Author's name: Mohamed Mbofar Sar

The novel relies on the game of double narration to convey the tragedy of a writer, and Mbougar adopted the technique of writing within writing in writing it.
The reader of Mohamed Mbougar Sarr's novel finds himself in 2018, confronted by a young Senegalese student who bears many similarities to the writer himself. He discovers a literary masterpiece dating back to 1938 and decides to uncover the secrets of its author's life. Through testimonies, investigations, and interwoven threads, he gradually uncovers the life of the mysterious writer, who won a prestigious French prize but was later accused of plagiarism. He paid a heavy price for the award and withdrew from the world of literature into a definite silence for fifty years, unable to defend himself.

It is a rich and captivating novel, written in a fluid style by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, and a true masterpiece that deservedly won the Prix Goncourt (2021).