Black Sugar

High up in the rainforest canopy sits a stranded pirate ship, many miles from the sea. On board, Captain Henry Morgan lies dying, surrounded by magnificent jewels, artefacts and coins accumulated over a lifetime. Centuries later, Severo Bracamonte arrives in a remote Venezuelan village in search of the captain's legendary hoard. He is given lodging by the Otero family, to whom he promises a share of his find, but, despite his relentless efforts, the treasure seems destined to remain undiscovered...Miguel Bonnefoy's captivating fable on the evils of greed is also a fascinating portrait of Venezuela's development in the twentieth century.



Miguel Bonnefoy was born in France in 1986 to a Venezuelan mother and a Chilean father. In 2013, he was awarded the Prix du Jeune Ecrivain, which previously launched the careers of Marie Darrieussecq and others. Octavio's Journey is Bonnefoy's first novel, written in French. It has sold more than 25,000 copies in France and has been awarded the Prix Edmée de la Rochefoucauld (for debut novels - past winners include Goncourt winner Mathias Enard), the Prix Fénéon and the Prix de la Vocation, which rewards new talent (past winners include Amélie Nothomb and Joël Dicker). The book was also shortlisted for the Prix des Cinq Continents and the Goncourt First Novel Award.