The Road to the Salt Sea

by Samuel Kolawole

As wrenching and luminous as Omar El Akkad’s What Strange Paradise and Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West, a searing exploration of the global migration crisis that moves from Nigeria to Libya to Italy, from an exciting new literary voice. Able God works for low pay at a four-star hotel where he must flash his “toothpaste-white smile” for wealthy guests. When not tending to the hotel’s overprivileged clientele, he muses over self-help books and draws life lessons from the game of chess. But Able’s ordinary life is upended when an early morning room service order leads him to interfere with Akudo, a sex worker involved with a powerful but dangerous hotel guest. Suddenly caught in a web of violence, guilt, and fear, Able must run to save himself—a journey that leads him into the desert with a group of drug-addled migrants, headed by a charismatic religious leader calling himself Ben Ten. The travelers’ dream of reaching Europe and a new life in a better place is shattered when they fall prey to human traffickers, suffer starvation, and find themselves on the precipice of death, fighting for their lives and their freedom. As Able God moves into the treacherous unknown, his consciousness becomes focused on survival and the foundations of his beliefs—his ideas about betterment and salvation—are forever altered. Suspenseful, incisive, and illuminating, The Road to the Salt Sea is a story of family, fate, religion, survival, the failures of the Nigerian class system, and what often happens to those who seek their fortunes elsewhere.

Genres: Fiction, Africa, Literary Fiction, Audiobook, Nigeria, Contemporary, Cultural

304 pages, Hardcover

First published July 2, 2024

About the author

Samuel Kọ́láwọlé was born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria. His debut novel, The Road to the Salt Sea, won the 2025 Whiting Award for Fiction, was a finalist for the International Book Awards, was longlisted for the 2025 Aspen Words Literary Prize, and is currently a finalist for the 2025 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel.

Other honors for his work include being a finalist for the Caine Prize for African Writing, the Graywolf Press Africa Prize, and the UK's The First Novel Prize.

He studied at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and holds a Master of Arts degree in Creative Writing with distinction from Rhodes University, South Africa; is a graduate of the MFA in Writing and Publishing at Vermont College of Fine Arts; and earned his PhD in English and Creative Writing from Georgia State University.

He teaches fiction writing full-time as an assistant professor of English and African studies at Pennsylvania State University. He recently joined the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers as a faculty member.

Reviews

[Lilisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to know why and how people from countries that live in turmoil or who fear for their lives risk everything to travel through deserts and on questionable boats in the sea in search of a better tomorrow, this book is for you. Able God works at the four-star Hotel Atrium in Nigeria. His life is hard, but he strives to do the best he can at his low-paying job catering to wealthier clientele. But things go awry with one of the hotel guests and a sex worker. When Able attempts to assist the sex worker, he sets in motion a devastating set of consequences that has him running for his life. So begins his treacherous journey of escape - through Nigeria, Niger, Libya and on to Malta. Given the nature of the storyline, this is a somber and eye-opening read. It’s gritty, unvarnished and brutal. The reality of the migrant’s journey for a better life and its deadly consequences in many cases is laid bare before us. The stark experiences of Able and his fellow passengers and the descriptive settings of his city and his trans-Saharan migrant journey are well portrayed. I would have liked a smoother finish to the book - I thought it ended quite abruptly. Overall, the book was well written and the storyline kept my interest on a very challenging human issue - a four-star read. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Preeti Mahatme · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bold gritty tale about the dark underbelly of illegal migration. Able God is working as a hotel do-it-all executive in Nigeria when he is unwittingly embroiled in an untoward incident. Rather than face the consequences, he chooses to flee Nigeria for Europe through the services of a dubious agent called Ben Ten. So begins his harrowing journey across the merciless Sahara and the equally ruthless Mediterranean Sea. Nowadays there is so much mention of illegal immigrants and refugees once they have arrived at their destination, that the true plight of their situation and journey and experience from their point of view gets overlooked. This book highlights the perils of taking this route, the underlying desperation that compels them to do so and the horrifying reality that such smuggling seems to have become a sort of organised industry. If you thought slavery and slave trade was a thing of the past this book will open your eyes to some brutal truths of the present. A fantastic debut novel that exposes the refugee situation threadbare in all its gory details. Recommended reading!!
I read this side by side with Nadine Gordimer's The conservationist. It was disheartening to note how the decades may have passed but human attitudes of exploiting the poor and underprivileged have either remained unchanged or gotten even worse with the passage of time.
Thank you NetGalley @netgalley, Amistad @amistadbooks and Samuel Kolawale for the ARC

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s hard to say that you loved a book when it’s such heavy content with deep suffering. But, I did love this book.

