THE SILENCE OF THE CHOIR

Stories of transnational dislocation and resettlement.

Originally published in French, this is the third novel by the celebrated Senegalese author Sarr to be translated into English. It takes as its starting point the arrival of 72 asylum seekers from Africa in rural Sicily. The men—dubbed “ragazzi” by the locals—have completed a dangerous journey across the Mediterranean and now await approval of their refugee claims. The “choir” of the title refers to the multiple characters who share their perspectives on these events, from Sicilian villagers to the refugees themselves. At the center of the narrative is an older immigrant named Jogoy Sèn, who acts as an interpreter between the locals and the recent arrivals. Alienated from both his old and new homes, and tortured by the memories of his homeland, his liminal condition makes him a representative figure for migrants across the globe. In Sèn’s vivid diary entries, we read of the dangers involved in leaving one’s country of origin in search of a better life, the resentment produced in local populations by the arrival of outsiders, and the various psychological torments of rootlessness. Particularly well rendered are the harrowing details of sea crossings: “Then came the storm. The waves picked up, towering things, and crashed furiously against the hull of the boat. It wasn’t a blind fury: they seemed to have singled us out for their anger. They saw us. The sea wanted to kill us.” Sarr’s work ultimately offers an insightful overview of Europe’s modern refugee crisis, aptly locating its causes in a combination of economic catastrophes, military conflicts, and natural disasters exacerbated by climate change. This is a timely work, profoundly relevant to our understanding of population shifts not only in Africa and Europe but around the globe.

Dramatic, compelling writing on the dimensions of cultural disruption and the possibilities of reintegration.