A Spell of Good Things (Hardback)
  • A Spell of Good Things (Hardback)
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A Spell of Good Things (Hardback)

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£18.99
Hardback 352 Pages
Published: 09/02/2023
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Waterstones Says

A compelling state-of-the-nation novel about modern Nigeria, A Spell of Good Things throws together two children from vastly different backgrounds in a masterly dissection of wealth, politics and poverty.

Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2023

Ayobami Adebayo, the Women's Prize-shortlisted author of Stay With Me, unveils a dazzling story of modern Nigeria and two families caught in the riptides of wealth, power, romantic obsession and political corruption.

Eniola is tall for his age, a boy who looks like a man. His father has lost his job, so Eniola spends his days running errands for the local tailor, collecting newspapers and begging, dreaming of a big future.

Wuraola is a golden girl, the perfect child of a wealthy family. Now an exhausted young doctor in her first year of practice, she is beloved by Kunle, the volatile son of family friends.

When a local politician takes an interest in Eniola and sudden violence shatters a family party, Wuraola and Eniola's lives become intertwined. In this breathtaking novel, Ayobami Adebayo shines her light on Nigeria, on the gaping divide between the haves and the have-nots, and the shared humanity that lives in between.

Publisher: Canongate Books
ISBN: 9781838856045
Number of pages: 352
Weight: 464 g
Dimensions: 220 x 144 x 33 mm
Edition: Main


MEDIA REVIEWS

A moving story, skilfully told, about Eniola, a boy whose future has been snatched away from him, and Wuraola, a talented, overworked junior doctor, whose intertwined narratives combine to produce an insightful portrait of an unequal and deeply divided society moving towards a terrible crisis. A Spell of Good Things is both gripping and memorable - PAT BARKER

A powerful, staggering read - Booker Prize 2023

An outstanding read - ANITA RANI, BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour

Heart-rending . . . a breeze to read, despite the weightiness of its subject matter . . . Adebayo handles her characters with empathy and nuance, showing their vulnerabilities, yearnings, shame and delusions - Financial Times

Compelling . . . This immensely readable novel is a blistering indictment of the abuse of power (political and domestic) and the ubiquitous violence that can destroy lives overnight - Observer

Adebayo humanizes those sucked into the vortex of [. . . ] power with striking compassion - the characters' misjudgments and delusions are deeply and empathetically imagined, wholly alive - New York Times

Couldn't be more timely. It's as much about politics as it is a story of toxic relationships, coming of age, and finding the courage to do the right thing - AFUA HIRSCH

A portrait of domestic strife and political tensions in Nigeria - Michael Donkor, Guardian

Spellbinding . . . Beautiful writing and a story that we found truly unforgettable - Glamour UK

A triumph . . . a shrewdly-observed, intricate story about power, politics, and poverty, and one which renders Nigeria in high-definition colour - i

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“'God forbid bad thing'”

'He took good fortune for granted. As though it were impossible that it would abide only for a spell. She had never been able to shake the sense that life was war, a series of battles with the occasional spell of... More

Hardback edition
3 similar books recommended
Helpful? Upvote 11

“Good premise”

I liked the premise of this book, and often enjoy a slow burn novel with the opportunity to get yo know the characters. However I must admit that this one did rather try my patience and then a sudden speeding up of... More

Hardback edition
Helpful? Upvote 11

“An impactful novel which rewards persistence”

Ayòbámi Adébáyò’s debut novel “Stay With Me” was shortlisted for the 2017 Women’s Prize.

This is her second novel is something of a state of the nation examination of modern Nigeria – with a particular emphasis on... More

Hardback edition
Helpful? Upvote 9

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