I loved the writing style. The words flowed and painted such vivid pictures. I felt that I was there and could see and smell everything as it was being described. In a lot of literary fiction, authors get way too flowery and pretentious with their writing. This writing style was easier to read because it was written in a way that appeals even to people that don’t normally read literary fiction. It’s simple but powerful and says so much.

The characters were well developed and made me feel such a range of emotions. I felt love, hate, pity, frustration, anger (often from the same character)!

I learned a lot from this book. I’m glad I was reading a digital copy because I had to look up a lot of words because I wasn’t familiar with a lot of the clothing names, food, etc. I also thought the map was handy to look back on.

I think this would make a great book club pick. There’s a lot to reflect on and discuss.

[Phyllis | Mocha Drop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Able God is a disadvantaged Nigerian man struggling with a job with limited prospects. As the oldest son, he is failing his societal (and financial) obligations toward his parents. Despite living a righteous life, he suffers indignations daily and is underappreciated at a job where his labor and humanity are exploited. Bad things happen to good people and Able God is no exception – when doing the right thing, an unfortunate incident at work forces him to panic and flee the country to Europe. Desperation causes him to throw caution to the wind and he reluctantly places trust in a charlatan posing as a “spiritual guide” serving as an employment broker.

What ensues is the classic blueprint for manipulating desperate people seeking a better life. Using the promise of better wages, plentiful work, and safe passage out of Africa, the old and young are coerced to sign unscrupulous contracts and embark on life-threatening treks overland from Nigeria through the Sahara Desert to Tripoli onward through Italy to other parts of Europe. Human traffickers/smugglers strip them of their meager belongings, deny communication to family/friends, and rob them of their money. They are starved, beaten, threatened, extorted, raped/molested, and some are abandoned or killed. Many are forced into slavery in lands where they are sequestered as hostages on work farms without documentation or legal representation.

The novel gave great insight into the circumstances and rationale that force these immigrants into these situations. It also provided the harrowing experiences and horrific conditions that stressed one’s emotional, physical, and spiritual being. Sadly, it offers no solution to human trafficking, but sheds light on the gravity of the trade.

Thanks to the publisher, Amistad, and NetGallery for the opportunity to review.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A harrowing journey of a young Nigerian man Able who makes his way through Niger Republic, the Sahel and Sahara Desert, trafficking and slavery in Libya to reach Europe across the Mediterranean Sea. Questions of morals and dignity become unimportant in the face of cruel violence and torture. While this novel is fictional, the stories it tells lines up with the accounts of Sub-Saharan refugees and asylum seekers. The EU is knowingly funding Libyan coastguards to funnel these desperate people back into detention camps and slavery.
3.75 ⭐️

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/pre...

https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/02/08/a...

Content Warnings: Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Rape and Sexual assault

[Darryl Barney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a harsh, bleak novel about a young Nigerian man named Able God, forced to migrate north through the Sahara to the Mediterranean. The journey is perilous all the way, with some time spent in a horrible forced labor camp. Able God’s plight is partly due to conditions in Nigeria, as well as bad luck and poor decisions. Able God’s family was prosperous and he is anxious about disappointing and worrying them.
Able God is an interesting character, flawed but he has virtues. He tries to help others sometimes even while struggling for his own survival. He encounters a number of deceptive, violent, exploitative people along the way.
This novel is very well written and compelling.

[TheThirdLie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be. It definitely highlighted the struggle of escaping one's country, but I don't feel like it was incredibly effective at doing so. The first half of the book was very meandering, I feel that could have been shorter and the journey focused on more.

[Booqmonk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like this is a reverse fiction if "The road to the country" By Chigozie

[Kathleen Faubion · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF. This debut novel has gotten much praise, but it’s not for me. A hard read, dark and unrelentingly dreary.

[Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

The imagery was vivid and the desperation of the characters moving, but the middle/ending lacked structure in a big way. I was confused on how Akudo disappeared initially and then how Able knew the guy who trafficked him to Tripoli. Either I misread key sentences or the reasoning was simply absent.

[rieke.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars!
CAWPILE: 6.93/10.00

[Alyssa Rickard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a devastating story but definitely worth reading. I’ve read quite a few migration stories, but this was unique and engaging.

[MaryAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: The Road to the Salt Sea by Samuel Kolawole

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Able God is a working man who is barely subsisting on the meager wages he earns. Able is a hospitality executive at the four-star Hotel Atrium, but he knows he is nothing more than a glorified workhorse. Meanwhile, he smiles his 100 watt toothpaste commercial smile, reads self-help books, practices his chess moves and takes it all in stride. That is until the fateful day when he is on room service duty and encounters a high profile guest and his escort, Akudo. One thing leads to another, and before he can stop to think about what he’s done, he is on the run. Able God accepts a proposal from a charismatic religious leader. A once-in-a-lifetime, trans-Saharan journey, that will lead him out of harms way and bring him to The Promised Land, Europe. Like many migrants before him, he will fall prey to violence, extortion, near starvation and human trafficking.

The Road to the Salt Sea opens with a line attributed to the poet Warsaw Shire, “no one leaves home/ unless home is the mouth of a shark.” I love when an epigraph keenly prefigures the main theme of a novel. The character Able God stands in for the millions of desperate, faceless refugees who flee their homes as a result of violence, political unrest, religious intolerance and more in pursuit of a better/safer life. The Able’s of the world, the dreamers, have bought into prosperity theology, or self determination theory as the path to an easier life. Kolawole is at his best when he forces the reader to witness his hero shed his values and virtues, as he grapples to survive. Begging the question, “how far would you go?” I highly recommend The Road to the Salt Sea to readers who are interested in exploring the complexities of immigration, the plight of refugees and other global issues.

Many thanks to the author @SamuelKolawole, @AmistadBooks and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this digital book in exchange for an honest review.

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is a talented writer, especially at descriptions of places. And there are lots of places described in this novel. The Road of the title wanders from Nigeria to Libya and eventually to Malta. I have qualms about the plot choices he made, that the actions of the main character, Able God, are inconsistent and unbelievable and that the awful things that he experienced could be recovered from so quickly. There is a torture porn feel to some sections, that is disquieting. I know that people do awful things to each other, but things just don’t hang together right in too many instances here.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Able God's journey is a powerful and emotional ride that will leave you breathless and heartbroken. After his life is turned upside down, he's forced to flee Nigeria and embark on a perilous journey to Europe, seeking safety and a better life. With nothing but hope and determination, he faces down human traffickers, treacherous landscapes, and the unforgiving sea.

As he navigates the dark underbelly of illegal migration, Able God's story exposes the harsh realities of a world that often seems too cruel and unforgiving. Yet, despite the odds stacked against him, he finds solace in the resilience of the human spirit and the power of hope.

This book is a heart-wrenching reminder of the struggles many face in search of a better life. With its raw and unflinching portrayal, it's a must-read for anyone looking for a story that will touch their heart, challenge their assumptions, and stay with them long after the final page is turned.💔

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m glad this book was written and that I read it, but I also found it distractingly flawed at times. I’ve seen the Africa to Europe migration covered in the news and documentaries but had never encountered it in fiction. Seeing it in all its brutal detail from the fictional perspective of a migrant was powerful and affecting. More stories like this need to be told. At the same time, I found the prose to be uneven—gorgeous at times, dull at others—and the actions and motivations of the protagonist often perplexing and hard to understand. For that reason, he never felt like a fully realized character to me, which was disappointing. Still, it’s a book that will stick with me for a long time, I predict.

[Melissa Bright · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. This was beautifully horrific. Genuinely hard to read a lot of the time. An eye opener for sure of what immigrants face. It felt hopeless and dark but as it should! I struggled with the writing style being a little too hard to follow. It felt jumpy and like bits were left out. I’d have to go back to make sure I didn’t miss something. I would have rather this book been longer and taken its time.

