Nigerian Authors and the Me-Generation : New Shades of Black

It underscores Nigerian women authors’ relatively unknown or dispersed role and acknowledges the emergence of a current Generation called the Me-Generation. Straddling the trope of blackness, three contemporary novels are analysed: My Sister, the Serial Killer, A Small Silence and Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi.

Nigerian Authors and the Me-Generation: New Shades of Black explores African literary issues and focuses on Nigerian generations throughout history. It also underscores women authors’ relatively unknown or dispersed role and their positions regarding Western feminism. Concurrently, the book acknowledges the emergence of a current Generation called the Me-Generation, dealing with erstwhile taboo themes and genre experimentation. Three contemporary novels are singled out and analysed: My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, A Small Silence by Jumoke Verissimo and Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi. They deal with the trope of blackness as humour and satire, as a healing space and as Igbo spiritual cosmovision, which contests Western givens. This book can become a reference for those interested in African literature and, particularly, Nigerian literature. Concurrently, it can be a starting point to enrich the debate on African literature.