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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
dark
emotional
fast-paced
challenging
reflective
tense
fast-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
A Kind of Madness by Uche Okonkwo is a collection of short stories. Okonkwo is an Nigerian author. The length of the short stories varies; one of them was only 4-5 pages long.
The 10 stories are asking what happens when the ones closest to us drive us mad; or at least that’s what it is supposed to be asking.
A problem that this book (and what I find with a lot of short story collections) is that all the different POVs read the same. There’s not enough distinction between each character to make each story distinct. They all started to blend together.
The storylines were good, and the writing was okay. It was a quick read.
Thanks to @tin_house books for the copy.
The 10 stories are asking what happens when the ones closest to us drive us mad; or at least that’s what it is supposed to be asking.
A problem that this book (and what I find with a lot of short story collections) is that all the different POVs read the same. There’s not enough distinction between each character to make each story distinct. They all started to blend together.
The storylines were good, and the writing was okay. It was a quick read.
Thanks to @tin_house books for the copy.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I haven’t even finished this book yet, but 4 stories in I had to come write a review. If you’re Nigerian, this book is like eating a warm plate of pounded yam and okro soup on a cool rainy day on a veranda. All the stores are delightful (thought not necessarily happy, some even sad but not overly so) and remind me of living and growing up in Nigeria in little ways I had forgotten.
If you’re not Nigerian, this book would still be an enjoyable, read.
At its core, it’s about the very well-written book about the human experience we all experience everywhere. I am thoroughly enjoying this, and I’m looking forward to more books by the author.
If you’re not Nigerian, this book would still be an enjoyable, read.
At its core, it’s about the very well-written book about the human experience we all experience everywhere. I am thoroughly enjoying this, and I’m looking forward to more books by the author.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I am going to start by saying that I thought this was a darkly clever and emotional collection that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I thought the prose was at times stunningly poetic, while maintaining an accessibility and widespread appeal that on occasion more lyrical prose can prevent.
However, I think the true glory of this collection was how Okonkwo uses dialogue to create a strong element of realism and intense immersion for the reader. Dialogue canoe something that can easily lose a reader when used excessively or unnaturally, yet throughout these stories, I thought it was artistically used. I think that one of the true achievements of this dialogue was that it enabled us as readers to get a very clear and early understanding of each of the characters we encounter. The fast-paced and captivating conversations meant that we very quickly establish the natures of each of the characters, something which can be a challenge in short-form narratives.
I loved the title of the collection and thought it was a perfect tie for all the stories to come together as one piece of artwork, while all retaining their individuality and narrative freedom.
While I did think that some of the stories felt stronger, and gripped me more of some of the others, this did not disrupt my reading and enjoyment of the collection too much.
Overall, I thought this was a very impressive collection of stories that I thoroughly valued reading - I am excited to encounter Okonkwo’s next work!
Many thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
A collection of short stories set in Nigeria showing the extraordinary in the everyday. The perspectives of children are featured heavily; open-minded, ‘naive’ perspectives that challenge what is seen as normal and what is seen as strange.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Classism