The Most Compelling Characters Writers Have Encountered in Books

In our past First Draft interviews, we asked leading African writers about the most compelling characters they have encountered in books. Here’s what they told us.

Reading a good story is one thing; feeling as though its characters are real, living, breathing beings is another. Every writer knows how challenging it is to create a character who jumps right out of the page and feels like a real-life friend to the reader. Yet, every reader eagerly seeks the joy of encountering such a character. I, for one, will never forget how real the artist, Masuji Ono, in Kazuo Ishiguro’s An Artist of the Floating World felt to me the first time I read the book. Or how Toni Morrison’s Bill Cosey both fascinated and irritated me. Without compelling characters, even the greatest stories risk falling lost into the dark crevices of literary history. 

In our First Draft column at The Republic, we ask leading African writers about the most compelling characters they have encountered in books. We have discovered various attributes that make characters truly compelling. From the Kenyan author who will never forget a feminist character on a revenge mission to the Nigerian author fascinated by the teenage protagonist of a young adult novel, these writers show that compelling characters are the heart of memorable stories. 

Here are seven writers and the most compelling characters they have ever encountered...

Every year, The Republic publishes the most ambitious writing focused on Africa, from news and analysis to long-form features.

To continue reading this article, Register for a Free Pass.

Already a subscriber? Log in.