Sketches from the Periphery

Sketches from the Periphery by MP Summers is a novel set against the backdrop of the Darfur conflict in 2005-2006. Alexander Barr is a young American contractor supporting the African Union’s peacekeeping mission in Sudan, and Cassandra is a Belgian journalist navigating war-torn Darfur. Through episodic encounters and multiple perspectives—including those of local rebels like Tariq and everyday Sudanese—the novel explores the intricate relationship between foreign intervention, local resistance, and personal awakenings. As Alex becomes immersed in the grim experience of conflict and Cassandra pursues dangerous stories among the militias, the narrative unspools a world of violence, cultural collision, and moral challenges. Their journeys intersect with those of Sudanese caught between rebel movements, government crackdowns, and the everyday struggle for survival. This novel cleverly explores the question: “What was Darfur, and why did it matter?”

This is the first novel I have read with an international setting in Sudan, and one that brilliantly captures the experience of war and its toll on the ordinary people. The setting of Sketches from the Periphery is elaborately drawn, both politically and culturally. Summers situates the narrative in 2006 Darfur, at the height of international outrage over genocide and ethnic cleansing. The region, described as a crossroads of African and Arab histories, is depicted in all its geographic and cultural contradictions: deserts give way to lush mountains, ancient kingdoms are layered beneath the scars of colonial cartography, and the population is fractured along lines of ethnicity, language, and livelihood. Politically, the book explores the theatre of international intervention, the futility of peacekeeping without true power, and the strategic cynicism of local actors—government officials, tribal militias, and rebels alike. Thematically, the novel examines moral relativism, the dangers of ideas and sentiments, and the existential impact of violence on both individuals and societies. Characters like Alex and Cassandra are outsiders whose curiosity and detachment are challenged by the intensity of events. You’ll be pulled in by the lyrical prose, the terrific descriptions, and the author’s ability to craft focused scenes. This is a new voice that draws attention on the political drama that undermines peace in many an African country—balanced and intriguing.