When the Village Sleeps: A Novel

When the Village Sleeps is a visionary novel that explores the loss of identity and dignity in a people afflicted by decades of brokenness.

Told through the lives and spirits of four generations of amaTolo women, including The Old, who speak wisdom with ever-increasing urgency, it moves between the bustling township setting of Kwanele and the different rhythms of rural village life.

Longlisted for the 2022 Sunday Times Literary Awards, When the Village Sleeps recalls the sweeping sagas of the great A.C. Jordan and the Dhlomo brothers while boldly exploring urgent contemporary issues. An ode to the complex strengths of South African women, this powerful novel is also a call to respect the earth that nurtures human life and to live in self-sufficiency and harmony with the environment and each other.

Magona's storytelling invokes the poetry of S.E.K. Mqhayi as it sets in motion the proverb "It takes a village to raise a child." When the Village Sleeps is a compelling tale that will resonate with readers seeking a deeper understanding of South African culture, family dynamics, and the resilience of the human spirit.