Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space: A Literary Mixtape
Author: Rémy Ngamije
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Year: 2024
Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-1668012468
In this “absolute marvel of a book” (Dinaw Mengestu, author of
Someone Like Us), acclaimed author Remy Ngamije offers up a vibrant collection of award-winning short fiction.
Presented as a literary mixtape,
Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space is a work that provides you with a uniquely modern reading experience. The A-Side, read as one narrative, tells the story of a soon-to-be thirty-year-old aspiring writer navigating a complicated world. The B-Side, taken as a separate experience, features (seemingly) independent and unrelated short stories.
There’s “Crunchy, Green Apples (or, Omo)”, a story about loss told by the strangest of narrative devices: a shopping list. “Sofa, So Good, Sort Of (or, John Muafangejo)” is a first-person account of a family’s history and a long journey towards hope. A group of friends attempts to navigate a recent breakup in “From the Lost City of Hurtlantis to the Streets of Helldorado (or, Franco).”
When read together, however, a third world emerges—a complex, intergenerational, and interconnected “journey across all genres” (Mukoma Wa Ngugi, author of
Unbury Our Dead with Song) that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
