by
In the aftermath of yet another West African coup, two expatriates face a dangerous new world.
A struggling doctor. An ambitious diplomat. When their lives become entangled with the aspirations of a fleeing war widow and her brother, good intentions meet uncomfortable realities. Meanwhile, under the eye of a military government that mistrusts the West, tension escalates at home, in the hospital, and on the streets of Bamako, in a clash of cultures that threatens both their safety and their precarious relationship.
Set in the tumultuous, conflict-torn Mali of 2022, Malipolitan is a vivid snapshot of post-colonial Bamako: a West African metropolis of dust and hustle, where modern sensibilities meet ancient ones. What follows is a deconstruction of the so-called white savior; a story of obsession, and the cosmopolitan dreams that lead to acts of desperation and violence.
Set at the intersection of medical and political fiction, Malipolitan will appeal to healthcare professionals, those interested in international affairs, and those with affinity for the African continent and culture. Malipolitan is perfect for fans of Half of a Yellow Sun (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) and Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver), as well as creative non-fiction such as Six Months in Sudan (James Maskalyk).
Maybe he had hoped for a different abstraction. That maybe she would say she had absorbed the culture, and the culture had also absorbed her. He folded his arms across his chest.
“Part of me had hoped it was more than that,” he continued. “That Africa was somehow a jewel hidden in sand. But maybe it is just the people, as you say. The danger comes when you try to change the people and the land to put America in its place.”
Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer on Midwestern Book Review wrote:Awarded five stars by the Wishing Shelf Book Awards, Malipolitan is "a character-driven, drama-filled delve into Malian culture. Complex, thought-provoking, and utterly satisfying...a complex story of old customs within a complex culture."
"Libraries and readers will find Malipolitan replete with unforgettable impact and moments that demand the reading go slowly, so as to thoroughly absorb Mali’s lessons on place, people, and love. Malipolitan’s literary, historical, and cultural reflections make it a thoroughly engrossing exploration that will leave readers considering their own vision of Africa, world relationships, and rethinking their inherent prejudices about the continent and Mali in particular."