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
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
'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
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
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...
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