They Dream in Gold: A Novel BY Mai Sennaar

A “luminous” (Tara Conklin) literary debut following two dreamers, one intercultural family, and the diasporic pursuit of home.

When Bonnie and Mansour meet in New York in 1968, his piercing gaze in a downtown jazz club seems destined to sweep her off her feet. Both come from fractured homes, their childhoods marked by frequent crossings of the Atlantic. Their instant connection offers them peace, and as Mansour’s soaring Senegalese melodies push boundaries—syncing with the rhythm of revolution and taking them from Paris to Rio to Switzerland—happiness seems within reach.

But then Mansour vanishes. What was supposed to be a brief Spanish tour extends into three months, with no word from him or his band. In his absence, Bonnie grapples with the weight of her memories and the unspoken hopes of the women in their lives—her mother and grandmother, his mother, aunt, and childhood friend. Driven by the life growing within her, Bonnie resolves to find him.

They Dream in Gold spans two decades and traverses the vibrant landscapes of the African diaspora, offering an epic yet intimate exploration of the migrant quest for belonging. This powerful, intergenerational narrative is a testament to our shared humanity, making it a compelling read for fans of Tara Stringfellow’s Memphis and Abi Daré’s The Girl with the Louding Voice.