Wilderness of Mirrors by Olufemi Terry
I’m at Shiny New Books today with my review of Wilderness of Mirrors by Olufemi Terry. One of my personal challenges this year is to read more literature by African and Middle Eastern writers which are underrepresented in my reading: Terry is from Sierra Leone. Written in English, Wilderness of Mirrors is published by lovely indie press Les Fugitives, who originally specialised in French translations, but have branched out to widen their scope.
His debut novel is set in an alternate (mirrored if you like) version of South Africa where Creole politics are to the fore. His protagonist Emil is a trainee surgeon on a year off, who goes from his city in the north to Stadmutter on the southern tip to stay with his aunt and her sons, but gets mixed up with an enigmatic Haitian-German businessman, Bolling, who has strong political views and is bankrolling the minority Creole leader. It’s very much a ‘finding oneself’ type novel for Emil, and presents an intriguing picture of the class and cultural differences between north and south, mixed up with a bit of political intrigue. Olufemi’s observational prose makes for a sometimes dreamlike narrative as Emil ponders his place in this world.
Read my full review HERE.
Source: Review copy – Thank you! Olufemi Terry, Wilderness of Mirrors (Les Fugitives, 2026). 256 pp., paperback original.
BUY at Waterstones via my affiliate link.
