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onemorebookpodcast's reviews
82 reviews
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
4.0
This book ALMOST turned me into a Fantasy book reader. I don’t know how the author did it but she transported me right into the midst of the characters, I was there with them, cheering them on, screaming at the top of my lungs to warn them, mourning with them, tugging at their hands to hold them back from harm & swooning with them at the prospect of love.
A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀
I had seen this book floating around on my Social Media feed towards the end of last year but since I had like 1000 other books on my #tbrlist, I ignored it. That is until I saw a copy of it at the 'Copenhagen Main Library' over the Christmas break when I was like, "Ok God, I hear you, I'm going to read it". Also, it had been longlisted for the Booker Prize 2023 & that is always a sign of how good a book is.
I really did my best to try & love this book but unfortunately, I was disappointed. The writing is impeccable, something that the writer is clearly good at as she weaves in the effects of wealth, power, love, politics & corruption in modern Nigeria, on the characters in the book. But the storyline just didn’t do it for me. We are introduced to the 2 main characters in the book who are living 2 totally different lives but from the get go, we already have a feeling that their lives will intertwine at one point in time. I feel like the writer took us on a never-ending 'merry go round' of life situations that became repetitive at some point. And finally, when the main characters actually do meet, everything just feels rushed
2.0
I had seen this book floating around on my Social Media feed towards the end of last year but since I had like 1000 other books on my #tbrlist, I ignored it. That is until I saw a copy of it at the 'Copenhagen Main Library' over the Christmas break when I was like, "Ok God, I hear you, I'm going to read it". Also, it had been longlisted for the Booker Prize 2023 & that is always a sign of how good a book is.
I really did my best to try & love this book but unfortunately, I was disappointed. The writing is impeccable, something that the writer is clearly good at as she weaves in the effects of wealth, power, love, politics & corruption in modern Nigeria, on the characters in the book. But the storyline just didn’t do it for me. We are introduced to the 2 main characters in the book who are living 2 totally different lives but from the get go, we already have a feeling that their lives will intertwine at one point in time. I feel like the writer took us on a never-ending 'merry go round' of life situations that became repetitive at some point. And finally, when the main characters actually do meet, everything just feels rushed
The Havoc of Choice by Wanjiru Koinange
This fictional book follows the life of Kavata, the daughter of a prominent but also corrupt politician in Kenya as she navigates first, her student life, then partnership, career & motherhood while trying to carve a life outside of her father's shadow.
The book is set in December 2007 when Kenya had it’s General Elections & the PEV (Post Election Violence) that erupted thereafter. Through Kavata, her family & the various characters that she comes into contact with in the book, the writer describes the harrowing experiences that wrecked the whole country at this time. IMO, in as detailed as the experiences were told in the book, I felt like I was reading a compilation of newspaper articles. The story was told in a very 'surface level' way without going deep into the emotional effects that the PEV had on these characters. I wish that the author had concentrated on just one character, like Kavata for example, & delved deeper into her story (the trauma & the healing) which would have given me as a reader more time to form a connection with her. But instead, I was torn between so many different characters & all that they were going through which in the end made me feel less emotionally connected with any at all.
This book had so much potential but it fell short of it, unfortunately for me.
2.0
This fictional book follows the life of Kavata, the daughter of a prominent but also corrupt politician in Kenya as she navigates first, her student life, then partnership, career & motherhood while trying to carve a life outside of her father's shadow.
The book is set in December 2007 when Kenya had it’s General Elections & the PEV (Post Election Violence) that erupted thereafter. Through Kavata, her family & the various characters that she comes into contact with in the book, the writer describes the harrowing experiences that wrecked the whole country at this time. IMO, in as detailed as the experiences were told in the book, I felt like I was reading a compilation of newspaper articles. The story was told in a very 'surface level' way without going deep into the emotional effects that the PEV had on these characters. I wish that the author had concentrated on just one character, like Kavata for example, & delved deeper into her story (the trauma & the healing) which would have given me as a reader more time to form a connection with her. But instead, I was torn between so many different characters & all that they were going through which in the end made me feel less emotionally connected with any at all.
This book had so much potential but it fell short of it, unfortunately for me.
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
Who knew that a piece of cake left by a dying woman to be shared among her children would take us on a journey that spans 60 years in the life of a family. The writer does an amazing job as she takes us through the stories, past & present of Eleanor Bennet & her loved ones. And even as she tells the gripping narrative, she still manages to skillfully touch on important issues such as racism, family, generational trauma, survival, environmental issues, migration, motherhood & life in the diaspora. This she does with so much delicacy as she weaves them right into the characters' lives without having them take over the book, but they still remain as an inkling at the back of our minds.
