There are countless Black authors in the world writing incredible fiction - but you’d never guess it from British book awards or curriculums.

It wasn’t until 2020 that a Black writer would win a top prize at the British Book awards (when Bernadine Evaristo and Candace Carty-Williams won Author of the Year and Book of the Year, respectively).

Evaristo has said, “we Black British women know that if we don’t write ourselves into literature, no one else will”. But it’s not just for Black writers to put pen to paper; it’s also for readers to seek out their writing, buy their books, and celebrate their names.

So, smash those piggy banks and get down to your local bookshop because here’s a selection of the Harpy team’s favourite novels by Black authors.

Ghana Must Go, by Taiye Selasi

Selasi’s debut novel begins with the death of Kweku Sai, a father and once-celebrated surgeon. This act of departure becomes the centre of the story’s spiral, as the narrative cycles in and out from Kweku’s dying moments to unravel the Sai family history. It soon becomes clear that this is the second abandonment Kweku has inflicted upon them.

Exploring themes of alienation, communication, and male pride, the author dips into the varied experience of each of the Sai children in order to tell a tragic and gripping tale. What’s most impressive about Selasi’s writing is her ability to convey emotional states that her readers, and even the characters themselves, find impossible to put into words.

My Sister the Serial Killer, by Oyinkan Braithwaite

This novel takes the idea of ‘putting family first’ to the next level; in the opening pages the reader meets Korede, a compassionate, family-oriented nurse, as she helps her sister Ayoola clean up the scene of her third murder.

Braithwaite artfully explores a compelling sibling-rivalry through Korede’s internal monologue, which is scrupulously observant on the matter of beauty and oozing with self-comparison. Though Ayoola is a beautiful serial killer, the narrative denies this complex character the usual predictable charisma of a femme fatale. Forget tired tropes like the boring boozy male detective – this is the fresh take on crime fiction you’ve been craving.

The Book of Memory, by Petina Gappah

The story of an albino African woman on death row, this book grapples with how history, opportunity, and memory shape an identity.

There is no clear chronology from the outset, but the novel begins to flow more easily as the narrator gradually recovers her own past. The more peace she finds in the telling of her story, the less disjointed it becomes, and the vivid anecdotes eventually hang together in a series of carefully crafted insights into a life misunderstood. This is an unusual novel which explores the idea of redemption, and begs not to be forgotten.

An Orchestra of Minorities, by Chigozie Obioma

Chigozie Obioma’s second novel is a loosely based retelling of Homer’s Odyssey, but in the mythic style of the Igbo tradition.

The novel’s hero, Chinonso, undertakes an epic journey, narrated by his Chi. In Igbo culture, the Chi is the personal spirit of a person which determines that person’s destiny. Told with a mixture of English, Igbo and colourful African-English phrases, An Orchestra of Minorities addresses themes of class, race, love, mythology and friendship. It is an uneasy and heartbreaking story that really challenges your perception of destiny. This novel will transport you into another world as you cross both Nigeria and Cyprus with Chinonso (and his Chi) on a quest for love.

Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison

“I remember that I am invisible and walk softly so as not to awaken the sleeping ones. Sometimes it is best not to awaken them; there are few things in the world as dangerous as sleep-walkers.”

Ralph Ellison’s ‘Invisible Man’ is a modern classic. Published in 1952, it is written from the perspective of an un-named Black man whose attempts to navigate the world are marked by racial discrimination and systemic oppression. A powerful read, this novel explores the concepts of invisibility, blindness, and the Black/White binary in a visceral and compelling way.

Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche

Narrated in a series of flashbacks from a Black hair salon, Americanah is a story about love, language, and identity. Ifemelu, born in Nigeria, didn’t know she was Black until she came to America, where she finds herself continuously crammed into boxes that don’t quite fit.

Adiche’s clear and unflinching voice rings through Americanah, offering a vital commentary on Western attitudes towards race and gender. Her perceptive and compassionate rendering of character makes for a compelling novel that will leave you thinking about the notion of belonging, and feeling nostalgic for home.

Underground Railroad, by Colson Whitehead (Bonus Addition!)

This bonus recommendation is adapted from our list of 6 Bedside Table Books for 2019.

Whitehead’s Pulitzer prize-winning novel will take you along the long road to freedom. This is the harrowing story of those who battled to escape the American slave trade.

Written in second person narrative, you can’t help but devour the story with compassion, as the ripe history is retold and punctuated by personal anecdotes. What makes this novel stand apart from other narratives of slavery is the meta-literary comment it makes on the power of language.

Against all odds, Whitehead’s characters find redemption in words: a hidden book that provides hope; language lessons that kickstart a career; and “the shaky footing of every new word [forming] an unknown territory to struggle through letter by letter”. Underground Railroad is a fast-paced journey of self-discovery, frustration and strength in the face of villainy.

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Title image by Morgane Sanglier.