bg_oseman_fan's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This story reminded me a lot of Mistry’s A Fine Balance. I admired her ability to weave the characters stories and reveal so much through showing rather than telling. The tragedies felt earned but not inevitable and every word of the story felt like it described the situation perfectly. it was difficult to read at times because of the subjects, but all were handled very well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Classism, Domestic abuse, Violence, Medical content, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Murder, Vomit, Child death, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Child abuse, Suicide, Blood, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual content, and Cursing
jouljet's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, and Violence
fiberreader's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Domestic abuse
Minor: Suicide and Kidnapping
jamesyouwere's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, and Suicide
mel_s_bookshelf's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Classism, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Suicide
kirstym25's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Child abuse
secre's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A Spell of Good Things showcases the lives of two very different families in Nigeria.
Eniola is a boy who looks like a man, but one stuck in a never ending cycle of poverty since his father lost his job. There's never enough money to buy food, pay rent and pay for his and his sister's school fees or apprenticeship. No matter how hard his mother tries, she just can't make ends meet.
Wuraola is a young doctor from a wealthy family, exhausted and constantly under pressure at work, money is not an issue for her. She has her own problems though, her boyfriend Kunle is volatile and controlling, yet she's ignoring the red flags because of the societal pressure to be married. When Eniola discovers a way to make some easy money, he sets himself on a collision course with Wuraola's family; one that is doomed to end in tragedy.
This is a hard-hitting and thought provoking novel. It doesn't shy away from difficult and painful topics. The author puts a spotlight on the soul crushing reality of living in poverty. Of borrowing from Bill to pay Ben, but never knowing where the money to pay Bill back will come from. You can't help but feel for Eniola; forced to go to school by his parents because education is the most important thing, yet whipped every morning because his parent's have not paid the school fees. Adébáyọ̀ truly brings the plight of his family to life.
The wealth disparity is equally hard-hitting; Wuraola's family is as far apart from the poverty of Eniola's that it's jarring. Her narrative has it's own darkly powerful moments though, shining a light on domestic abuse and the reasons those emmeshed find to stay. There were moments where I genuinely wanted to scream at her. With both families getting involved in local politics but in very different ways, the collision course is set even if they don't know it yet.
All in all, this is a powerful and hard hitting novel. It's slow moving and Adébáyọ̀ spends a lot of time building up the characters and side characters. I quite appreciated this, it brought the lives of the individuals stark definition. It is also undeniably bleak at points; whilst there is humour, it can't hide the misery, poverty and abuses on display.
Eniola is a boy who looks like a man, but one stuck in a never ending cycle of poverty since his father lost his job. There's never enough money to buy food, pay rent and pay for his and his sister's school fees or apprenticeship. No matter how hard his mother tries, she just can't make ends meet.
Wuraola is a young doctor from a wealthy family, exhausted and constantly under pressure at work, money is not an issue for her. She has her own problems though, her boyfriend Kunle is volatile and controlling, yet she's ignoring the red flags because of the societal pressure to be married. When Eniola discovers a way to make some easy money, he sets himself on a collision course with Wuraola's family; one that is doomed to end in tragedy.
This is a hard-hitting and thought provoking novel. It doesn't shy away from difficult and painful topics. The author puts a spotlight on the soul crushing reality of living in poverty. Of borrowing from Bill to pay Ben, but never knowing where the money to pay Bill back will come from. You can't help but feel for Eniola; forced to go to school by his parents because education is the most important thing, yet whipped every morning because his parent's have not paid the school fees. Adébáyọ̀ truly brings the plight of his family to life.
The wealth disparity is equally hard-hitting; Wuraola's family is as far apart from the poverty of Eniola's that it's jarring. Her narrative has it's own darkly powerful moments though, shining a light on domestic abuse and the reasons those emmeshed find to stay. There were moments where I genuinely wanted to scream at her. With both families getting involved in local politics but in very different ways, the collision course is set even if they don't know it yet.