[Kofi Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

kinda simple ngl. but interesting ending and reminds you things could always be harder.

i’m not okay but im gon be alright -earl sweatshirt 🙂‍↕️

[Toni-Ann T · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an important and well needed piece of literature which sheds light on the arduous path commonly taken by sub-saharan Africans on their way to Europe in search of a better life.

The themes of this book include betrayal, disappointment, murder, death, addiction, depression, deep despair, starvation, torture, failure and the fear thereof, economic woes, war, racism, colorism, and anxiety. All of these things tie into each other, and are emblematic of the extraordinary path which is familiar to many in the global South, unfortunately.

My problem with this book is not that it tries too hard to capture all of the aforementioned. Instead, I think that the author unfortunately has too many characters, some of whom sporadically appear after not being mentioned for several chapters, and who we are supposed to feel connected to. My actual issue stems from the decision that Able God made in the beginning of the book; to stalk Akudo. The author provided no context as to why this man who worked at the hotel would suddenly become enraptured with this sex worker who just so happened to live near to him and who never says a word to him until she is in a fight with her highest paying customer. The whole scenario is a bit strange to say the least. And we are never given any context as to why she may have done what she did except for his supposed treatment of her, though that couldn’t have been the first time? Idk, it was strange. Then, we had to sit through Able God becoming a drug addict. I wish for the reader’s sake that those friendships would have already been formed, so that us readers did not have to sit through the formation of his friendship rooted in addiction. I think if we had come in where he was already dependent on drugs, the trauma-bonded friendships would have been easier to understand. Likewise, I wish we came in at a point where Morufu was already a dear friend of Able Gods. Why? Because it was difficult to understand him outside of him being a character with a limp and dreams of playing football. And it didn’t help that the author referred to them as boys. Imagine my surprise when it turned out that Morufu was a grown man with a wife and kids.

This is not to say that there weren’t good characters. Patricia was a favorite of mine. Her storyline, however, just vanished, and the last I remember reading about her is that she was separated from the boys. The story line of the quiet boy was also very painful to read, as we know he died in the Sahara nameless and unidentified. A body and dream gone with the dessert wind. I’m gonna be honest, the Pepe character needed more development. He was introduced once and then showed up again after the incident with Morufu which was sad. Likewise, Gaddafi was also an underdeveloped character.

Able God himself seemed a “nice guy” though we later learned his character included surviving as best he could, even if it meant doing the unthinkable.

I know these are quite nit-picky, but they really contributed to the book being less than what it could’ve been. I think less characters and backstory and more grit would have benefited the author. We could have learned about the backstory as the book went on and that would have illuminated the story and provided context where necessary.

At times, the writing also felt cumbersome, sometimes less is more.

Overall, this was a solid debut novel. I am happy that it ended with a glimmer of hope at the end. I really enjoyed the actual story that was told, and cannot underscore the importance of it enough. I just had a few moments that kept it from perfect for me.

[Joe Kraus · Rating 3 out of 5]

We need someone to write the epic of today’s modern migrant experience. We in the comfortable West need to get the story of the too-often hopeless; we need it not just for their sake but for our own. In a moment when Donald Trump and his MAGA are ascendant, we need a story that we cannot ignore.

This isn’t quite that. It has its moments, and there’s a lot to think about. There are scenes that resonate, and the larger story of a man who, because of bad luck, finds himself forced to leave his native Nigeria for a perilous passage to Europe.

But, as a novel, it’s not quite a masterpiece.

During one stretch, a powerful set of scenes when Able God is crossing the desert in a rickety truck, I kept thinking of the short story I heard my friend, the talented Iheoma Nwachukwu read last month. His story (from his excellent collection Japa and Other Stories) more successfully captures the drama and despair of being nameless in the face of such shrunken hope. When one of his migrants falls off a truck, it somehow stings more than when a young boy falls of the one with Able God.

I found myself thinking in those moments of Woody Guthrie’s great anthem, “Deportees,” of the way he so skillfully reflects on the idea that the victims are nameless, leading to his refrain, “Goodbye to my Juan, adios my Maria…”

That’s a winding way of saying that I admire this but wish it were something more, that it could make indelible what, here, feels exploratory.

