Black Sunday: A Novel

Name: Black Sunday: A Novel
Author: Tola Rotimi Abraham
ISBN: 9781948226561

by Tola Rotimi Abraham

This fiercely original debut novel follows four Nigerian siblings over the course of two decades as they search for agency, love, and meaning in a society rife with hypocrisy. “. . . lush, sharp, and shot through with hope!" —Well-Read Black Girl I like the idea of a god who knows what it’s like to be a twin. To have no memory of ever being alone. Twin sisters Bibike and Ariyike are enjoying a relatively comfortable life in Lagos in 1996. Then their mother loses her job due to political strife, and the family, facing poverty, becomes drawn into the New Church, an institution led by a charismatic pastor who is not shy about worshipping earthly wealth. Soon Bibike and Ariyike’s father wagers the family home on a “sure bet” that evaporates like smoke.…

Recommended by

NPR Books We Love

"Some novels dig into your soul and stay there. This is one of them. With a deceptively simple plot about four siblings coming of age in Nigeria, Black Sunday lulls you into a false sense of security before dragging you through a world of poverty, death, abuse and heartbreak. Luckily, if you survive, there is a lot of love and hope waiting for you on the other side. Black Sunday is so believable it often reads like nonfiction, and that makes it even more powerful. Tola Rotimi Abraham is a great new voice, and this novel will hopefully help her land on many readers’ radars."

NPR Books We Love — 2020 · apps.npr.org