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hagiasophia's review
3.0
super dense writing and meandering story. i think a lot of the satire went over my head. that is not the fault of the author, i just think i don't have enough familiarity with contemporary Nigerian politics/culture to fully appreciate what is going on here.
shoshin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The end was a little too abrupt and didn't seem very well established by previous events. But it was interesting and entertaining, for the most part. Not a fan of the misogyny.
seeceeread's review against another edition
4.0
š "It seemed to him that he had forgotten how to laugh and now a funeral was teaching him how to be human once again."
Decades ago, four men grew close, a "gang of four" at college. Today, they compete for a prized place as the nation's most influential. We closely track half: Dr. Menka, whose surgical work on victims of Boko Haram has earned him an award, and Duyole Pitan-Payne, an engineer bound for the United Nations. They discover a local market in human flesh, then suddenly, Duyole is attacked. Menka struggles to understand his friend's family, battling them to get him care, then to plan a proper funeral and repatriate the remains. And even as the doctor tries to leverage his new national status, he is thwarted by murky, powerful players.
The satire is not subtle. Yet Soyinka's style buries an unmarked, weed-stricken, ne'er-tended plot. He names, renames, metaphorically references and then abandons character and setting (for now) ... all wrapped in low-frequency vocab and layers of cultural allusion. The payoff that closes the construction wasn't satisfying, though the writing is a testament to the elasticity of English and a journey unto itself.
Decades ago, four men grew close, a "gang of four" at college. Today, they compete for a prized place as the nation's most influential. We closely track half: Dr. Menka, whose surgical work on victims of Boko Haram has earned him an award, and Duyole Pitan-Payne, an engineer bound for the United Nations. They discover a local market in human flesh, then suddenly, Duyole is attacked. Menka struggles to understand his friend's family, battling them to get him care, then to plan a proper funeral and repatriate the remains. And even as the doctor tries to leverage his new national status, he is thwarted by murky, powerful players.
The satire is not subtle. Yet Soyinka's style buries an unmarked, weed-stricken, ne'er-tended plot. He names, renames, metaphorically references and then abandons character and setting (for now) ... all wrapped in low-frequency vocab and layers of cultural allusion. The payoff that closes the construction wasn't satisfying, though the writing is a testament to the elasticity of English and a journey unto itself.
samaira's review against another edition
4.5
I didn't understand a bit of the story at the beginning but towards the middle and end I really really enjoyed it ā the writing, the concept, and how everything played out.
solangelover's review against another edition
4.0
Finished this last night. I won't lie this book was quite strange. Like, it takes you through this story but it really only starts unraveling in the 20 or so pages. But I think I liked that because when I go for a reread (dk how likely that will be considering the fact that it took this long to finish it) I can look deeper at the story (subtle hints/clues or just generally understanding the novel better because it could be difficult at times)
My first Wole Soyinka and I think he is obviously very intellectual
My first Wole Soyinka and I think he is obviously very intellectual
murakamimami's review
The vocabulary is so complex and the references are so far from my comprehension that it would take 6 Google searches per sentence to read. I will probably return once Iām more focused.
annrhub's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
kayode's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mbondlamberty's review
4.0
Finally, another Soyinka book.
I listened to this and there are many, many narrators so that can be a little confusing.
There is a bit of going back and forth in terms of the timeline.
There is also a little bit of a mystery which is fun.
For some, some of the topic might be distasteful or triggering (some sexual assault and cannibalism).
All in all it was a very engrossing tale of some of the issues facing people in Nigeria today. If you aren't familiar with the various ethnicities you might want to look it up. Also some mention is made of older civilizations which are fascinating to look up if you aren't familiar with them. Glad to know that I have been mispronouncing Ife my whole career.
Also might want to make you go out and try a kola nut.
I listened to this and there are many, many narrators so that can be a little confusing.
There is a bit of going back and forth in terms of the timeline.
There is also a little bit of a mystery which is fun.
For some, some of the topic might be distasteful or triggering (some sexual assault and cannibalism).
All in all it was a very engrossing tale of some of the issues facing people in Nigeria today. If you aren't familiar with the various ethnicities you might want to look it up. Also some mention is made of older civilizations which are fascinating to look up if you aren't familiar with them. Glad to know that I have been mispronouncing Ife my whole career.
Also might want to make you go out and try a kola nut.