The Rarest Fruit: A Novel
About this audiobook
NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2025・BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR - Washington Independent Review of Books
“A gorgeous novel.”—New York Times
“A revealing, history-infused novel that spills its tale with the eager breathlessness, wry commentary, and frank truths of a close friend...Bélem…transforms little-known history into an exquisite ode.”—The Christian Science Monitor
Set in the 19th-century on Réunion Island, this new novel by International Booker Prize-longlisted author, Gaëlle Bélem, tells the true story of Edmond Albius, a young Creole boy whose extraordinary talent for botany leads him to revolutionize the highly competitive vanilla industry. Here is the incredible hidden story of a beloved flavor wrapped in a tale about resilience, science, exploration, defiance, and desert! Told with great verve and perfect pitch, The Rarest Fruit is both a poignant tribute to the unsung heroes of history and a vivid portrayal of the many destinies that may be shaped by a single discovery.
★ “Belem’s piercing bildungsroman memorializes Edmond while filling in the gaps with a masterful balance of humor, tragedy, and emotional insight. It’s an impressive feat.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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About the author
Gaëlle Bélem was born in Saint-Benoît, Réunion. Her English-language debut, There’s a Monster Behind the Door, was long-listed for the 2025 International Booker Prize. The Rarest Fruit is her American debut.
For Europa Editions, Hildegarde Serle has translated the best-selling Mirror Visitor series by Christelle Dabos and Valérie Perrin’s Fresh Water for Flowers. She lives in London.
