, Alfa loses it and begins sneaking behind enemy lines to torture and kill German soldiers. He collects trophies, too, in the form of severed hands.
Contrary to most reviews, I actually prefer the first half of this book, which is set on the battlefield. Even though his bravery is applauded at first, rumours start to spread that Alfa has gone too far, that he is, in fact, an eater of souls. The military grinds away your humanity, because humanity has no place on the battlefield. Yet, if you embrace your inhumanity and go too far, you are ostracised and deemed ‘too crazy’. Maybe it’s my experience in the army, but I enjoyed the contradictions presented on the page here.
The second half, though, goes completely off the rails. It begins with Alfa’s life back in Senegal, and there are some interesting allegories here, like his father’s speech about peanuts and its not-so-subtle criticism of colonialism. However, the last few chapters truly go off the deep end for Alfa and us, the readers.
There has to be a name for this literary device, but it’s when the writer wants you to know that the protagonist is mad, and he writes like a mad man — in first person. The final chapters are just super rough to get through.
I can’t say that I enjoyed this book very much. Mercifully, the book is short, so the pain doesn’t last.
The fact that this book won the 2021 #InternationalBookerPrize should have been all the assurances that I needed. However, the very opposite happened. While I continue to look forward to their long lists, neither the #BookerPrize nor the #InternationalBookerPrize had picked a winner that I enjoyed in at least two decades.
At Night All Blood is Black tells the harrowing story of Alfa Ndiaye, a Senegalese who’s sent to the front to fight #WW1 for the French. After his close friend is killed in battle, Alfa loses it and begins sneaking behind enemy lines to torture and kill German soldiers. He collects trophies, too, in the form of severed hands.
Contrary to most reviews, I actually prefer the first half of this book, which is set on the battlefield. Even though his bravery is applauded at first, rumours start to spread that Alfa has gone too far, that he is, in fact, an eater of souls. The military grinds away your humanity, because humanity has no place on the battlefield. Yet, if you embrace your inhumanity and go too far, you are ostracised and deemed ‘too crazy’. Maybe it’s my experience in the army, but I enjoyed the contradictions presented on the page here.
The second half, though, goes completely off the rails. It begins with Alfa’s life back in Senegal, and there are some interesting allegories here, like his father’s speech about peanuts and its not-so-subtle criticism of colonialism. However, the last few chapters truly go off the deep end for Alfa and us, the readers.
There has to be a name for this literary device, but it’s when the writer wants you to know that the protagonist is mad, and he writes like a mad man — in first person. The final chapters are just super rough to get through.
I can’t say that I enjoyed this book very much. Mercifully, the book is short, so the pain doesn’t last.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes