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A review by annemaries_shelves
The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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? No
4.0
"There is no water in the City of Lies."
With that, this dark fable opens into a world where a desert city has very little water - people frequently and almost exclusively die of thirst (aka the blood drought). And at age 13, every child loses their tongue as tribute to the Ajungo for the little water they do have.
To save his beloved mother, our protagonist Tutu ventures out into the Forever Desert - where there are no friends beyond the City of Lies - to find water. What follows is the realization that "only by learning can you free us."
I really appreciated the fable-like storytelling of this book - it's also the perfect length at just over 80 pages. The world building was sufficient for the story's length, and Tutu's character development as a young boy into a young teen was handled well with his warring desires to trust and distrust, his love for and grief over missing his mother, and his growing realization at how the world works. The novella explores a lot in terms of the themes/topics of power and oppression, resource hoarding, the importance of sharing knowledge, love and compassion, and belief in one's self knowledge. I actually think it could be a good novella for school - there's a lot that preteens and teens could unpack here.
"There is no water in the City of Lies." By the end of the novella, you realize how true and how false that statement is. I won't spoil the ending (though the plot twist isn't that surprising) but it was a bittersweet satisfaction for the reader.
There's a good amount of violence, death, and severed body parts though, so be warned. I didn't find it too graphic (given the length) but it's all on-page and lends itself to the brutal story and desert setting.
Overall, it's a quick novella with a parable/fable/allegory that draws parallels to today's world while still remaining wholly unique in its world building and characters.
With that, this dark fable opens into a world where a desert city has very little water - people frequently and almost exclusively die of thirst (aka the blood drought). And at age 13, every child loses their tongue as tribute to the Ajungo for the little water they do have.
To save his beloved mother, our protagonist Tutu ventures out into the Forever Desert - where there are no friends beyond the City of Lies - to find water. What follows is the realization that "only by learning can you free us."
I really appreciated the fable-like storytelling of this book - it's also the perfect length at just over 80 pages. The world building was sufficient for the story's length, and Tutu's character development as a young boy into a young teen was handled well with his warring desires to trust and distrust, his love for and grief over missing his mother, and his growing realization at how the world works. The novella explores a lot in terms of the themes/topics of power and oppression, resource hoarding, the importance of sharing knowledge, love and compassion, and belief in one's self knowledge. I actually think it could be a good novella for school - there's a lot that preteens and teens could unpack here.
"There is no water in the City of Lies." By the end of the novella, you realize how true and how false that statement is. I won't spoil the ending (though the plot twist isn't that surprising) but it was a bittersweet satisfaction for the reader.
There's a good amount of violence, death, and severed body parts though, so be warned. I didn't find it too graphic (given the length) but it's all on-page and lends itself to the brutal story and desert setting.
Overall, it's a quick novella with a parable/fable/allegory that draws parallels to today's world while still remaining wholly unique in its world building and characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Gore, Vomit, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying and Child death