Cécé
Cécé by Emmelie Prophète, published by New York Review of Books on September 23, 2025, is a novel that explores the complexities of life in Haiti through the lens of social media and personal struggle. The narrative follows Cécé La Flamme, who captures haunting images of her surroundings, including the stark realities of gang life and the impact of social media on her community. With a page count of 224, this edition presents a raw and intimate portrayal of Cécé’s experiences as she navigates a world filled with both beauty and brutality.
Readers will find a vivid depiction of Cécé’s life in the cité, a slum characterized by its vibrant yet perilous environment. The story delves into themes of domestic life, friendship, and the challenges faced by women in a tumultuous society. As Cécé seeks to assert control over her narrative through her photographs and interactions, the novel offers a poignant commentary on the intersection of personal agency and societal constraints. Emmelie Prophète’s work invites readers to engage with the complexities of urban life and the resilience of women in the face of adversity.
Official synopsis Publisher
“The best book on Haiti in a very long time . . . powerful, spot on, likely the best written.” —Dany Laferrière
An astonishing novel of raw beauty about gang life, sex work, and social media in Haiti
Cécé La Flamme, as she’s known by her loyal Facebook friends, captures photographs of still bodies. Figures scorched and bruised, left to the rubble of the Cité of Divine Power. When she posts an image of a corpse, Cécé’s followers skyrocket. “Nothing got more attention than a good corpse that was nice and warm or already rotting.” Just beside visions of rot and neglect, she posts pictures of her toes, gullies crisscrossing the cité, and her own lips painted blue. With every image, Cécé seeks control and wants to create a frank, intimate record of the terror in her cité.
Cécé’s world begins and ends with the cité – a slum peopled by gangs, yelping kids, grandmothers, junkies, and preachers. The very gate that encloses the cité was constructed by militant gang members. First boss Freddy, then Joël, then Jules César rule the gang that holds the cité in a chokehold. Sharp, sincere, and desperate, Cécé cleaves life for herself out of social media, sex work, and attempts at friendship with other women. When an American journalist offers to buy the rights to Cécé’s photographs, she demands double the cash. When an abusive former client dies, she wears hot pink to his funeral. Emmelie Prophète’s novel is fierce, devastating, and suggestive – a record of a woman clawing back control.
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