And to top it all, she gives us a Recipe of the 'famous' 'Black Cake'. What more can a book offer. In my opinion, a definite ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
4.0
Who knew that a piece of cake left by a dying woman to be shared among her children would take us on a journey that spans 60 years in the life of a family. The writer does an amazing job as she takes us through the stories, past & present of Eleanor Bennet & her loved ones. And even as she tells the gripping narrative, she still manages to skillfully touch on important issues such as racism, family, generational trauma, survival, environmental issues, migration, motherhood & life in the diaspora. This she does with so much delicacy as she weaves them right into the characters' lives without having them take over the book, but they still remain as an inkling at the back of our minds.
And to top it all, she gives us a Recipe of the 'famous' 'Black Cake'. What more can a book offer. In my opinion, a definite ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Sankofa by Chibundu Onuzo
'The concept of Sankofa derives from King Adinkera of the Akan people of West Africa. In Akan language, Sankofa is expressed as “so wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki”. The translation of this African proverb in English language expresses “it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot”. Sankofa teaches us the importance of learning from the past to build the future.'….diversity.ncsu.edu
This books introduces us to Anna, a Biracial woman who has recently separated from her husband, has a grown up daughter & while sorting through her just buried Mum's belongings, comes across a student diary of her West African Father, a man who she never knew. We then follow Anna on her quest to find this long lost & only remaining parent of hers, a quest that she feels might change the course of her current life.
I felt cheated when I finished reading this book which IMO fails its grand title. I feel like when you have such a powerful title, then the storyline should match the energy that the title brings. We spent so much time hearing about Francis/Koffi's student life which wasn’t really interesting & when Anna finally travels to Bamana, her trip is very 'Safari-like'. It felt as if she was a tourist or at best a foreign guest of the former president & not a daughter finally home. Then there’s the whole prison storyline which felt really forced & unnecessary! And what was the reason why 'Bamana' is this fiction country, that is adjoined to 'Segu' (present day Mali' & the characters names are Ghanaian? So confusing! Can you tell how annoyed this book made me feel?
2.0
'The concept of Sankofa derives from King Adinkera of the Akan people of West Africa. In Akan language, Sankofa is expressed as “so wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki”. The translation of this African proverb in English language expresses “it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot”. Sankofa teaches us the importance of learning from the past to build the future.'….diversity.ncsu.edu
This books introduces us to Anna, a Biracial woman who has recently separated from her husband, has a grown up daughter & while sorting through her just buried Mum's belongings, comes across a student diary of her West African Father, a man who she never knew. We then follow Anna on her quest to find this long lost & only remaining parent of hers, a quest that she feels might change the course of her current life.
I felt cheated when I finished reading this book which IMO fails its grand title. I feel like when you have such a powerful title, then the storyline should match the energy that the title brings. We spent so much time hearing about Francis/Koffi's student life which wasn’t really interesting & when Anna finally travels to Bamana, her trip is very 'Safari-like'. It felt as if she was a tourist or at best a foreign guest of the former president & not a daughter finally home. Then there’s the whole prison storyline which felt really forced & unnecessary! And what was the reason why 'Bamana' is this fiction country, that is adjoined to 'Segu' (present day Mali' & the characters names are Ghanaian? So confusing! Can you tell how annoyed this book made me feel?
Maru by Bessie Head
2.0
This book almost made it to my DNF list! Maybe it’s because of the writing style, there were so many different ones, from magical realism to a love story & then to a 'Utopian' style then back to sayings & satire & humor & then day to day conversations & suddenly more deep reflection…I could not keep up.
The subject of this book 'Racism & the conclusion that the language of oppression is universal‘ is one that is very important. As someone who encountered this & who had to flee her home country because of Apartheid, Bessie Head uses this book to describe the cracks in the African society post colonialism & hopes to inspire a life where Africans can coexist without the divides of race, gender, prejudice, violence & abuse.
I can appreciate the great writer that she is & the importance of this book as part of the 'African Writers Series‘ but I can also say that this was not an easy read. I only finished it so that I could have something to talk about in the Bookclub discussion.
Conclusion:- Read at your own peril!
The subject of this book 'Racism & the conclusion that the language of oppression is universal‘ is one that is very important. As someone who encountered this & who had to flee her home country because of Apartheid, Bessie Head uses this book to describe the cracks in the African society post colonialism & hopes to inspire a life where Africans can coexist without the divides of race, gender, prejudice, violence & abuse.
I can appreciate the great writer that she is & the importance of this book as part of the 'African Writers Series‘ but I can also say that this was not an easy read. I only finished it so that I could have something to talk about in the Bookclub discussion.
Conclusion:- Read at your own peril!