- Hubert Kolani is a young Togolese writer and trained lawyer.
- He wrote a French-language novel about power and sacrifice.
- The novel explores political power, danger and hidden ties.
- The main figure is called "The Iron Lady" in the story.
- The story shows broken friendships and hard personal choices.
- It also shows spiritual ties and dark practices in politics.
- The book highlights women's strength, love and family care.
- Kolani says fiction gives writers a protective shield to speak.
- He hopes readers will debate and bring more humanity.
Difficult words
- sacrifice — giving up something important for a goal
- political — about government, leaders and public decisions
- spiritual — connected to religion or deep personal beliefs
- fiction — a story written from imagination, not true
- debate — talk with others about different opinions
- explore — look at or study something to learnexplores
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you read novels?
- Do you prefer stories about family or stories about politics?
- Have you ever discussed a book with friends?
Related articles
Tomorrow Club: young writers share voices from Asia
PEN International’s Tomorrow Club connects young writers with mentors and publishes personal and political stories. The latest Asia edition brought together many young contributors and highlighted censorship, exile and calls for more support and mentorship.
Vietnam Rise supports grassroots activists inside Vietnam
Vietnam Rise, founded by members of the Vietnamese diaspora, supports grassroots activists in Vietnam with fellowships, grants and regional cooperation. The group faces state pressure and works to raise international awareness.
Iran's water emergency worsens amid heat and outages
A summer heatwave and widespread power outages have intensified Iran’s water emergency. Officials report sharply falling dam reserves, groundwater depletion and possible summer rationing as authorities warn of harder measures to save energy and water.