All in all, this is a powerful and hard hitting novel. It's slow moving and Adébáyọ̀ spends a lot of time building up the characters and side characters. I quite appreciated this, it brought the lives of the individuals stark definition. It is also undeniably bleak at points; whilst there is humour, it can't hide the misery, poverty and abuses on display.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Child death and Suicide
itsawrapxx's review
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a somber read for me, but I still enjoyed it. The first half of the book left me wondering how it was all going to come together, and I thought it was a little slow. The book's second half is really the star. It took a day or two for me to process the ending and what I had read once it was all said and done. It touches on some big themes and does it so elegantly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Suicide
erebus53's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I went into this book not knowing anything about it. As a result I was about 9 hours in before I started seeing the point of the book. It really starts with slice of life things, and a broad cast of Nigerian characters, and it is difficult to see all the connections that will eventually be built.
Amongst the main players are,
a woman who is a doctor who is being pressured by family to marry the man she has been dating,
his father who is a politician,
her mother who is trying to hold a family together,
the woman she buys her handmade dresses from,
a boy who works in the tailoring shop,
his family and their hopes and financial struggles that have been immense since his father was laid off by government funding cuts for schools.
These disparate characters seem to have little in common except locality. Each has their own history, drives and challenges. The pace is slow and half way through I was feeling a little lost when it came to understanding the significance of some things. Although frustrating, this is part of the point of the book. Without a big picture of what is going on, it is easy to ignore small things that contribute to a problem. This is a major theme of the story, but it takes a back seat to the unfolding interplay of characters.
As a backdrop we see a country that lives with shortage of medical and teaching staff (caused in part by the exodus of graduate students), and a divide between rich and poor that leaves those who are destitute or disabled begging on the streets. There is also some disability narrative with a mother who is terrified that her children will be Dyslexic, because she feels that her personal survival was only possible due to marrying a man with a good job.
Logical things happen but it still feels affronting. The last 5% of the book is a rollercoaster of tenseness and revelation, and emotional resonance that would only be possible with the time and love that the reader invests in the characters to this point. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes character driven stories, has a lot of patience, and an interest in Nigeria.
Amongst the main players are,
a woman who is a doctor who is being pressured by family to marry the man she has been dating,
his father who is a politician,
her mother who is trying to hold a family together,
the woman she buys her handmade dresses from,
a boy who works in the tailoring shop,
his family and their hopes and financial struggles that have been immense since his father was laid off by government funding cuts for schools.
These disparate characters seem to have little in common except locality. Each has their own history, drives and challenges. The pace is slow and half way through I was feeling a little lost when it came to understanding the significance of some things. Although frustrating, this is part of the point of the book. Without a big picture of what is going on, it is easy to ignore small things that contribute to a problem. This is a major theme of the story, but it takes a back seat to the unfolding interplay of characters.
As a backdrop we see a country that lives with shortage of medical and teaching staff (caused in part by the exodus of graduate students), and a divide between rich and poor that leaves those who are destitute or disabled begging on the streets. There is also some disability narrative with a mother who is terrified that her children will be Dyslexic, because she feels that her personal survival was only possible due to marrying a man with a good job.
Logical things happen but it still feels affronting. The last 5% of the book is a rollercoaster of tenseness and revelation, and emotional resonance that would only be possible with the time and love that the reader invests in the characters to this point. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes character driven stories, has a lot of patience, and an interest in Nigeria.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Sexism, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Murder, Death, Kidnapping, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Medical content, Ableism, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Vomit, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Abandonment, and Cancer
Minor: Alcohol, Mental illness, and Suicide
mayy_y's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.75
This book started out slow. I was almost tempted to dnf it, but I’m happy i got to finish it.
I love the way the stories of everyone ties together.
This book is filled with a deep sadness unlike any other book I’ve read. I went into this blind, so I actually thought this was a romance book. I had the shock of my life😭
But yeah, I really enjoyed this story and I look forward to the next book by the author.
I love the way the stories of everyone ties together.
This book is filled with a deep sadness unlike any other book I’ve read. I went into this blind, so I actually thought this was a romance book. I had the shock of my life😭
But yeah, I really enjoyed this story and I look forward to the next book by the author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Child death