The Emperor
The Emperor by Makenzy Orcel, published by Seagull Books in 2024, is a tragicomic novel that delves into the deep-seated tensions and social violence in Haiti. The story follows a narrator who, after committing an irreparable crime, awaits arrest in his bedroom. His reflections on a tumultuous past, including his youth spent as a zonbi under a Vodou leader and his experiences delivering newspapers in Port-au-Prince, shape the narrative as he grapples with the consequences of his actions and the love he lost.
Readers will find a blend of crime fiction and fable as the narrator’s journey takes him from the Haitian countryside to the bustling city, exploring themes of power and freedom. The novel introduces a vivid cast of characters, including a deceitful Emperor and the narrator’s Enlightened Colleague, while weaving together elements of the marvelous and the real. With 160 pages of engaging prose, The Emperor presents a rich tapestry of contemporary Haitian life, showcasing Orcel’s distinctive narrative style.
Official synopsis Publisher
A tragicomic novel that explores deep-seated tensions and social violence in Haiti.
After committing an irreparable crime, the narrator of The Emperor waits in his bedroom for the police to arrest him. His past reverberates inside of him like a drum: his youth spent in captivity as a zonbi, under the control of a charlatan Vodou leader, and many an alienating dawn delivering the daily newspaper through the cutthroat neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He now has blood on his hands because of the woman on the bus–the only woman he had ever loved.
Part crime fiction, part fable gone awry, The Emperor invites readers to follow the narrator’s life as he moves from the Haitian countryside to the sprawling city, learning about the corruptible nature of power in his quest for freedom. Along the way, Makenzy Orcel blends the marvelous with the real by introducing readers to an unforgettable cast of characters including the Very Old Sheep, a deceitful Emperor, and the narrator’s so-called Enlightened Colleague. Written with Orcel’s distinctive verve, this novel offers readers a story set in contemporary Haiti that is rich in poetry and full of narrative intrigue.
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