As promised, here is the second part of my Caine Prize 2020 short list rundown! Finishing up with reviews of brilliant entries by Jowhor Ile, Irenosen Okojie and Rémy Ngamije. You can read Part One here for Erica Sugo and…
The AKO Caine Prize 2020 is one to look out for I really should have been paying more attention to the Caine Prize over the past few years, the talent is immense! The stories are thoughtful, imaginative and vivid. Past…
OK. The themes covered in this book: ancestry, colonialism, the Western eye on African arts, familial obligation, coming of age, identity, Ghanaian society and tradition. All of this made me like the idea of this story more than the reality…
By chance (or maybe not) Emmanuel Iduma sums up this book perfectly himself in a couple of sentences about halfway through the book: ‘But faces aren’t mirrors. Suppose we look long enough at others to discover their secret impulses, could…
It was a good evening for this. One of those hot London days when Summer is happening properly and there’s actual cause for shorts. After walking up and down Bellendon Road and noting some shops I’d never seen before, I…
We Are All Children Of Blood And Bone The artwork for this book cover and promotional posters is amazing. On the strength of that (I know it’s shallow), the consistently good reviews, and recommendations (less shallow; redeemed), I finally…
Heartbreaking, soul shaking story of young Nigerian couple battling with a deep love, childlessness and lies – Good Lord, the lies! Stay With Me tells of the lengths Akin and Yejide go to ‘cure’ their childlessness. The stories they…
First Read: 2011, It was exciting to see an African take on graphic novels and Aya didn’t disappoint Was it good or bad? This was quick, funny, warm and energetic. There’s a hint of nostalgia , even though I’ve never been…