They Dream in Gold, Mai Sennaar
They Dream in Gold is an intergenerational and intercontinental saga with the most intoxicating aura, sweeping you up into its aroma of music and smells. Set primarily in 1968, it takes us back through two decades of stories spanning Senegal, Switzerland, France, Brazil, and America, absorbing you into its tales of humanity, trauma, and love. It is a story that makes you feel so deeply, as it extends across the decades and weaves in the individual strands of its key characters, leaving you in awestruck tears.
The descriptions of music are electric, as Mansour, a leading protagonist, transcends genres and creates a fusion of sound, beginning with his Senegalese roots. Music continually brings characters together, their souls bonding through the divine experience it provides them. Bonnie and Mansour share a deeply touching relationship, navigating new dreams together, beginning with Mansour’s music, whilst still stumbling over their pasts and desperately trying to feel a sense of home. Every character in this book comes to life, overflowing with love in so many different forms – particularly showing the importance of platonic love and sometimes having to find your own family. The women in this story show the strength of community, and how much can be achieved even in the aftermath of complex trauma.
Sennaar’s writing is truly remarkable – easy to read yet so poignant that it can leave you stunned by its intricacies and the way it so perfectly encapsulates the human condition. The chapters are incredibly short, which makes this such a quick read – you constantly tell yourself, ‘just one more chapter’ until you have flown through its five parts. They Dream in Gold regularly flits between timelines and characters, but in a way that is fully digestible and takes you along with it. It also navigates identity in its exploration of the African diaspora, the importance of memories and experiences in shaping us, and how deeply we search for belonging.
A truly outstanding debut novel that should not be dismissed, They Dream in Gold should absolutely become an addition to your bookshelves.
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