Set in the 1990s at a time of hope in Nigeria and told from the point of view of nine year old Benjamin, The Fishermen is the story of an unforgettable childhood and of the tragedy of a middle class family. In particular, it’s the story of four brothers whose lives are shattered after the prophecy of a madman wreaks havoc on their happy lives.
When their father has to travel to a distant city for work, the four brothers take advantage of his extended absence to skip school and go fishing. At the forbidden nearby river they encounter a madman who predicts that the eldest brother will be killed by a fisherman, which he assumes to be one of his own brothers.
Thus, an extraordinary tension is created and an almost mythic chain of events – tragic and redemptive – is set in motion, that will transform the lives and imaginations of the novel’s characters and its readers.
While it is a family drama, it is also an allegory for the state of the country.
by Chigozie Obioma
2015 Shortlist, Man Booker Prize
2015 Shortlist, Edinburgh Festival First Book Award
2015 Longlist, Oppenheimer Funds Emerging Voices Awards
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- Read the first chapter.
- Listen to ABC Australia’s interview with the author.
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