Black Ghosts || Bold and Empathetic.

I never knew I was going to learn a whole lot from reading just one book. The author here delivers a profound and deeply personal exploration of identity, migration and the African diaspora through the lens of a journey across China. I mostly don’t enjoy nonfiction as I feel most of them, especially the ones I’ve come across come in essay forms and they’re boring. But there is something different about this one. Maybe it’s in the author's picturesque descriptions of events or prolly her ability to adopt a fictive approach in her narration.
There’s also a unique voice to this book. One that blends journalistic precision with emotional depth. I mean you literally feel the events as if you time traveled to those times and watched everything unfold.

Black Ghosts chronicles Noo’s travels through China as she follows the paths of African migrants living in one of the world’s most homogenous and rapidly changing societies. These are people she refers to as “Black ghosts” , more of a haunting metaphor drawn from local attitudes that reflect suspicion, fascination, and at times, outright hostility toward Black bodies in unfamiliar spaces.

With the aid of interviews, shared meals and moments of quiet observation, she uncovers the hidden lives of African traders, students and the dreamers; some thriving, others really struggling.

This book is striking for its clarity and honesty. I like that the author does not romanticize the journey nor does she resort to voyeurism. Instead, she offers a textured portrayal of people who are often invisible in broader discussions of migration and race.

What makes the book even more compelling is how it interweaves her personal journey with the stories she uncovers. Her own reflections on being part of the African diaspora, both connected to and distanced from Nigeria, add emotional weight. There’s a quiet interrogation of identity that runs through the book: What does it mean to be African abroad? How do you build a home in a place that sees you as foreign?

The prose is elegant and balanced. Here, she perfectly captures the cultural dissonance, the economic desperation and the everyday negotiations African migrants face in China. Her writing is patient. She lets people speak for themselves and at the same time, it’s sharp in its critique of global inequities, anti-Blackness, and the disillusionment of promised opportunities.
Well, some sections of this book felt dense for me because I’m unfamiliar with African-Chinese trade routes and the nuances of immigration laws. Plus the book leans heavily into reportage at times, which, while informative, kinda slowed the pacing. Anyway I saw that as a minor issue compared to the insight and humanity it offers.

Trust me, this is not one of those random travel books. I see it as a social document, a diary, and in some way I felt I was invading the author's privacy. Lol. It’s also a deeply felt meditation on migration, survival and identity in an age of globalization.

That being said, if you care about global Black experiences, Black Ghosts is a must-read.