The Age of Displeasure

Original Title: L'Âge de déplaire

Publication: 2026

Author: Abibou Diouf

Between Paris and Dakar, Fadel is a man torn apart. In France, he experiences a newfound freedom; in Senegal, his life is governed by the family hierarchy, the mandates of masculinity, and tradition. His father's death acts as a catalyst. First, anger, then a flood of memories, and the haunting figure of another Fadel, his turandoo, his namesake: a marginalized artist nicknamed "Fadel the Madman," whose way of life defies the social order. Two men, one first name, two possible destinies. And one question: do we have the right to become ourselves when everything compels us to stay in our place?

A novel of conflict and profound personal rift, The Age of Displeasure explores the moment when one understands that heritage is not only what one receives, but also what one chooses to transform, silence, or destroy. Driven by an urgent need to speak out, Abibou Diouf incisively and courageously examines the construction of masculinities, the symbolic violence perpetrated in the name of tradition, and the weight of silence within Senegalese families.

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