A review by katie_greenwinginmymouth
Lákíríboto by Ayodele Olofintuade

dark tense fast-paced

4.5

This was a deliciously twisty tale that pried open the underbelly of Idaban and Lagos, perfectly treading that fine line between serious critique and dark humour. Underneath the guise of a fast paced thriller Olófintúádé shows the extreme homophobia faced by queer people in Nigeria, and the insidious nature of patriarchal family structures that traps women in all sorts of terrible situations.

Steeped in Yoruba culture, the unfolding drama is watched over by the ever present órísà who almost never answer the human’s prayers but sit and spectate from the sidelines helping themselves to a glass of schnapps as they laugh at human folly. The chapter headings nod to TV drama series as does the breakneck plot, building to a very satisfying end.

I loved the three women at the centre of the book and in some ways would have liked to have spent a bit more time getting to understand their thoughts and motivations a bit more, but that would have made it quite a different book. It takes a lot of skill to get the balance right in a book like this and ultimately I think Olófintúádé nailed it.