Namwali Serpell's The Furrows, which was published in September 2022, tells the story of Cassandra Williams and her brother, Wayne. One day, the two have an accident while together and Wayne disappears and presumably dies. His body, however, is never able to be recovered. Wayne's disappearance irreparably harms the Williams family. Cassandra's father leaves them and starts a new family; her mother channels her heartbreak into the creation of an organization designed to help find lost children. Like her mother, Cassandra is consumed by grief and sees her brother's face everywhere. And eventually, against all odds, she comes face to face with a man similar to her brother once again.
Upon its release, The Furrows received incredibly positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. The novel was longlisted for the prestigious Carol Joyce Oates award. The New York Times and Publisher's Weekly also called it one of the ten best books of the year. In their glowing review of the novel, Kirkus Reviews wrote that The Furrows is "Stylistically refreshing and emotionally intense, cementing Serpell’s place among the best writers going."
