Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin

Baking Cakes in Kigali

Gaile Parkin

Angel bakes celebration cakes for her multi-national neighbours and behind each cake lies a story. Set in Rwanda against a serious background of genocide and AIDS, this uplifting, funny and moving novel is written with a lightness of touch that makes it a joy to read.

Extract
‘No, it can’t be drugs,’ asserted Angel. ‘Look, now she’s drinking from that bottle she hid earlier. I think she’s an alcoholic.'
‘Can a lady be an alcoholic?’
‘In America a lady can be whatever she wants,’ said Angel, who sometimes used to watch Oprah in Dar es Salaam, ‘and also in Europe. We both know Linda upstairs here.’
‘Eh, that Linda can drink! …’
Parallels
  • The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
  • Chocolat by Joanne Harris
  • The Tea House on Mulberry Street by Sharon Owens