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A review by thebookishelf
A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀
4.0
Set in contemporary Nigeria, Ayọbámi Adébáyọ's A Spell of Good Things illuminates the harsh realities of poverty and class division through interconnected characters confronting their circumstances with grace. Eniola lives in the Lagos slum of Ojota and dreams of bettering himself through education but cannot afford even a lowly polytechnic due to his destitution. Meanwhile Wuraola hails from a wealthy family but finds that money cannot insulate her from life's pains and disappointments.
The paths of Eniola and Wuraola intersect when he is hired to be her driver, their difference in social standing palpable yet neither allowing it to dull their inherent humanity. Eniola works hard and saves diligently, grasping at any opportunity however small to climb the economic ladder while Wuraola wrestles with loneliness, danger and heartache in her gilded world. Adébáyọ sensitively portrays these contrasting yet equally challenging journeys with prose that is subtle, poignant and piercingly observant.
Beneath the narrative runs powerful undercurrents of class commentary and social critique. The unjust obstacles faced by the masses in a system rigged against them are subtly conveyed, as are the new forms of oppression privilege can breed. Yet Adébáyọ imbues the work with nuance and empathy, avoiding simplistic formulas. Her complex characters anchored in Nigeria's vibrant setting grapple with fate, longing, temptation and endurance in a way that is profoundly moving. A Spell of Good Things transcends didacticism to offer an intimate glimpse into the intersecting desires and realities defining modern Nigerian society.
The paths of Eniola and Wuraola intersect when he is hired to be her driver, their difference in social standing palpable yet neither allowing it to dull their inherent humanity. Eniola works hard and saves diligently, grasping at any opportunity however small to climb the economic ladder while Wuraola wrestles with loneliness, danger and heartache in her gilded world. Adébáyọ sensitively portrays these contrasting yet equally challenging journeys with prose that is subtle, poignant and piercingly observant.
Beneath the narrative runs powerful undercurrents of class commentary and social critique. The unjust obstacles faced by the masses in a system rigged against them are subtly conveyed, as are the new forms of oppression privilege can breed. Yet Adébáyọ imbues the work with nuance and empathy, avoiding simplistic formulas. Her complex characters anchored in Nigeria's vibrant setting grapple with fate, longing, temptation and endurance in a way that is profoundly moving. A Spell of Good Things transcends didacticism to offer an intimate glimpse into the intersecting desires and realities defining modern Nigerian society.