The scene I refer to really does work at one point. When Able God contemplates the dead boy, lying nameless in the desert, it hurts. It just somehow hurts a bit less than in Iheoma’s or Woody Guthrie’s work.

What does set this apart from other is its attempt at saga.

We begin with a necessary but cliched scene. Able God takes to a high-class prostitute at the ritzy hotel where he works. He tries to rescue her. And a powerful criminal/gangster gets killed. That indignity sets him on the run, and he experiences the trauma of migration and modern-day slavery. Later, rescued in a way, he finds himself a bandit/exploiter himself and eventually kills the man who imprisoned and humiliated him. And then, hapless again, he survives a final passage to Malta where he begins to live his dream of being a successful chess player.

In other words, he knows the highs and lows of the migrant experience, and there’s power in that.

At the same time, there’s an episodic quality that keeps this from building as I hope it would. For instance, we don’t have much to do with the woman who sets the whole story in motion. She’s gone for most of the novel, then he sees her from a distance at the end, and – without ever speaking with her again – he moves through hate/blame to declaring she’s the “family” he’s otherwise lost. There’s emotion in all that – the final line is compelling, but it feels unearned – but it just doesn’t land with the force I wish it would.

I’m glad Kolawole has written this, and I’m glad I’ve read it. I hope someone, Iheoma perhaps, picks up where this solid work ends. We need this story, and fine as this is, we need it even better. I will call this 3.5 stars, but I can’t recommend it with the enthusiasm I wish I could.

[J Kromrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

The Road to the Salt Sea by Samuel Kolawole is a poignant and gripping narrative that delves into the harrowing realities of the global migration crisis. Kolawole, an emerging literary voice, crafts a story that is both heart-wrenching and illuminating, taking readers on a journey from Nigeria to Libya to Italy.

The novel follows the lives of several characters, each driven by the hope of a better future. Kolawole’s storytelling is rich with emotional depth, capturing the desperation, resilience, and humanity of those who embark on perilous journeys in search of safety and opportunity. The characters are vividly drawn, their struggles and triumphs resonating deeply with the reader.

Kolawole’s prose is lyrical and incisive, painting a stark picture of the socio-political and economic forces that compel people to leave their homes. He does not shy away from depicting the brutal realities of migration, including the dangers of crossing the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea. Yet, amidst the darkness, there are moments of profound beauty and hope, as the characters forge bonds of friendship and solidarity.

The novel explores the failures of the Nigerian class system and the broader implications of global inequality. Kolawole deftly weaves these themes into the narrative, providing a nuanced critique of the systemic issues that drive migration. The story is not just about the physical journey, but also about the emotional and psychological toll it takes on individuals and families.

The Road to the Salt Sea is a timely and important work that sheds light on one of the most pressing issues of our time. Kolawole’s ability to humanize the migration crisis, while also offering a searing critique of the systems that perpetuate it, makes this novel a must-read. It is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring quest for a better life.

Samuel Kolawole’s The Road to the Salt Sea is a masterful blend of storytelling and social commentary. It is a novel that will stay with you long after you turn the last page, urging you to reflect on the complexities of migration and the shared humanity that binds us all.

[Trey · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Not necessarily any plot spoliers but I do talk about the ending of the book*


The Road to the Salt Sea provided me with an intensely detailed, horrifyingly vivid, and passionately human tale of a Nigerian migrant who flees his home and his life after making a series of fateful decisions. Able God, the main character of the novel, is deeply flawed. So flawed, in fact, that I was still coming to grips with his actions, as was he, even on the last page of the book. The circumstances that he places himself in lead almost directly to his problems in the future, only those problems are exacerbated tremendously by the society and world he lives in. His only hope is escape, as is the case for countless people in the real world searching for asylum and safety elsewhere.

The story traverses vast geographic terrain, with intensely vivid descriptions of each place that Able God encounters and moves through, and it is populated with a small but impressive cast of detailed characters. The emotions that the novel elicits are gut-wrenching and confusing, but, as with the people who sacrifice everything for the chance at a better life, hope is never lost.

I would give this novel 3.5 stars because I very much enjoyed reading it. The writing was superb; the plot was inviting and unfolded beautifully, depsite its terrible nature, and the characters were lively and realistic. The actions of the main character, however, and his inherent flaws, were unappealing to me at times, and the ending provided me with a sense of confusion and slight disappoinment at his thoughts and feelings. I felt that despite the hell he had traversed, he remained nearly as confused as he was before.

