What would you do for the person you love most? And what happens when that love becomes a betrayal? On this episode of Current Read, host Sam Herbst sits down with British-Ghanaian author Krystle Zara Appiah to discuss her powerful second novel, Half Lives (2026), a moving exploration of sisterhood, motherhood, migration, family secrets and the complicated choices women make in the name of love. Set between Ghana and America in the 1970s, Half Lives follows sisters Evelyn and Maggie, whose shared dream of a new life takes a devastating turn when Evelyn loses her unborn child and takes Maggie’s baby to raise as her own. What follows is an emotionally charged story about the bonds between sisters, the expectations placed on women, and the consequences of a decision that changes two families forever. In this conversation, we explore the moral complexity at the heart of Half Lives: Can an act of love also be an act of betrayal? Who gets to decide what makes a good mother? And how do family, culture, migration and the lives we imagine for ourselves shape who we become? We also discuss writing complex female characters, the enduring power of sisterhood, the “American Dream”, and how Half Lives builds on the themes of motherhood, identity and belonging (which Krystle also explores in her acclaimed debut novel, Rootless). If you love literary fiction, contemporary women’s fiction, book recommendations and thoughtful author interviews, this is a conversation for YOU. 📚 ABOUT KRYSTLE ZARA APPIAH Krystle Zara Appiah is a British-Ghanaian writer, editor and screenwriter based in London. Her debut novel, Rootless, explored love, marriage, motherhood and the search for personal freedom. Her second novel, Half Lives, turns to the complex relationship between two sisters and asks what love can withstand before it breaks. 🎧 ABOUT CURRENT READ Current Read is a literary podcast hosted by South African journalist and writer Sam Herbst, featuring conversations with authors about books, storytelling, the ideas that shape their work, and the stories that stay with us long after we turn the final page. 🔔 Subscribe to Current Read for more author interviews, literary conversations and book recommendations from South Africa and beyond. 🎙️ Tune in now wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the episode on YouTube or Spotify. Find all the links in our bio 📚 Have you read anything by Krystle Zara Appiah? #booktube #literaryfiction #authorinterview #africandiaspora #currentread
