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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
The short stories were ok! There were some hits, misses and mehs but still enjoyable
My top 3 stories were Milk & Oil, The Girl Who Lied and Animals
My top 3 stories were Milk & Oil, The Girl Who Lied and Animals
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
𝐀 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 is a stunning collection of stories that redefines what we consider “madness.” Rather than focusing on insanity in the traditional sense, it highlights the irrational beliefs, fears, and behaviors that shape human lives—often in ways we fail to question.
One story delves into the horrors of boarding schools, another follows a mother who keeps taking her daughter to witch doctors, convinced she is an ogbanje. Then there’s the hilarious tale of a family so attached to their chicken that they refuse to kill it, treating it like part of the family.
°°°Uche Okonkwo’s storytelling is impeccable, and I’ll gladly read anything she writes.💜
One story delves into the horrors of boarding schools, another follows a mother who keeps taking her daughter to witch doctors, convinced she is an ogbanje. Then there’s the hilarious tale of a family so attached to their chicken that they refuse to kill it, treating it like part of the family.
°°°Uche Okonkwo’s storytelling is impeccable, and I’ll gladly read anything she writes.💜
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
dark
reflective
sad
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
fast-paced
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I didn’t think I would enjoy this collection as much as I did, given it was completely different to what I expected after reading the synopsis! A mesmerising collection of short stories, a kaleidoscopic view into Nigerian culture through the author’s gripping writing.
I loved this collection because it gives us a glimpse of a different culture (at least different from mine as an Italian), but at the same time it shows that no matter the background, the human brain is capable of conjuring their own madness out of everyday events, albeit some very distressful.
This is what I found compelling about these short stories, the ability of the writer to make the reader feel what the characters felt: average people like kids, a pastor, a daughter, a brother and a sister and so on, can summon their own madness from their inner processing of their environment and circumstances.
I loved the author’s writing, so colourful, even when painting a dark story, you could picture the different shades of black and grey! And the mental images emerging in my mind whilst reading made this collection so easy to read and at the same time so impactful.
I am so glad I had the chance to read this author, and I can’t recommend it enough!
Thanks to the author and VERVE Books for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
I loved this collection because it gives us a glimpse of a different culture (at least different from mine as an Italian), but at the same time it shows that no matter the background, the human brain is capable of conjuring their own madness out of everyday events, albeit some very distressful.
This is what I found compelling about these short stories, the ability of the writer to make the reader feel what the characters felt: average people like kids, a pastor, a daughter, a brother and a sister and so on, can summon their own madness from their inner processing of their environment and circumstances.
I loved the author’s writing, so colourful, even when painting a dark story, you could picture the different shades of black and grey! And the mental images emerging in my mind whilst reading made this collection so easy to read and at the same time so impactful.
I am so glad I had the chance to read this author, and I can’t recommend it enough!
Thanks to the author and VERVE Books for a copy and this is my honest opinion.