The Last Gift of the Master Artists

“One of the most beautiful and profound novels I’ve read in ages. It also packs an unsettling punch…Okri never dwells on the horror of slavery itself—instead, he makes us fall in love with the world it’s about to destroy.” —Washington Post

“[Okri’s] writing takes on the great riddles of existence—freedom and consciousness, truth and illusion, suffering and transcendence—spinning them into shimmering, allegorical texts…at a time of deep reckoning and crisis…his work feel[s] all the more prescient.” —New York Times

“Breathtakingly beautiful…[a] magical take on Africa before the arrival of the Atlantic slave ships—a world of art and artists, lovers, storytellers and philosophers.” —The Independent

“A convincing cautionary tale of absolute power…A master storyteller, Okri prompts readers to reflect on the mistakes of the past and consider the ways in which they are repeated. As ever, Okri channels a voice well worth listening to.” —Publishers Weekly

“Ben Okri is the most quotable writer of all time. Every line he writes effervesces with poetry, philosophy, and story. The Last Gift of the Master Artists is another testament to Okri’s sublime brilliance.” —Nnedi Okorafor, author of Binti and Akata Witch

Praise for Ben Okri:

“I love the mythical, fablelike quality of his stories. There is something very comforting and ancient about them.” —Alan Cumming

“Ben Okri is that rare thing, a literary and social visionary, a writer for whom all three—literature, culture, and vision—are profoundly interwoven.” —Ali Smith

“Fiction’s master of enchantments stares down a real horror, and without blinking or flinching, produces a work of beauty, grace, and uncommon power.” —Marlon James