For Such A Time As This by Shani Akilah

 

For Such A Time As This by Shani Akilah.

Published 20th June 2024 by Magpie.

From the cover of the book:

A group of young, Black British friends navigate their way through the ups and downs of modern London life, in this richly imagined collection of linked stories.

These are the people who sustain us through good times and bad.

Meet Niah and her friends. They’re young, they’re smart, they’re part of a tight friendship group determined to make the most of every day. And their lives are about to change forever.

From the tingling excitement of a new relationship to the challenges of online dating, from the shadow of racism in the workplace to the isolation of Covid-19, the stories in For Such a Time as This burst with romance and friendship. This stunning new collection is a powerful snapshot of the relationships – and moments – that make us who we are.

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For Such A Time As This is a rich and revealing debut short story collection from Black-British Caribbean writer, Shani Akilah. The interconnected stories follow a group of friends as they navigate the highs and lows of their personal and professional lives, and touch on almost every aspect about being young, British and Black in London.

Niah and her friends are smart, ambitious, and intensely supportive of each other as they try to live their lives to the full, and Akilah brings them vividly to life as she shines insightful light on their intimate day to day struggles with relationships and feelings, and the wider issues they face in a modern landscape that thrums with age-old prejudices. 

Beautifully written, each story evokes strong feelings, and throws up a host of topics for you to ponder upon. I defy you not to feel furious about the way Akilah lays bare the reality of ingrained racism that lies beneath lip-service paid to addressing the barriers it presents, particularly when it comes to career progression; the constant burden of wearing microaggressions; and the endless struggle to make your voice heard. There is a lot to think about here.

And amidst all the thought provoking storylines, there is such a spark of warmth that thrums from the interactions between the friends and their family members, weaving around themes of love, loss, identity, belonging, acceptance, and cultural legacy. I took these characters to my heart and felt every moment of their yearning, their sorrows, and their joy. Tears were shed...

This is a stunning book from start to finish, and the way Akilah manages to bring everything full circle is a delight to behold. If you are ever in any doubt that a short story collection can ebb and flow with as much power as a novel, then I give you For Such A Time As This. I cannot wait to read more from this talented young author.

For Such A Time As This  is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Magpie for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Shani Akilah is a Black-British Caribbean writer and screenwriter from South London. She is a book influencer, co-founder of the Nyah Network, a book club for Black women, and was a literary judge for the Nota Bene Prize 2023. Shani has a Masters degree in African Studies from Oxford University. For Such A Time As This is her debut short-story collection.