At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop

At Night All Blood is Black, winner of the International Booker Prize 2021, is a heartbreaking novella by Senegalese-French novelist David Diop. At Night All Blood is Black is the narrative of Alfa, a Senegalese soldier fighting in the French trenches during World War I. Alfa is cradling the dying body of his buddy Mademba, whose body has been ripped open, as the novella begins. From then, At Night All Blood is Black explores the important themes of racism, humanism, and masculinity against the backdrop of trench combat. It's a narrative about binary oppositions: the in-group vs the out-group; us versus them; black and white; hero versus coward.

At Night All Blood Is Black is a difficult book to read. It's a vivid narrative that wears on the reader. It delves into the corrosive side of male companionship and how racism continues to exist and grow even as it faces extinction. While reading it requires a steeled head and a strong stomach, At Night All Blood is Black is definitely one of the best modern French translations.

Link to read: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50403480