I have to admit that I read this largely by accident. John Wyndham the science fiction writer is one of my favourite authors (The Chysalids might be my favourite sci-fi novel ever), and when I saw this I thought I'd somehow come across a book of his that I'd never heard of. Much excitement!!! Rather less excitement to find that it was an entirely different John Wyndham, with nothing of science fiction about it. Which is not to say that this wasn't an enjoyable and interesting read, because it was. It just wasn't what I expected.

This Wyndham was a colonial administrator in Nigeria, early in the twentieth century, where he recorded some of the myths and religious stories of the Yoruba people. This is not a subject that I know the first thing about, but I'm questioning the accuracy of what's been recorded, to be honest - primarily because Wyndham, in an introductory note, says that the reticence of the people he interviewed to talk about religious subjects meant that it was "necessary to piece much together from incantations and chance remarks" and that "the legends are bare and uncertain" and for that reason he decided to present them in verse. I like poetry, but I don't follow the logic of that choice, and frankly I am side-eyeing the whole project to begin with, considering the methodology here. If I knew more about the subject I'd have a better handle on the accuracy of this supposed record, but I don't. 

I like the stories. Wyndham's poetry was adequate. I just think, if I want to know more about Yoruba mythology and religion, I'd be better off locating a book written by someone from that culture - someone who I can trust to actually know what it is they're talking about.