Waiting for the Waters to Rise

Waiting for the Waters to Rise tells the story of Babakar, an African doctor living in solitude until the young child Anas changes everything. Forced to abandon his isolation, Babakar takes Anas on a journey to Haiti in search of her family.

Babakar, burdened by memories of his childhood in Mali, lives alone with only visions of his blue-eyed mother and his former lover, Azelia, both long gone. His dreams are filled with these ghosts, accompanied by the fading hopes and aspirations from his new life in Guadeloupe. However, the arrival of Anas, whose Haitian mother tragically died in childbirth, alters his course. Babakar becomes the guardian of this destitute child, driven by the desire to grant her a promising future.

Together, they travel to Haiti, a captivating yet tumultuous island beset by violence, corruption, and unrest. In Haiti, Babakar is joined by his two companions, the Haitian Movar and the Palestinian Fouad, forming a trio of disparate identities united by their quest for a more compassionate world. Their mission: to find Anas's family amid the island's chaos.

Publishers Weekly praises Maryse Conde's work, stating, "Condé unveils the secrets and histories of a compelling cast, crafting a timeless exploration of the wounds that surface—and persist—when individuals are separated from family, friends, or homeland. Her poignant depiction of grief and displacement resonates long after reading."