Super Short Summary

We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo follows 10-year-old Darling and her friends in a Zimbabwean shantytown called Paradise as they navigate life’s challenges, dreaming of a better future. Darling eventually moves to America, facing the harsh realities of immigrant life, such as cultural misunderstandings, homesickness, and socioeconomic struggles that contrast sharply with her idealized dreams. The novel addresses sensitive issues such as violence, sexual abuse, and displacement.