First Lady Jennette Kagame has her copy of the novel signed by author herself Maria Malagardis
Maria Malagardis’ novel Avant la nuit (Before the Night) is an unflinching exploration of the period leading up to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
This investigative novel, crafted by a journalist who has spent three decades reporting on Rwanda’s tragic history, does not merely recount events—it immerses the reader in the simmering tensions and machinations that ultimately led to one of the most devastating crimes of the 20th century.
Unlike conventional historical accounts, Malagardis employs fiction to shed new light on an oft-told story. She deliberately omits explicit references to Rwanda, instead using the terms “majority ethnicity” and “minority ethnicity.”
This stylistic choice does not obscure reality but rather emphasizes the artificiality of ethnic divisions that colonial policies and post-independence politics exacerbated.
By stripping away preconceived notions, Malagardis allows the narrative to unfold as a universal tale of hate, manipulation, and, ultimately, mass extermination.
At the heart of the novel is the mysterious and brutal murder of six children in November 1993. Their bodies, discovered days later, serve as the catalyst for an investigation led by two UN peacekeepers—Ben Sinclair, a Canadian officer, and Ousmane Diop, a Senegalese soldier.
Their inquiry takes them deep into a labyrinth of political deception, state-sponsored propaganda, and an international community unwilling to confront uncomfortable truths.
Their journey echoes the real-life experiences of journalists, investigators, and whistleblowers who foresaw the genocide but whose warnings went unheeded.
Malagardis’ storytelling is at once gripping and devastating. She crafts an atmosphere thick with foreboding, mirroring the growing unease that characterized Rwanda in the early 1990s.
The manipulation of truth by those in power, the complicity of international actors, and the use of fear as a political weapon are central themes.
In doing so, Avant la nuit does more than tell a historical story—it warns of the dangers of manufactured divisions and unchecked extremism in any society.
After covering Nelson Mandela’s election in South Africa, Malagardis traveled to Rwanda for the first time around May 10, 1994, on a humanitarian flight operated by Médecins du Monde, which had to land in Uganda.
This first-hand exposure to the unfolding tragedy shaped her perspective and deepened her commitment to documenting the genocide and its aftermath with precision and empathy.
This past Saturday, Avant la nuit was shared at a high-profile event in Kigali attended by First Lady Jeannette Kagame and other senior government officials at the Kigali Public Library.
The significance of such a moment cannot be overstated—Malagardis’ novel is not merely a literary work but a contribution to the ongoing struggle for remembrance and historical accuracy.
Following the event, the First Lady was quoted as saying: “Un immense merci d’être cette voix de clarté et de vérité dans une époque où le vacarme assourdissant des fake news, des intérêts politiques biaisés, du racisme et de la barbarie cherche à envahir l’espace médiatique. Merci d’avoir fait de notre histoire la vôtre, et de rappeler la dimension universelle et humaine du génocide.” (“A huge thank you for being a voice of clarity and truth in an era where the deafening noise of fake news, biased political interests, racism, and barbarism seeks to dominate the media space. Thank you for making our history your own and for reminding us of the universal and human dimension of genocide.”)
This powerful endorsement underscores the novel’s impact, not only as a work of fiction but as an essential act of bearing witness.
The literally event was also attended by different senior government officials
Malagardis masterfully bridges journalism and literature, creating a novel that is as investigative as it is emotional. She portrays a genocide not as a spontaneous eruption of violence but as a meticulously planned atrocity, its origins stretching back decades.
The deliberate obfuscation of truth, the vilification of an entire group, and the complacency of powerful nations are all laid bare.
What makes Avant la nuit particularly striking is its ability to transcend the specific historical context of Rwanda.
By avoiding direct references to the country and the ethnic groups “Hutu”, “Tutsi” or “Twa” – which had been the drivers of the catastrophy, the novel forces readers to see the mechanisms of hatred and propaganda as patterns that have repeated across history—whether in Nazi Germany, Bosnia, or present-day regions marked by ethnic violence.
Ultimately, Avant la nuit is not just a novel about Rwanda—it is a novel about humanity. It demands that we remember, that we confront uncomfortable truths, and that we remain vigilant against the forces that enable genocide.
Maria Malagardis has given us a book that is both a warning and a tribute—a necessary work that ensures the past is neither distorted nor forgotten.
First Lady Jennette Kagame poses with the author
