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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
But maybe when the time comes, I will think that I am tired of being anybody's girlie, and I will go somewhere nobody knows to call me ‘girlie,’ or to ask me where my mummy is, or whether I even have a mummy, and they will instead ask me what my name is, and I will be able to choose a name and my own story, a story that I am making up by myself.
Ghostroots is a rich, intimate collection of short stories that merges ordinary Nigerian settings with a shimmering thread of magic and grotesque transformation. ’Pemi Aguda finds a way to illuminate the hidden anxieties, desires, and histories that lie just beneath the surface of daily life — particularly when it comes to the roles of women in a family, a home, and a community. The stories are piercing, vivid, and at times heartbreaking, yet there’s a deep thread of resistance tying them together — a persistent inquiry into how we break away from oppressive structures and become more than the roles we were handed.
This collection explores intergenerational trauma and the struggles for freedom within oppressive traditions — especially for women battling a legacy of abuse, silence, and submission. From a young woman battling possession by her own grandmother in “Manifest,” to a new mother wrestling with her ability to connect and care in “Breastmilk,” these stories illuminate the intimate, messy relationships we have with those we love and the past we carry within us. There are moments when houses become prisons or financial structures consume their contributors, when a young girl finds herself kidnapped and reshaped by another’s desires — all reflecting a universal human fear: that we may become what we most want to destroy.
Ghostroots resonates profoundly for those who, like me, are passionate about honoring the stories of women, ancestors, and children — stories often erased or forgotten by a dominant culture. Aguda shows us that naming oneself and choosing one's future is a radical act, especially when the past feels inescapable. The collection highlights the power of imagination to illuminate hidden struggles, transforming silence into voice and submission into liberation. It’s a rich, intimate, and piercing collection — perfect for readers who appreciate stories about transformation, intergenerational trauma, and the power of women’s resistance.
📖 Read this if you love: intimate, piercing short stories; intergenerational family dramas with a touch of magic; rich character studies that illuminate hidden struggles.
🔑 Key Themes: Mothers and Daughters, Generational Trauma, Transformation and Self-Determination, Home and Belonging, Nigerian Culture and Folklore.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Murder, Abandonment
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping
Minor: Bullying, Infidelity, Car accident
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An absolutely excellent short story collection that explores different aspects of humanity through engaging characters and lightly speculative elements.
A few of my favorite stories include:
- Breastmilk: A new mother struggles to produce breastmilk while coming to terms with her husband's infidelity
- Contributions: A short but excellent story about a group of women who support one another and how they deal with a new woman who joins and takes advantage of their generosity
- Things Boys Do: Three new fathers deal with the guilt and feelings brought on by looking at their newborn sons
- Masquerade Season: A boy discovers three masquerades on a walk home and accepts them into his life but his mother begins demanding more and more from them.
Pemi Aguda create compelling and complex characters that propel her stories forward. Deeply human, they are fascinating to follow even if they aren't always the easiest to root for. At the core of each story is a human emotion or experience that Aguda explores through the use of lightly speculative elements. An excellent collection that I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good character driven story.
A few of my favorite stories include:
- Breastmilk: A new mother struggles to produce breastmilk while coming to terms with her husband's infidelity
- Contributions: A short but excellent story about a group of women who support one another and how they deal with a new woman who joins and takes advantage of their generosity
- Things Boys Do: Three new fathers deal with the guilt and feelings brought on by looking at their newborn sons
- Masquerade Season: A boy discovers three masquerades on a walk home and accepts them into his life but his mother begins demanding more and more from them.
Pemi Aguda create compelling and complex characters that propel her stories forward. Deeply human, they are fascinating to follow even if they aren't always the easiest to root for. At the core of each story is a human emotion or experience that Aguda explores through the use of lightly speculative elements. An excellent collection that I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good character driven story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Abandonment
Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Infidelity
Minor: Bullying, Car accident
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
This was an interesting collection of short stories set primarily in Lagos, each story being rather dark and unsettling in nature while centering modern Nigerian culture and society. What I particularly enjoyed about this collection was how vivid Aguda’s storytelling was. She does an excellent job whisking the reader into the vibrant life of Lagos, capturing the sounds and scenery that one might find themselves experiencing if they were in the city. Furthermore, each story had something sinister lurking in the corners that isn’t quite noticeable at first, but increasingly makes itself present to the reader in an eerie fashion.
With that said, I didn’t love this collection as much as I hoped I would. I’m not sure if it was a headspace thing or what, but I found myself skimming through a few stories. There were some really strong ones that I’m still thinking about, though, such as “Manifest” and “The Hollow.” Even if all these short stories didn’t quite work for me, I’m glad to have picked this debut collection up. I’d be really curious to know what Aguda has in store for the future, particularly if she has plans to write a novel. I know I’d pick it up, especially with the distinct voice she has.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Abandonment
Moderate: Violence, Car accident
Minor: Bullying, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, War
dark
emotional
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Kidnapping, Car accident, Murder, Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity, Rape, Sexual violence
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's rare to find a collection of short stories where every one is excellent. I read this all in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it.
There's a blend of horror and magical realism. All of which is very unsettling. My favorites were:
"Manifest" (what an opener)
"The Hollow" (love uncanny architecture)
"24, Alhaji Williams Street" (leaves me speechless)
I loved this collection despite having no familiarity with Nigerian culture or language. I imagine it would be all the better with the added context.
There's a blend of horror and magical realism. All of which is very unsettling. My favorites were:
"Manifest" (what an opener)
"The Hollow" (love uncanny architecture)
"24, Alhaji Williams Street" (leaves me speechless)
I loved this collection despite having no familiarity with Nigerian culture or language. I imagine it would be all the better with the added context.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Grief, Car accident