Description
The Ardent Witness by Danielle Maisano
Finalist in the General Fiction category of the 2019 International Book Awards
When Lily sets off to pursue her new profession as a development worker in West Africa, she hopes it will be the start of a more fulfilling life – far from the trendy gallery scene in Detroit.
For two years, in a remote Togolese village, Lily must get used to bucket showers, a life without the internet, and her neighbours’ fear of sorcerers. But as she becomes more deeply involved with the community, and makes friends with a local girl, she finds that trying to help can bring unforeseen and sometimes devastating consequences.
Based on the author’s own experience, this novel gives a startlingly fresh and intimate perspective on how western aid programs are failing Africa. It also shows, with blistering honesty, how one woman’s life can be irrevocably changed by a sojourn in one of the most captivating and complex nations on earth.
Gail Aldwin –
Danielle Maisano’s The Ardent Witness is a character-driven novel set in Togo where the exuberance and camaraderie between young volunteers is shared and Detroit (before and after the placement) where Lily’s personal development is explored. I particularly enjoyed the chapters set in Togo which included the frustrations, challenges and triumphs of trying to make a difference to the lives of people in a developing country. When tragedy hits, Lily reflects upon her own actions and her resolve to make a success of her placement is strengthened. This is a worthy debut novel. Thank you to Danielle for introducing me to Togo, a country I knew very little about.
Teresa –
I really enjoyed this book. It was full of detail, wonderful dialogue and evocative of both Detroit and Togo. It says on the cover that it is a critique of Western aid and it is in part but to me, I read it as a beautiful evocation of what it is to be young. The lead character is finding her feet in relationships and finding out who she is. She wants to make a difference but it is so hard to do and nothing is as clear cut as you imagine it is when you are young. Thank you so much to Danielle Maisano for the reminder.