The Old Drift Summary
Namwali Serpell

The Old Drift Overview

Through historical fiction, magical realism, and science fiction, Namwali Serpell’s The Old Drift follows three families all linked to Zambia across four generations, starting in the early 1900s and ending in the mid-2020s. The novel follows three grandmothers, three mothers, and three children, and alternates between a third person omniscient narration and a first-person plural narration by a swarm of mosquitos. The Old Drift explores themes of colonialism, disease, history, nature, and political fantasy.