In “Dance the Fiya Dance,” the freshly single, “Halfrican” Chambu is open to new possibilities while dancing with a stranger at a wedding. In Nkweti’s world, every relationship can turn on a dime, and part of the pleasure of these stories is the anticipation of and the satisfaction in the messiness of those turns. (Fittingly, the story is accompanied by a few pages of comics, among the several illustrations included in the collection.) At turns tender and bold, Nkweti’s tales upend racist stereotypes. Nkweti’s mission seems to be to have a hell of a lot of fun writing exquisite stories about people and places that matter to her.

Source: International New York Times July 09, 2021 21:11 UTC