Though, I can also see how the ending might provide a sense of commitment in contrast to the way Able God teeters back and forth on his thoughts and feelings throughout the book. My feelings on the closing lines of the book come from a subjective disappointment in what is said rather than an objective feeling of openness or incompleteness in the resolution.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Able God works for low pay at a four-star hotel where he must flash his “toothpaste-white smile” for wealthy guests. When not tending to the hotel’s overprivileged clientele, he muses over self-help books and draws life lessons from the game of chess.
But Able’s ordinary life is upended when an early morning room service order leads him to interfere with Akudo, a sex worker involved with a powerful but dangerous hotel guest. Suddenly caught in a web of violence, guilt, and fear, Able must run to save himself—a journey that leads him into the desert with a group of drug-addled migrants, headed by a charismatic religious leader calling himself Ben Ten. The travelers’ dream of reaching Europe and a new life in a better place is shattered when they fall prey to human traffickers, suffer starvation, and find themselves on the precipice of death, fighting for their lives and their freedom.
As Able God moves into the treacherous unknown, his consciousness becomes focused on survival and the foundations of his beliefs—his ideas about betterment and salvation—are forever altered. Suspenseful, incisive, and illuminating, The Road to the Salt Sea is a story of family, fate, religion, survival, the failures of the Nigerian class system, and what often happens to those who seek their fortunes elsewhere.

I know this book is fiction, but this migration from Africa to Libya to Italy is one that is constantly happening. The cruelty and inhumanity that migrants go through is heart rending. The weak are preyed upon and taken advantage of and the rich and powerful either use them or turn their backs on them. Corruption from top to bottom. I loved the narrator of this book, it felt authentic and drew you in to the story. I wish the ending was more satisfying, but I will write my own ending for Able God.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Devastating, haunting, and tragic. The Road to the Salt Sea throws light on Nigerian migrants and refugees and the impossible and dangerous journey they often take in seeking a better life. This is a hard read, but I'm glad I read this book for the content, and parts of the writing are beautiful. However, pieces of the plot are jerky, and some portions of the timeline are difficult to follow. The ending was abrupt and unpolished, which, while perhaps intentional because of the ever unknown future many migrants face, left the book feeling unfinished. The lack of relationship that Able God had with, really, anybody, also made me feel emotionally distant from him. In another book with a similar story, I would have been in tears numerous times throughout the book. Yet despite the tragedy and horrors that occur, I felt slightly numbed to the events because of the disconnection I felt to all of the characters. Able God is clearly a person who feels conflicted in his life, and this shows throughout the book, with some actions he takes feeling honorable and hopeful and generous to others, alongside other actions that are nearly as despicable as those of the slave traders. Perhaps this is also intentional, to evoke the struggle between right and wrong when your life is at risk. None of us may know how we would respond to any of the situations that Able God finds himself in until we are in it, and to write this internal struggle into his character is probably more realistic than most of us want fiction to be.

[Destinie Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly descriptive , gut wrenchingly detailed and heartbreaking . The story is told starting at the end , and then backtracking to the beginning, which is a preferred method of storytelling for me. It starts with a bang, gets right to the point and the reader is left to piece together the puzzle with the clues the author provides in the beginning . The author does an incredible job creating characters that you actually care for and wish well , despite the treacherous journey they embark upon. Gruesome would be an understatement if describing the torture and conditions these individuals faced. Very powerful storytelling that gives readers insight into what individuals who make this journey must endure . Every time I attempted to console myself with the thought that the book “wasn’t real” I remembered that although the characters depicted are fabricated, this journey is very real and Real people have suffered what Kolawole details . Major themes presented include , man vs nature, man vs man, man vs self. Religion is listed , but I didn’t find a book about religion. Yes it’s mentioned and relevant to the places on their journey , however I wouldn’t say it was a major focus of the story so much as occasionally and appropriately included no more or less than other elements related to the human trafficking route . Difficult to read emotionally , but very compelling . Trigger warning for SA, murder, torture. If you can handle it , it’s a great story with a hopeful (NOT happy fairytale) ending .

