Gifted by the publisher

With an odd structure that won't make sense until the last chapter, GODWIN is an odd little book that rewards patient readers. O'Neill's writing style is characterized by its intricate layering of narratives and themes. The book follows two brothers scouting for a soccer genius in Africa amidst a backdrop of copy editing office drama and complex mother-son relationships.

These seemingly disparate elements are all tied together through the overarching theme of colonialism. GODWIN offers a unique perspective on colonization, exploring the practice of wealthy white countries 'investing' in young athletes from poor villages. I can see this book being very polarizing because of its structure—the seemingly disjointed narratives might alienate readers looking for a light read; GODWIN is a story one will have to spend time with. I'm still unsure how the last chapter ties in with the overarching themes, and I'd love to hear your thought if you've read GODWIN!

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notes & rambles

What a weird little book! I really like how “odd” the structure is. It won’t really make sense until the last 20%—definitely a book that rewards patient readers.

I love the themes of “colonization” through sports. It’s a really refreshing angle about hyper consumerism and colonialism that I don’t think most people think about. I’ve never thought about how exploitative it is to “help” poor kids out of poverty by making them into star athletes.

There’s also another storyline about office politics. The book reads like two separate books until the very end. And i still have to think more about how these two parallel yet intertwining stories speak to each other.

This is a book I think will be very polarizing because of its structure. I’d love to discuss this and read more analysis about GODWIN!