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rashellnicole 's review for:
The Lies of the Ajungo
by Moses Ose Utomi
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I picked up this book on an absolute whim, but I am so glad I did. Clocking in at less than 100 pages, this novella still packs a punch.
Our young MC, Tutu, is approaching his 13th birthday. This is an auspicious day, as people in his city (the City of Lies) have their tongues cut out at 13 as an offering to the mysterious rulers of this country - the Ajungo. In exchange for their tongues, the people of his city receive rations of water, though it’s not nearly enough to sustain their life in the desert. After his mother collapses from dehydration, Tutu decides to embark on a hero’s journey to find enough water to save his mother and his city. After being granted permission by their ruler, he spends weeks in the desert searching for water. He is unsuccessful until he meets a group of women from another town who share stories of the Ajungo eerily similar to his city’s. A friendship develops and they quickly learn that there are more lies to unravel about the mysterious Ajungo than they thought.
This story managed to mix fable and fantasy without making me groan internally and had a very satisfying ending for me. Utomi is a profound writer and I can’t wait to read more from him in the future!
Our young MC, Tutu, is approaching his 13th birthday. This is an auspicious day, as people in his city (the City of Lies) have their tongues cut out at 13 as an offering to the mysterious rulers of this country - the Ajungo. In exchange for their tongues, the people of his city receive rations of water, though it’s not nearly enough to sustain their life in the desert. After his mother collapses from dehydration, Tutu decides to embark on a hero’s journey to find enough water to save his mother and his city. After being granted permission by their ruler, he spends weeks in the desert searching for water. He is unsuccessful until he meets a group of women from another town who share stories of the Ajungo eerily similar to his city’s. A friendship develops and they quickly learn that there are more lies to unravel about the mysterious Ajungo than they thought.
This story managed to mix fable and fantasy without making me groan internally and had a very satisfying ending for me. Utomi is a profound writer and I can’t wait to read more from him in the future!