The Odds Are Against Cycling

In a changing world full of poverty and uncertainty, many people struggle to find a constant in their lives; something that enables time to pass by that makes life worth living. For some, this element takes the form of a pet or a child. For Noëlie Yaogo, however, her constant is her bicycle.

In this novel, Yaogo tells the story of young people integrating in poverty-stricken Burkina Faso. Though life is often difficult as she struggles to find a job and defeat established gender roles, there is one thing on which she can rely: her bicycle. The Odds Are Against Cycling is a story of triumph against mounting odds, and ultimately, a love letter to a bicycle that was much more than a means of transportation. It was instead an instrument of improving quality of life through challenging times and events.