No Heaven for Good Boys

A Novel

By: Keisha Bush

Narrated by: Samba Schutte

Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times Editors’ Choice

Set in Senegal, this modern-day Oliver Twist is a meditation on the power of love and the strength that can emerge when we have no other choice but to survive.

“I loved this book because it is a story about generations of parents and children saving one another with a love so powerful that it transcends distance, time, and reason.” (Ann Napolitano, New York Times best-selling author of Dear Edward)

Six-year-old Ibrahimah loves snatching pastries from his mother’s kitchen, harvesting string beans with his father, and searching for sea glass with his sisters. But when he is approached in his rural village one day by Marabout Ahmed, a seemingly kind stranger and highly regarded teacher, the tides of his life turn forever. Ibrahimah is sent to the capital city of Dakar to join his cousin Étienne in studying the Koran under Marabout Ahmed for a year, but instead of the days of learning that Ibrahimah’s parents imagine, the young boys, called Talibé, are forced to beg in the streets in order to line their teacher’s pockets.

To make it back home, Étienne and Ibrahimah must help each other survive both the dangers posed by their Marabout, and the darker sides of Dakar: threats of black-market organ traders, rival packs of Talibé, and mounting student protest on the streets.

Drawn from real incidents and transporting readers between rural and urban Senegal, No Heaven for Good Boys is a tale of hope, resilience, and the affirming power of love.

©2020 Keisha Bush (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“[An] unflinching and poignant debut.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“No Heaven for Good Boys is a compelling, devastating novel with unforgettable characters. Keisha Bush doesn’t shy away from portraying the shattered lives of the children on Dakar’s streets and the injustices that they suffer, but she does so with great compassion and empathy.” (Deepa Anappara, author of Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line)

“An extraordinary literary debut, as mesmerizing as it is heartbreaking...Bush is an amazing storyteller, by turns harrowing and tender, and no matter how difficult the journey, she never lets us lose sight of the two young cousins who are the beating hopeful loving heart of this triumphant must-read novel.” (Junot Díaz)

Great book if you are looking for a sad story

This was amazing definitely was on my watch list and did not disappoint.

Did ibrahimah make it home?

I need to know. I can't believe I cried. I need to find Fatik and have a brief conversation, nothing major. It was a great read that really tugged at the heart strings. totally would recommend.

My heart during this book

My emotions! They were all over the place throughout this entire book. The ending though!

Captivating

I feel as though I have traveled to the magnificent Senegal and lived a day in the life of a talibe. For the author to have picked up on all of this from watching and being perceptive of her surroundings is one thing but then being able to relay it in such detail truly amazing. Kudos to the author for such an outstanding piece of literature. I look forward to her future works...

Very informational

I like this book because I can relate to the culture and story my community use to tell about those kids sent to those schools.

Compelling

I enjoyed the story, albeit sad it had moments of hope intertwined. Unfortunately the performance took away from my listening enjoyment. I recommend experiencing this book in print format to better follow the characters.

Inauthentic and too extreme

As someone who has lived in Senegal for many years, I found the overall story and many details to be inauthentic. While it’s true talibes are mistreated and I appreciate the desire to shed light on this, I feel like the author chose the most extreme and least realistic case. Most talibes are sent by their parents, oftentimes a decision stemming from poverty, and not coerced by an evil marabout. The marabout in the story was one-dimensional (reminiscent of evil Disney villains with the evil voice). I really wish the story were more nuanced.