Scarlet Song

From Mariama Bâ, the acclaimed author of So Long a Letter, comes a powerful tale of love, identity, and cultural collision.

When Ousmane Gueye, a gifted Senegalese student from a modest Muslim background, falls in love with Mireille, the privileged daughter of a French diplomat, their romance defies tradition, family expectations, and societal norms — but love alone cannot shield them from the pressures threatening to undo them.

With lyrical precision and unflinching honesty, Mariama Bâ exposes the fragility and enduring weight of tradition in a rapidly changing world.

Translated by Dorothy S. Blair

Discover more from the APOLLO AFRICA series: the new home for 100 timeless works from the legendary Heinemann African Writers Series.