University Press Copublishing Division / Bucknell University Press
Pages: 176
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Trim: 5¾ x 8½
978-1-61148-628-5 • Paperback • November 2014 • $29.99 • (£25.00)
978-1-61148-629-2 • eBook • November 2014 • $28.00 • (£19.99)
Angèle Kingué is professor of French and francophone studies at Bucknell University.
Discovering a little gem buried in a bevy of titles, all bustling for readers’ attention, is always exciting. Two main factors contributed to make Vénus de Khalakanti by Cameroonian Angèle Kingué such a pleasurable reading experience: the story line is uplifting and the novel solidly rooted in reality. Vénus de Khalakanti tells the story of characters who rediscover the meaning of life after sinking to the lowest point of human existence; yet the novel is no fairytale. Rather, it is a reminder that the road to happiness is there for everyone, everywhere, even if it is rarely a smooth ride. There is no doubt that, for good or evil, novels have a major impact on their readers when reality is catching up with fictitious characters.
— Jean-Marie Volet, University of Western Australia