Liwa finds himself waking up in Frere Lachaise cemetery after dying young and unexpectedly. He meets the other residents, such as the Director of Human Resources (this made me laugh) and the ‘Chief’, Black Mamba. Liwa sets out to seek revenge, something he is strongly advised against.

I enjoyed this as I read on. The culture and customs were described so vividly, I could visualise (my own version of course) the story in my head. The only thing I couldn’t decide on was whether the cemetery and inhabitants parts should have been left out or shortened as there was no further mention of them once Liwa left, it wasn’t a seamless join - it could have been two books, one about Liwa and one, that should be written, about the Cemeteries, or ‘Part 1’ and ‘Part 2’.

Thank you for the advance copy of this text. I couldn’t put this book down and read it in a day. Not my usual read but I enjoyed it nonetheless the less.

An interesting premise and story, that sees Liwa wake up in a cemetery after his death, and then be able to see the world around him and how those he left behind react and mourn him. Other residents of the cemetery tell Liwa about their lives, and this - plus a fairly long exposition at the start of the book - help set the scene in Congo-Brazzaville for anyone not familiar with the area or culture.

I did get a bit frustrated by it jumping between third person when describing other people, and second person narration when referring to Liwa. Apparently this is a nod to someone French (Proust?) but it didn’t work for me.

A mixed bag then - hence the 3 stars. But it does tick off another country in my read around the world challenge.

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

Unfortunately, I DNfed this book. The writing style and prose weren't for me. There will be many people who will enjoy this one and appreciate it much more.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback

In Dealing with the Dead, Alain Mabanckou masterfully weaves the protagonist’s story with the voices of those he meets and knows, painting a vivid picture of Pointe-Noire. I particularly appreciated how the book captures the complexities of the city, its politics, culture, and people, through a truly unique tone and layered storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

The perspective of this book makes it something really quite special. The voice that this one is written in is something that I don’t think I’ve really seen before, and it was really wonderfully written. The characters are vibrant and described beautifully in their minutiae, and it made this book really interesting.

There’s a certain vibrancy in the political and social stories told in this book too, and it gives a shorter ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ kind of vibe that isn’t quite as magical, but is very much just as interesting.