The Old Drift

By Namwali Serpell Hogarth, 576pp, £14.99

Zambian-born Namwali Serpell has lived in the US since she was a child, and first rose to prominence with her short stories. The Old Drift is her first novel, and it tells the story of three generations of three different families in Zambia. Each section focuses on the life of a particular character, from the Italian immigrant Sibilla, who’s covered in fast-growing hair, to the young revolutionary Matha, who fights for Zambia’s independence. The earliest story is set during the period when the country was known as Northern Rhodesia, and as time moves on with each character, we see how the country changes and progresses both politically and culturally. Unfortunately, the way the novel is structured makes it feel more like a collection of short stories than anything cohesive, and it often feels like the moment you become invested in a particular character the story switches its focus to somebody else. This can get wearying, particularly as Serpell writes characters so beautifully you want to find out what happens to them. Even though the stories link up at the end, as it’s such a hefty book, it’s a long time to wait before you get any pay-off.