The influential Caine Prize for African Writing for 2023 was won by a power couple from Senegal. Their short story A Soul of Small Places (which can be read over here) echoes deeper trends in the country’s literature while picking up on the growth of horror and speculative fiction across the continent. African literature specialist Caroline D. Laurent explains.
What’s the Caine Prize and what does winning it mean?
The Caine Prize, awarded annually since 2000, acknowledges a short story written in English by an African author. Its objective is to introduce African literature to a broader readership. It’s named in honour of Sir Michael Harris Caine, co-founder of the Man Booker Prize. It consists, firstly, of a £10,000 cash prize for its winner(s). Winning it provides the opportunity for writers to discuss their work, engage with fellow writers, meet with the press and publish their work in the Caine
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