Ghostroots is a rich, intimate collection of short stories that merges ordinary Nigerian settings with a shimmering thread of magic and grotesque transformation. ’Pemi Aguda finds a way to illuminate the hidden anxieties, desires, and histories that lie just beneath the surface of daily life — particularly when it comes to the roles of women in a family, a home, and a community. The stories are piercing, vivid, and at times heartbreaking, yet there’s a deep thread of resistance tying them together — a persistent inquiry into how we break away from oppressive structures and become more than the roles we were handed.

This collection explores intergenerational trauma and the struggles for freedom within oppressive traditions — especially for women battling a legacy of abuse, silence, and submission. From a young woman battling possession by her own grandmother in “Manifest,” to a new mother wrestling with her ability to connect and care in “Breastmilk,” these stories illuminate the intimate, messy relationships we have with those we love and the past we carry within us. There are moments when houses become prisons or financial structures consume their contributors, when a young girl finds herself kidnapped and reshaped by another’s desires — all reflecting a universal human fear: that we may become what we most want to destroy.

Ghostroots resonates profoundly for those who, like me, are passionate about honoring the stories of women, ancestors, and children — stories often erased or forgotten by a dominant culture. Aguda shows us that naming oneself and choosing one's future is a radical act, especially when the past feels inescapable. The collection highlights the power of imagination to illuminate hidden struggles, transforming silence into voice and submission into liberation. It’s a rich, intimate, and piercing collection — perfect for readers who appreciate stories about transformation, intergenerational trauma, and the power of women’s resistance.

📖 Read this if you love: intimate, piercing short stories; intergenerational family dramas with a touch of magic; rich character studies that illuminate hidden struggles.

🔑 Key Themes: Mothers and Daughters, Generational Trauma, Transformation and Self-Determination, Home and Belonging, Nigerian Culture and Folklore.