Black Moses

Black Moses, the protagonist of this novel set in the 1970s and 1980s, was raised in an orphanage in Congo-Brazzaville, during a time of political upheaval. He and his best friend, Bonaventure, weather the changes the orphanage goes through as the director tries to align himself with the current political regime. Black Moses eventually runs away from the orphanage with twins Songi-Songi and Tala-Tala to Pointe-Noire, where he becomes part of their gang. Later he takes refuge with Madame Fiat 500, the madame of a brothel, who helps him secure a house and job. However, mental illness takes its toll, and eventually, Black Moses finds himself in an institute built on the site of the old orphanage, and in the company of Bonaventure again. Slowly, his world becomes a jumble of past and present as he attempts to define his future. With well-crafted characters, this beautifully written, stark depiction of marginalized youth also highlights the stigma that people with mental ill face.