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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
Captivating, funny, heartbreaking. Provides deep insight into modern colonialism in Africa, otherness, and capitalist-driven dreams of somewhere else.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As a 15-year-old boy living in Northern Nigeria, Andrew Aziza spends his days with his secretive mother, his teacher, and his friends to discuss Black power and the "curse" of Africa. When the Father of his church introduces Andy to his niece, Eileen, Andy immediately falls in love with the first white girl he's seen irl. As his feelings grow, danger approaches him—anti-Christian mobs, government clampdown of protestors, and a mysterious man.
MYSTERIES is a book with great promise that ultimately didn't deliver for me. Buoro touches upon interesting topics like internalized racism, the conflicts between religions, authoritarian governments, Nigerian women at the whims of violent men at home, and so much more. For that, I can see why Aspen included MYSTERIES on the longlist. Nonetheless, these topics are used mainly as a plot device and not so much as a deep exploration of how they impact the characters.
I also grew increasingly uncomfortable being in Andy's mind with a lot of sexually explicit content. Maybe my being more than twice Andy's age contributed to this discomfort
MYSTERIES is a book with great promise that ultimately didn't deliver for me. Buoro touches upon interesting topics like internalized racism, the conflicts between religions, authoritarian governments, Nigerian women at the whims of violent men at home, and so much more. For that, I can see why Aspen included MYSTERIES on the longlist. Nonetheless, these topics are used mainly as a plot device and not so much as a deep exploration of how they impact the characters.
I also grew increasingly uncomfortable being in Andy's mind with a lot of sexually explicit content. Maybe my being more than twice Andy's age contributed to this discomfort
I’m going to admit right off the bat that this book wasn’t my favourite. So I’ll structure my review slightly different than usual to help you decide if you might want to pick it up!
What worked: I loved the setting (Nigeria) and the characters (all of them were compelling, flawed, realistic, frustrating, wonderful) and the plot.
I know it sounds weird to enjoy all of the core components of a story and ultimately walk away not having liked the book.
What didn’t work for me: I was not able to really get into a flow with the writing style. It is incredibly poetic, with little poems even sprinkled throughout. There is also some slang and colloquialisms that are used to create Andy Africa’s narrative voice. Additionally there were some passages with mathematical theorems and equations. There was something about these things that just didn’t work for me, but I own that this is a me problem.
I would recommend this book for folks who enjoy stories set on the African continent, who like character driven stories, and who like a coming of age story.
I’m very grateful to Bloomsbury for sending me an advanced copy to review.
What worked: I loved the setting (Nigeria) and the characters (all of them were compelling, flawed, realistic, frustrating, wonderful) and the plot.
I know it sounds weird to enjoy all of the core components of a story and ultimately walk away not having liked the book.
What didn’t work for me: I was not able to really get into a flow with the writing style. It is incredibly poetic, with little poems even sprinkled throughout. There is also some slang and colloquialisms that are used to create Andy Africa’s narrative voice. Additionally there were some passages with mathematical theorems and equations. There was something about these things that just didn’t work for me, but I own that this is a me problem.
I would recommend this book for folks who enjoy stories set on the African continent, who like character driven stories, and who like a coming of age story.
I’m very grateful to Bloomsbury for sending me an advanced copy to review.
Gut wrenching and brutally honest. Hard to read at times.
The complex relationship he has with his mother -
Andy’s life as allegory to Africa. His nickname gives it away, but also-
The circumstances of his birth- and his complete obsession with the west.
African countries exploited by westerners for centuries, only to be exploited again by their own countrymen.
Importing cultures vs the “old ways”
The complex relationship he has with his mother -
Andy’s life as allegory to Africa. His nickname gives it away, but also-
The circumstances of his birth- and his complete obsession with the west.
African countries exploited by westerners for centuries, only to be exploited again by their own countrymen.
Importing cultures vs the “old ways”
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No