African Psycho

novel by Mabanckou

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July 21, 2026

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African Psycho is a 2003 novel by Alain Mabanckou, a celebrated Francophone Congolese writer. The novel's title and plot are a direct reference to Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho. Mabanckou is known for his distinctive use of wordplay, philosophical themes, and a blend of humor and absurdity, often exploring the lasting impacts of colonialism in Africa. He is recognized as one of the most popular contemporary Francophone African writers.1

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Alain Mabanckou
Novels
…Vercingétorix [a Gallic chieftain]), and African Psycho (2003), a work whose plot, as well as title, makes reference to American writer Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho (1991).
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…Vercingétorix [a Gallic chieftain]), and African Psycho (2003), a work whose plot, as well as title, makes reference to American writer Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho (1991).
Read More