Apr 072014
This book grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go for a second. I used to live in Uganda and Zambia, and Nollywood drama was part of the background; this book is Nollywood drama run headlong into alien invasion, all steeped in Nigeria’s history, both real and legendary. It starts out looking like an eco-thriller, then weaves together the lives of a marine biologist, a soldier with strong ethics, and a Ghanaian rapper. The book is impressive in ambition and it doesn’t spoon-feed a thing; you’ll be rewarded with a range of emotion from terror to bleak, black humour.
3 Responses to “100 word review: Lagoon, by Nnedi Okorafor”
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[…] ‘This book grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go for a second. I used to live in Uganda and Zambia, and Nollywood drama was part of the background; this book is Nollywood drama run headlong into alien invasion, all steeped in Nigeria’s history, both real and legendary. It starts out looking like an eco-thriller, then weaves together the lives of a marine biologist, a soldier with strong ethics, and a Ghanaian rapper. The book is impressive in ambition and it doesn’t spoon-feed a thing; you’ll be rewarded with a range of emotion from terror to bleak, black humour.’ – Glen Mehn […]
[…] There’s so much right with this book: astounding humour. Deep insight into the feeling of returning home to find one is an outsider. Family dynamics. Commentary on religion. Heartbreaking sentiment. One of my two best of the year. L’otre? Lagoon […]
[…] I’m going to bring back the 100 word reviews, starting with the Kitschies Red and Gold shortlists. Please don’t try to work out what’s going to win based on these – I honestly have no idea and won’t until Friday evening, by which time all of these blog posts (queued up!) will have gone out. I’ve already reviewed Lagoon here. […]