Black Sugar

by Miguel Bonnefoy, Emily Boyce (Translator)

Overview

Miguel Bonnefoy’s colourful tale of a family’s changing fortunes is also the fascinating story of Venezuela’s development over the course of the 20th century. On the edge of the Latin American rainforest, the Oteros family farm sugar cane in their remote corner of the earth. Cut off entirely from the modern world, life is peaceful, uneventful. Until, that is, a succession of ships arrive in search of Henry Morgan’s legendary lost treasure, said to be buried deep beneath the forest floor. Soon, the isolated villagers are exposed to all the trappings of modernity, while the travellers’ search for booty unearths more than anybody could have anticipated… And so it was that the treasure lay buried amid scraps of sail and a pirate’s corpse, preserved within the belly of the Caribbean…

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781910477533
Publisher:	Gallic Books
Publication date:	03/15/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	678 KB

About the Author

Miguel Bonnefoy was born in France in 1986 to a Venezuelan mother and a Chilean father. In 2013, he was awarded the Prix du Jeune Ecrivain, which previously launched the careers of Marie Darrieussecq and others. Octavio’s Journey is Bonnefoy’s first novel, written in French. It has sold more than 25,000 copies in France and has been awarded the Prix Edmée de la Rochefoucauld (for debut novels – past winners include Goncourt winner Mathias Enard), the Prix Fénéon and the Prix de la Vocation, which rewards new talent (past winners include Amélie Nothomb and Joël Dicker). The book was also shortlisted for the Prix des Cinq Continents and the Goncourt First Novel Award.

What People are Saying About This

Foreword Reviews

'Entirely satisfying (…) Black Sugar holds its own in the Latin American magical-realism tradition.’

The Book Bag

'Black Sugar is a beautiful generational saga akin to One Hundred Years of Solitude or The House of the Spirits ... Bonnefoy never loses his own voice and continues to write with strokes of brilliant colours and sounds.' 

The Big Issue

‘Its lyricism and vivid descriptions of a tropical landscape make it worth stopping by for.’

Nudge Magazine

'Bonnefoy’s French and South American heritage infuse the novel, it combines the best of the European tradition and magical realism. It’s a mix of folklore and exotic storytelling. Rich in description, lyrical, elegant and fantastical.' 

L'Express

'Black Sugar stands out as one of the beautiful surprises of this autumn ... Here, everything is lived to the full, love passion and desire for power, fidelity and ambition.' 

Necessary Fiction

'Black Sugar comes out at a time when Venezuela is in the news for violence and turmoil. But Bonnefoy’s prose bursts with pride for the region and its people (...) It’s an important book to read right now.'

The Irish Times

'Gallic Books have a lovely knack for publishing quirky and engaging novels, often compact and always accessible. Miguel Bonnefoy continues that tradition with his intriguing second novel, Black Sugar (...) With a pitch-perfect translation by Emily Boyce, this is a beautifully crafted tale of how small loves can grow into the big ones, often quite unexpectedly.'

Trip Fiction

'Rich in sensuous imagery and wonderful descriptions.'

Interviews

I wrote it to pay homage to my country, Venezuela. I liked the idea of talking about pirates, gold hunters, strong women, shipwrecks, tropical fiestas and rum distilleries in a story where a family of rum makers live on the deep traditions of the sugar cane culture. I also wanted the book to be a metaphor of Venezuelan oil, and the characters to be the 20th century inhabitants who failed to realise that the true treasure lays in the fruits of harvesting sugar cane and not a few metres underground in a chest sealed with golden nails.

Editorial Reviews

‘Bonnefoy’s French and South American heritage infuse the novel, it combines the best of the European tradition and magical realism. It’s a mix of folklore and exotic storytelling. Rich in description, lyrical, elegant and fantastical’ Nudge

‘Black Sugar is a beautiful generational saga akin to One Hundred Years of Solitude or The House of the Spirits … Bonnefoy never loses his own voice and continues to write with strokes of brilliant colours and sounds’ The Book Bag

‘Black Sugar stands out as one of the beautiful surprises of this autumn … Here, everything is lived to the full, love passion and desire for power, fidelity and ambition.’ L’Express 

'Rich in sensuous imagery and wonderful descriptions' Trip Fiction

'Gallic Books have a lovely knack for publishing quirky and engaging novels, often compact and always accessible. Miguel Bonnefoy continues that tradition with his intriguing second novel, Black Sugar (...) With a pitch-perfect translation by Emily Boyce, this is a beautifully crafted tale of how small loves can grow into the big ones, often quite unexpectedly' The Irish Times

'Black Sugar comes out at a time when Venezuela is in the news for violence and turmoil. But Bonnefoy’s prose bursts with pride for the region and its people (...) It’s an important book to read right now' Necessary Fiction

'Entirely satisfying (…) Black Sugar holds its own in the Latin American magical-realism tradition’ Foreword Reviews

‘Its lyricism and vivid descriptions of a tropical landscape make it worth stopping by for.’ The Big Issue 

Praise for Miguel Bonnefoy

'An unforgettable new voice' Le Soir

‘A wonderful debut’ Libération

‘Simply magical’ Elle

‘A masterfully composed poetic and picaresque fable’ Le Figaro

From the Publisher