Synopses & Reviews
"Compelling and gorgeously written, this is a coming-of-age novella like no other. Chris Abani explores the depths of loss and exploitation with what can only be described as a knowing tenderness. An extraordinary, necessary book."Cristina Garcia, author of
Dreaming in Cuban"Abani's voice brings perspective to every moment, turning pain into a beautiful painterly meditation on loss and aloneness."Aimee Bender, author of The Girl in the Flammable Skirt
Abani's empathy for Abigail's torn life is matched only by his honesty in portraying it. Nothing at all is held back. A harrowing piece of work.”Peter Orner, author of The Esther Stories
Tough, spirited, and fiercely independent Abigail is brought as a teenager to London from Nigeria by relatives who attempt to force her into prostitution. She flees, struggling to find herself in the shadow of a strong but dead mother. In spare yet haunting and lyrical prose reminiscent of Marguerite Duras, Abani brings to life a young woman who lives with a strength and inner light that will enlighten and uplift the reader.
Chris Abani is a poet and novelist and the author, most recently, of GraceLand, which won the 2005 PEN/Hemingway Prize, a Silver Medal in the California Book Awards, and was a finalist for several other prizes including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His other prizes include a PEN Freedom-to-Write Award, a Prince Claus Award, and a Lannan Literary Fellowship. He lives and teaches in California.
Review
"This is a powerful, harrowing work, made more so because, while much of the narrative seems to be a vortex of affliction, Abigail's destiny is not inevitable." Sam Lipsyte, The New York Times Book Review
Review
"Spare, haunting vignettes of exquisite delicacy....Abani tells a strong young woman's story with graphic empathy." Booklist
Review
"[L]yrical yet devastating....Abani's abundant talent is clearly evident throughout, as is his willingness to be brutally honest without being grotesque....Recommended." Library Journal
Review
"Compelling and gorgeously written, this is a coming-of-age novella like no other. Chris Abani explores the depths of loss and exploitation with what can only be described as a knowing tenderness. An extraordinary, necessary book." Cristina Garcia, author of Dreaming in Cuban
Review
"Abani's voice brings perspective to every moment, turning pain into a beautiful painterly meditation on loss and aloneness." Aimee Bender, author of The Girl in the Flammable Skirt
Review
"Abani's empathy for Abigail's torn life is matched only by his honesty in portraying it. Nothing at all is held back. A harrowing piece of work." Peter Orner, author of Esther Stories
Review
"[R]ich with suffering. In 34 brief and lyrical chapters, Abani sketches the life of Abigail Tansi, a 14-year-old Igbo girl. It is abjectly Hobbesian: solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short....In Becoming Abigail, such profoundly empathetic moments are rare. We are like Abigail's social worker, touching her body in the darkness, feeling her burns and scars, wondering what shape they would make if they could only be connected." Nathan Ihara, LA Weekly (read the entire LA Weekly review)
Synopsis
--A New York Times Editors' Choice
"Moody, lyrical prose reminiscent of Toni Morrison's Beloved . . . Though the fictional Abigail exists only on the pages of Abani's novella, her character will seize the imagination of everyone who reads her story." --Essence Magazine
"Becoming Abigail, a spare yet voluptuous tale about a young Nigerian girl's escape from prostitution is so hypnotic that it begs to be read in one sitting . . . Abigail is sensitive, courageous, and teetering on the brink of madness. Effortlessly gliding between past and present, Chris Abani spins a timeless story of misfortune and triumph." --Entertainment Weekly
Tough, spirited, and fiercely independent Abigail is brought as a teenager to London from Nigeria by relatives who attempt to force her into prostitution. She flees, struggling to find herself in the shadow of a strong but dead mother. In spare yet haunting and lyrical prose reminiscent of Marguerite Duras, Abani brings to life a young woman who lives with a strength and inner light that will enlighten and uplift the reader.
Synopsis
Tough, spirited, and fiercely independent Abigail is brought as a teenager to London from Nigeria by relatives who attempt to force her into prostitution. She flees, struggling to find herself in the shadow of a strong but dead mother. In spare yet haunting and lyrical prose reminiscent of Marguerite Duras, Abani brings to life a young woman who lives with a strength and inner light that will enlighten and uplift the reader.
Synopsis
A breathtaking new novella from the award-winning author of GraceLand
About the Author
Chris Abani is a poet and novelist and the author most recently of GraceLand, which won the 2005 Hemingway/PEN Prize, a Silver Medal in the California Book Awards, and was a finalist for several other prizes including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His other prizes include a PEN Freedom-to-Write Award, a Prince Claus Award, and a Lannan Literary Fellowship. He lives and teaches in California. For more information visit www.ChrisAbani.com.