Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
  • Cue Media
    • Cue online
    • Cue Archives
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Boxing Heritage Hero: Mzimasi ‘Stopper’ Mthana
  • Makhanda Heritage Day MMA tournament thrills fans
  • Amasango Career School premises handover in Extension 10
  • Gutters for the rain
  • Anti-Crime group murder trial postponed
  • Concern and condemnation of recent attacks on Grocott’s journalist
  • Bekushiyana OoMama ukondla kwi tumente yamagqiyazana
  • Makana’s crime spirals out of control
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
  • Cue Media
    • Cue online
    • Cue Archives
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»Uncategorized»Book review: When worlds collide in Lagos
Uncategorized

Book review: When worlds collide in Lagos

Grocott's MailBy Grocott's MailApril 24, 2013No Comments2 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

The Spider King’s Daughter is the first novel to be published by Nigerian author Chibundu Onuzo and is a beautifully told story of the cause and effect of human actions in the bustling metropolis of Lagos. 

The Spider King’s Daughter is the first novel to be published by Nigerian author Chibundu Onuzo and is a beautifully told story of the cause and effect of human actions in the bustling metropolis of Lagos. 

 

The Spider King’s Daughter by Chibundu Onuzo

Published by Faber & Faber

ISBN: 978-0571268894

Reviewed by Robyn Kirk

Book rating: 3.5/5

 

The book follows the story of two protagonists: AbikÄ— Johnson, the favourite child and only legitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman, and a young hawker who has turned to selling cheap ice cream on the side of the road in order to support his family following his father’s death.

The two begin a timid relationship after AbikÄ— buys an ice-cream from him one day, a small action which will have far-reaching consequences for them both.

While at first these two characters are seen to come from different worlds, the reader can increasingly see the tragic intersection of their universes as the novel progresses.

In a sweeping story, light is shone on the methods by which the rich get richer and the poor get poorer through corruption and intimidation in contemporary Nigeria.

Onuzo’s writing style is commendable, as she darts between the viewpoints of her protagonists constantly, sometimes retelling an event more than once in order to show the reader the differing perspectives held by her characters.

Her occasional use of pidgin English in the interaction between street characters gives an authenticity and texture to the book as well.

Overall, a very good first novel, and we should look forward to what comes next from this talented African writer.

The Spider King’s Daughter is available from Van Schaik’s for R133.

Previous ArticleUBOM! keeps to the beat
Next Article Rhodes archers make SA squad
Grocott's Mail

    Comments are closed.

    Tweets by Grocotts
    Newsletter



    Listen

    The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

    Humans of Makhanda

    Humans of Makhanda

    Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

    © 2023 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.