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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
dark
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:
Yes
The Street Hawker’s Apprentice is the story of two boys from very different backgrounds trying to survive on the streets of Lagos. The streets were brought vividly to life, the sights, sounds and smells; the kindness and cruelty of people. The story contrasts the beauty of the friendship that develops between Vipaar and Temilola, with the ruthlessness of those who mistreat and exploit them, and showcases the difficulties they have to overcome in order to survive. I’d mostly describe this book as gritty, but there was one chapter especially which was beyond gritty and I found the detailed realism hard to take.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Rape
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
I just finished up The Street Hawker’s Apprentice and while it was not a favourite from the Twenty in 2020 collection, it did redeem itself by the second half. I found it a bit repetitive in the first half, but it did pick up steam in the second, with more backstory revealed and more characters introduced! But then I did say to Nadia @the.storygraph (we’re buddy reading them all!) that I felt the ending was anticlimactic. So definitely a mixed bag of a read for me!
.
I’ve never been to Lagos, but I enjoyed the vibrant, bustling sense of place Kareem-Bello created, which gives way to a darker underbelly as the book progresses. Very dark, in fact! Content warning for sexual assault and torture. There was a lot of Yoruba phrases included, which I liked, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the way direct translations were given in brackets literally within a character’s dialogue. I’m not sure if that was a publisher or author choice, but I prefer a more subtle explanation later on, or just working it out from context - or Google!
.
But the book has a lot to say about class, corruption and the wealth gap in Nigeria which was very interesting! We have two main characters from very different backgrounds going toe to toe. Similar to Ugly Dogs Don’t Cry, the main friendship is between two young boys. Sometimes the speed at which their relationship went from besties to animosity almost gave me whiplash, but I guess that’s teenage boys for you?? 😂
.
I’ve never been to Lagos, but I enjoyed the vibrant, bustling sense of place Kareem-Bello created, which gives way to a darker underbelly as the book progresses. Very dark, in fact! Content warning for sexual assault and torture. There was a lot of Yoruba phrases included, which I liked, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the way direct translations were given in brackets literally within a character’s dialogue. I’m not sure if that was a publisher or author choice, but I prefer a more subtle explanation later on, or just working it out from context - or Google!
.
But the book has a lot to say about class, corruption and the wealth gap in Nigeria which was very interesting! We have two main characters from very different backgrounds going toe to toe. Similar to Ugly Dogs Don’t Cry, the main friendship is between two young boys. Sometimes the speed at which their relationship went from besties to animosity almost gave me whiplash, but I guess that’s teenage boys for you?? 😂
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Torture, Violence, Murder
dark
emotional
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:
Yes
This book took me right to the bustling, unforgiving underbelly of Lagos, focusing on the relationship of two boys, one brought up on the streets, and the other seemingly from a different tier of society, yet his memory loss prevents us from knowing the full story from the get-go.
The Street-Hawker's Apprentice is packed with Yoruba and phonetically-written dialogue. Coming from a Yoruba family, I found this setting close to my heart and the book super immersive, though given even I struggled with a few (tiny) things, maybe it'll be less of a smooth read for people unfamiliar with the language or culture. Don't worry though! Often translations are placed immediately after or will be implied by the attached prose.
If you love books about survival, hustling, friendship, corruption, class divides and more, then this is one for you. And chapter-to-chapter, the use of perspective shifts is used in a way that I really enjoy!
(If I were you, I'd avoid the blurb of this one, especially the first paragraph. It's not a big deal, but reading it removes the chance of enjoying a little 'a-ha' moment towards the end.)
The Street-Hawker's Apprentice is packed with Yoruba and phonetically-written dialogue. Coming from a Yoruba family, I found this setting close to my heart and the book super immersive, though given even I struggled with a few (tiny) things, maybe it'll be less of a smooth read for people unfamiliar with the language or culture. Don't worry though! Often translations are placed immediately after or will be implied by the attached prose.
If you love books about survival, hustling, friendship, corruption, class divides and more, then this is one for you. And chapter-to-chapter, the use of perspective shifts is used in a way that I really enjoy!
(If I were you, I'd avoid the blurb of this one, especially the first paragraph. It's not a big deal, but reading it removes the chance of enjoying a little 'a-ha' moment towards the end.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Murder
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I read this while trying to shake off a particularly bad bout of a reading slump.
It's an easy enough book to read with an interesting storyline with many interconnected characters.
I gave it only 3 stars because the Yoruba and much of the Nigerian pidgin left a lot to be desired.
It's an easy enough book to read with an interesting storyline with many interconnected characters.
I gave it only 3 stars because the Yoruba and much of the Nigerian pidgin left a lot to be desired.