BOOKS: Beyond the Bars ; Diana Evans (Left) and Alastair Niven (Right) Applaud Two African Writers Who Break Down Cliches

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Waiting for an Angel

Helon Habila

Hamish Hamilton

pounds 12.99

226pp

FICTION BY African authors is often acclaimed or awarded by international critics on account of its success in representing its country. How clear a picture the writer has given us of specific political, economic and social realities; how much hearsay and how many secrets have been unveiled; how far we have been led from the bafflement of our own ignorance. A sense of place is paramount. The writer is tied to geography.

One critic of Helon Habila's debut novel, Waiting for an Angel (winner of the 2001 Caine Prize for African Writing), complained of its …