[Jujubereadin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"no one leaves home unless
home is the mouth of a shark"
- warsan shire, "Home"

Kolawole has gifted us with Able God and his Odyssey-like journey from Nigeria to Italy. So much unfolds in these pages; I had to double-check the length. We meander a bit at the start, but once Able God is thrown into his situation and forced to flee, the story picks up speed. Bold, gritty, and at times a bit gory – you’ll find yourself constantly swinging between wanting to cover your eyes and needing to see what happens next.

Able God is no saint – some of his actions make that clear. But there’s something in his struggle that makes you empathize with him, hoping he can just make it across the sea and get a fair chance at a real life. The story isn’t based on one true tale, but it could be.

If you're wondering why someone would risk everything to make such a journey, you might find some answers here. Curious about the dangers African migrants face? You’ll find them in these pages. And if you’re questioning how class, drug abuse, race, and colorism can be a factor in someone's pursuit of a better life, Kolawole sheds light on that too.

[AJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, thanks to both NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for providing me with Samuel Kolawole’s debut novel.

The Road to the Salt Sea is a raw, real, emotion wrenching account of a migrant’s escape from Nigeria to Italy. The tenuous journey holds the reader on the edge of their seat and one is left grasping the last strands of hope for Able God’s safe passage.

Able God, the novel’s MC is himself a flawed, but authentic Nigerian migrant. Struggling underneath oppressive poverty, the MC is forced to make some difficult moral decisions. Although the decisions were perhaps necessary, I wasn’t able to wholly pull for Able God’s best fortunes. Simply put, Able is of questionable character.

Interestingly, the novel is multi-climatic with terrifying places and villains along the journey. Kolawole’s narrative strength lies in the dialect between characters, which puts the reader in between heated exchanges and life threatening moments.

The novel ends rather abruptly, but the overall pace of the story along with its’ prose was both engaging and intelligent.

Well done on your first novel.

[Sierra| HooksxBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Road to Salt Sea pulled on my heart strings. Able God was truly in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had a heart of compassion BUT was moved with eyes and desires of a man. Because of that, along with the heart that he had, he fell into coming to the aid of a woman that was a sex worker, and ended up, doing something that would have sent him on the journey of a lifetime, all to avoid jail and the repercussions of violence behind one of the wealthy hotel guest. He left his life as he knew it behind.

Everything that Able God experience, following other migrants being led by "Ben Ten" to Italy - which in reality, was into the hands of human traffickers and a slave trade of sorts was so, dark and sick. The suffering, the sadness, the things that Able God found himself doing just to survive and get through just one more day. The things he witnessed, the things he had to do just to make it to the other side.

The way this book ended, I almost tossed my kindle. My heart burned.

[Gwenenglish29 English · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started reading the book I was enjoying it because my mind was set on fiction. Then I realized that this kind of horror actually happens to human beings. And while I know that it's a fictional account, it is still very real. In the US political climate as it is in 2025 I think that everyone should be required to read and listen to this book. When I started reading the book, I was reading it as a privileged white person and while shocking, heart wrenching, and horrifying, it wasn't until I listened to it as an audiobook, read by Atta Otigba, that I was hearing it as Able God. And while Able God is not entirely likeable and not without faults, you have to feel compassion for him. It reminds me of this "I want you to picture that little girl. Now imagine she's white.” ― John Grisham, A Time to Kill. But I want you to picture that young man. Now imagine he's your son, your father, your friend, YOU.

[Kera’s Always Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

So well written, this book took me to places I wasn't expecting. With brutal clarity and fascinating characters, I found this to me such a unique read.

Able God is working in a classy hotel, when he comes across a woman needing help. She has done something bad, and now Able is involved. Scared for his safety, he knows he cannot stay, so he needs to make it from Nigeria to Italy, and that journey isn't for the faint of heart. This showcases all of the harrowing moments, the fear, the terror. Able meets some interesting people along the way, some aiming to help, some attempting to keep Able God in his place.

The pacing and the writing of this book worked so incredibly well. There are parts toward the end that are so visceral, so horrific, but each detail lends to the intensity of the story.

I will absolutely be on the look out for more from this author, because I was hooked by this story!