read_it_and_weep_33 's review for:

A Kind of Madness by Uche Okonkwo

4.0

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

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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.