Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel stands as Equatorial Guinea's foremost living writer, though his outspokenness on the state's blatant disregard for human rights has frequently led to persecution. His prose delves into the fragility of human existence and the search for meaning within absurd circumstances. Laurel's style is characterized by raw honesty and metaphorical language, drawing readers into the depths of endured suffering and hope. His writing serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of oppression and the continuous struggle for dignity.
On Mount Gurugu, overlooking the Spanish enclave of Melilla on the North African coast, desperate migrants gather before attempting to scale the city's walls and gain asylum on European soil. Inspired by first-hand accounts, Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel has written an urgent novel, by turns funny and sad, bringing a distinctly African perspective to a major issue of our time.
Exiled Equatorial Guinean writer shows the life of the native people of his West African island destroyed by distant rulers.