At Night All Blood Is Black

Winner of the Prix Goncourt in 2018, At Night All Blood Is Black follows Alfa Ndiaye, a young Senegalese soldier who fights in the trenches of the First World War alongside the French army. Haunted by the death of his childhood friend Mademba, Alfa is driven to an obsessive and dangerous quest that pushes him far beyond the limits of ordinary courage. Written in spare, intense prose, the novel explores friendship, memory, and the brutal toll of war on those who fought it.

David Diop's short, powerful novel will appeal to readers of historical fiction and literary war stories, and to anyone interested in the African soldiers who served in the European conflict and whose experiences were long overlooked. Its brevity makes it a rewarding choice for readers who want a deeply affecting book that lingers long after the last page.