The later chapters, set in a military hospital, convey a sense of safety, hope and the possibility of redemption, before cleverly using veiled and ambiguous language to describe the final events, potentially drawing readers to differing conclusions as to what actually took place. The first part of the book depicts the French colonial demonisation of black soldiers and the horror of trench warfare, placing the reader in an uncomfortably tense state, whilst plainly describing the cruelty and barbarity of war and Alfa’s deviant behaviour. The language & translation are exquisite, juxtaposing the horror described. When his friend suffers a terrible death on the battlefield, Alfa is propelled into a depraved search for vengeance and redemption, leaving the reader with an unsettling & confused sense of what it is like to live inside a derailed mind. Wine, Women and WordsĪt Night All Blood is Black takes the reader on an incredible journey inside the mind of a Senegalese soldier (Alfa) fighting alongside his childhood friend in the Great War. Would your reading group like to be involved in upcoming read and review opportunities? Take a look at the noticeboard to see what’s currently available to apply for, and sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about future offers. If you’re discussing any of the shortlisted titles with your reading group, you can use discussion guides for each book provided by the Booker Prize. The winning book was chosen from a shortlist of six books, narrowed down from a longlist of thirteen titles by a judging panel.įollowing the winner announcement, three reading groups have been reading and discussing At Night All Blood is Black.
David Diop is the first French author to win the Prize. In June, the judges of the International Booker Prize chose At Night All Blood Is Black by David Diop, translated by Anna Moschovakis as the winner of the 2021 Prize. The International Booker Prize is awarded annually for a single book, translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland.
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