Jacaranda - by Gaël Faye (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A major bestseller and prize-winner in France: a young man journeys from Paris to Rwanda to discover the truth about his mother's past and the country of her birth, from the internationally renowned Rwandan-French novelist and hip-hop artist Gaël Faye

"Gaël Faye's talent is breathtaking." --Imbolo Mbue
"A writer of great promise and grace."--Chigozie Obioma

Faced with the prospect of having to repeat a year in school, twelve-year-old Milan tells his mother the first lie he can think of: his bad grades are due to the genocide in Rwanda, his mother's homeland. In reality, he knows little about Rwanda or his mother's past, which she has kept secret from Milan. Soon after, Claude arrives, a boy from Rwanda the same age as Milan with a mysterious wound and shadowy backstory. Thrilled to have a new playmate, Milan treats Claude as a brother until one day, he is gone, back to Rwanda as quickly as he came.

Four years later, after his parents' painful divorce, Milan travels for the first time to Rwanda, encountering a beguiling country and family members he never knew existed. After reuniting with Claude, Milan finally seeks answers to his many questions: about their friendship and the truth of what happened there. Over the course of many years, Milan will return to Rwanda again and again, sometimes with his mother, sometimes without, always confronting new sides of himself and those he loves.

Spanning generations and time, Jacaranda is a rich and deeply felt portrait of a man seeking to understand his family and his nation as it heals from the unthinkable.

About the Author

Gaël Faye was born in 1982 in Burundi to a French father and Rwandan mother. In 1995, after the outbreak of the civil war and the Rwandan genocide, the family moved to France. An author, songwriter and hip-hop artist, he released his first solo album, Pili Pili sur un croissant au beurre, in 2013. His first novel Small Country was an international bestseller and was awarded numerous literary prizes, including the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens. He lives in Paris.

Sarah Ardizzone is a translator of diverse French-speaking voices. Her work spans hip-hop lyrics, film scripts, memoir, picture books, graphic novels and literary fiction. Sarah has received the Scott Moncrieff prize twice, the Marsh award twice, and a New York Times notable book accolade. She was appointed Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2022, and made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2024.