Meri Nana-Ama Danquah

Over the last few years, I've become a huge fan of the Akashic Noir series, and Accra Noir is no exception to the series' quality. Maybe more than any other collection I've read, it brings its focus city to life, so that Accra becomes a real place and character explored through the pages of the stories collected here. The voices are so varied, there's a lot to be admired here, and my only complaint is that many of the authors represented here seem to be new voices...which means I can't find show more more of their work so soon as I'd like! Truly, though, that speaks to the quality of this wonderful collection.

My favorites in the collection included works by: Kwame Dawes, Ernest Kwame Nkrumah Addo, Anne Sackey, Nana-Ama Danquah, Eibhlin Ni Chleirigh, and Anna Bossman.

Absolutely recommended. show less

I haven’t read any noir fiction before, but was looking for something a bit different than I usually read. This really delivered. I felt I really learned about life in Ghana, at least this fascinating city. As in any collection of short fiction, some stories are stronger than others, but overall this was an incredibly strong collection. I like how most of the authors not only gave incredible visuals of the markets, streets and homes, but also descriptions of smells and sounds. This made show more for a wonderfully immersive reading experience. I will look for more international ‘noir’ from this publisher. show less

Most fans of noir fiction approach a new book with anticipation. I was especially interested because I lived in Ghana over 40 years ago and looked forward to reading about changes in the country. Frankly, the changes noted, and there are many, did not surprise me as much as my own nostalgia about small details like the descriptions of the market places, the foods, the languages. I particularly liked that each of the books sections are marked by aphorisms such as one finds in English and show more various Ghanaian languages on buses, trucks and other means of transportation. The stories each reflect aspects of Ghana that caught my attention when I lived there: the cosmopolitanism of Ghanaians, the leadership roles and the dynamism of women in this matrilineal society, the tension between development and tradition. Another great entry in the Akashic Noir series! show less

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It had a slight, but refreshing, difference in tone from the noir I am used to reading. The editor did a great job in the introduction of preparing me for the nuances of the culture I was about to encounter and I found differences and yet people aren't that different, where ever they are found. But the stories were unique and exciting, and the endings, surprising as they were, were very satisfying. Unique people, unique atmosphere, and an education show more about how big the world really is. Great! reviewed for LibraryThing Early Readers by Thom show less