There are so many passages that I want to share to show how beautiful this writing is. I think that almost all of the reviews that I have read, have used the word lyrical; and that is because Bola's writing is exactly that. His tale of Michael Kabongo, a young British-Congolese teacher in London is both tender and intimate, his prose are luminous.

After years of feeling the despair of belonging nowhere, of the burden that comes with the overwhelming sense of powerlessness to overcome life's injustices, and after a tragedy that only serves to add weight to an already burgeoning sense of responsibility - Michael makes the decision to leave his life behind, to travel to the US, with his life savings and to end his life when the money runs out.

A compelling story of what can happen when you give up the will to live, when you accept that life will be what it is, no matter what you do, when death no longer holds any fear. Told in two narratives; past tense in the first person; an up close look at the personal and social pressures of Michael's life and then the third person telling of his trip to America in the present. This change cleverly pushes the reader to arms length, to see the wider view, to feel the weight of the entire situation.

A deeply affecting novel about mental health, systemic racism, the violent marginalisation of Black men around the world and the intrinsic power of love - I highly recommend this relatively short read and I am surprised that I haven't seen more of it around.