A brutal Africanfuturist novel that doesn’t pull its punches. The world-building was great, the magic system intricate, I loved that it was sort of dystopian where society had bypassed computers and technology and those things were deemed forbidden now. But you really have to prepare yourself for the brutal depictions of rape and FGM. At the end the author notes that she was ‘inspired’ (for lack of a better world) by reports of weaponised rape in Sudan, so I do understand that she’s highlighting a real world issue that needs talking about, but it doesn’t make it any easier to read. 

I liked the dynamic between the group that emerges, I think it was a realistic portrayal of the tensions and shifting loyalties that would prevail when a group of close friends/lovers embark on an intense journey together. But sometimes I found the dialogue a little stilted (Onyesonwu is shouting in all caps… a lot), and the big showdown which was built up the entire book was a bit of a letdown. 

Still, a compulsive novel that’s worth a read if you’ve got a strong stomach, with lots of thought-provoking themes