What do you think?
The City of Factories
Not yet published
Expected 13 Oct 26Set in an alternative steampunk Nigeria, Naomi Eselojor's Africanfuturist novella is a tale of community sheltering, resistance, and technological responsibility, for fans of Nnedi Okorafor, Suyi Davies Okungbowa, and Wole Talabi.
1859, Nigeria. In the fishing village of Itu Agan, nine-year-old Alabi and his inventor father test a new steamboat prototype when a platoon of automaton soldiers raid their village. The metal invaders execute the village chief and capture Korede, Alabi's father, leaving him and his mother alone and devastated.
There is no choice but to accept the new order. All the village boys begin work as fishermen and plantation farmers as soon as they become teenagers and, for nine long years, Alabi must put the promise of invention nurtured in his childhood to rest.
When he discovers that his father Korede is alive, working for the colonizer regime, Alabi is determined to reconnect with him. After years of hard work to obtain a travel permit and with threats of his mother's imprisonment should he not return in two months, Alabi sails to the city of factories, unprepared for the resistance that is brewing and the adventure that awaits…
1859, Nigeria. In the fishing village of Itu Agan, nine-year-old Alabi and his inventor father test a new steamboat prototype when a platoon of automaton soldiers raid their village. The metal invaders execute the village chief and capture Korede, Alabi's father, leaving him and his mother alone and devastated.
There is no choice but to accept the new order. All the village boys begin work as fishermen and plantation farmers as soon as they become teenagers and, for nine long years, Alabi must put the promise of invention nurtured in his childhood to rest.
When he discovers that his father Korede is alive, working for the colonizer regime, Alabi is determined to reconnect with him. After years of hard work to obtain a travel permit and with threats of his mother's imprisonment should he not return in two months, Alabi sails to the city of factories, unprepared for the resistance that is brewing and the adventure that awaits…
208 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 13, 2026
About the author
Naomi Eselojor
4 books12 followersNaomi Eselojor is a speculative fiction writer from Nigeria and a global talent migrant endorsed by the Arts Council England for her contributions to Africanfuturism. She is the recipient of the 2023 Utopian Award for Short Fiction and the 2024 Wilson Okereke Prize for Short Stories, and has also been a finalist for the Nommo Award as well as nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Ako Caine Prize, and Utopian Awards. Naomi' s works have appeared in Afrofuturism Short Stories, African Ghost Short Stories, 2022 Best of Utopian Speculative Fiction, Omenana Magazine, Lolwe, Hexagon Magazine, Dark Matter Magazine, and elsewhere. Among other programs, Naomi is an alum of Milford Writer' s Workshop, the Voodoonauts Fellowship, and served as a SprinNG mentor in 2024 and 2025. Most recently, she was selected to run a workshop with the London Writers Centre's Developing Tutors 2025/2026 season. She resides in the United Kingdom.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 2, 2026
This was interesting. African Steampunk. I would say this leans towards YA. I listen to the audiobook thanks to the ALC from NetGalley. It’s a novella so you can listen to it in one sitting. I liked the narrator a lot. The storyline was ok, but probably not one I will think about. Underlying forces were like the evil colonizers and the native peoples having to live and fight against the oppression. The characters are easy to follow and connect with.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Great concept, less great execution | ⭐⭐.5
I was really excited to receive both the ARC and ALC for "City of Factories" (I did an immersion-read), but unfortunately this really didn't work for me.
Plot/Characterisation:
The world of TCOF is intended to be a steampunk, Afrofuturist society where the Queen Mother’s clockwork automaton empire rules with an iron fist over the inhabitants of the city of Apapa (the titular city of factories). I was really intrigued by this concept since I usually only see steampunk fiction set in Victorian-era England and I was really looking forward to seeing that sort of worldbuilding applied to a African setting. However, I found the framing of the steam/clockwork technology very underdeveloped and poorly planned out. I understand, of course, that this is a work of shorter fiction, and so not everything can be afforded the same time as in a full-length novel, but it felt like Eselojor was making it up as she went along. The boundaries of what the automatons/robots could do kept changing and there were inconsistencies in how they were described. For example, we’re told that this technology is mechanically based (steam, gears, clockwork etc.) but some robots have artificial intelligence, can scan for heat signatures among a crowd or communicate wirelessly with the rest of the automaton army, none of which seem very compatible with 1800s style steampunk tech. I don’t mean to nitpick but it’s hard to feel immersed in the world and empathise with Alabi’s fear of an army of relentless killing machines when it all becomes so wishy-washy and far-fetched. I also found the Benin Empire and their extraordinarily powerful technology to all be a bit convenient. Their machines seem to be based on lots of sciency-sounding buzzwords that are thrown around during the final battle like a "thermic-resonant bomb" or an "aether trigger". But again, these aren’t satisfying or interesting aspects of the worldbuilding because they have no basis in anything that’s been previously explained in the story. They just seem like convenient plot devices that the author thought up at the last minute to make the final battle scene work. As if rather than explain the Queen Mother’s technology and a weakness that the characters could exploit, it’s better to just bring in an even more powerful system of technology that can blow the former one to bits. I was also left wondering where the Benin found/developed these "resonance-dampening cuffs" that just so happen to be the perfect solution to severing the army’s connection (especially since they have so determinately stayed out of anything to do with the Queen Mother and her technology)? Ultimately, I found this lack of concrete worldbuilding so frustrating because I loved the premise of a steampunk African story and I think if time had been taken to make the world more concrete so that it could be plausibly explained within one novella, it could have been a favourite world of mine.
I liked the protagonist Alabi well enough. I thought his relationships with Imade, Leila and Fara (the three stray sisters he meets in Apapa) was particularly lovely. They become a very close-knit family unit very quickly and Alabi and Fara grow particularly close as he becomes a big brother figure to her. Alabi is determined and hardworking but, overall, I didn’t feel I got an impression of him as a person outside of his mission to find his father. However, there was one inconsistency with the characterisation of Alabi that irritated me a little. When talking about his childhood and his father, the master inventor, Korede, he describes how, as a child, he had no talent for inventions the way his father did and how all he really wants to be is a fisherman. Specifically, he says, "I can only make simple tools and parts". But later, Alabi mentions that his father was planning on training him as an inventor and how the resistance thinks Alabi can be their gadget man because he has inherited his father’s talents. He then successfully builds really complex machinery that no one else has been able to make even though they’ve been trying for years. And he does this in a day or two, all by himself using only his "instincts". So, is he a talented inventor like his father, or a talentless wannabe fisherman? This felt like another instance of poor planning and convenient last-minute changes to better suit the ending of the story.
Of the father-son duo, Korede was the character I found more intriguing. While Alabi has been planning his visit to the city of factories for years, Korede is the one who has spent all that time experiencing the inner machinations of empire from the perspective of a skilled inventor forced to turn his skills to the advancement if the empire that enslaved him. Korede is the one has had to confront the dilemma of whether it is better to keep his head down and submit to a colonial system that rewards him for his labour at the expense of his fellow countrypeople or whether he should rise up against his oppressor. I think this would be a more compelling story than Alabi’s and I have to agree with another review who wrote that Korede would have been a much more interesting protagonist.
Writing Style:
I enjoyed aspects of Eselojor’s writing style which I found to be quite descriptive and evocative in places, particularly when it came to descriptions of food. I think her words and the fact that I was quite hungry when I was reading this book conspired to make the passages detailing Nigerian foods like efo riro my favourites of the whole novella (and now I have craving for soup).
I thought Eselojor’s dialogue leaned towards info-dumping in places especially when Imade was describing the Empire to Alabi. Imade says "the kingdom of Benin runs a structured council system. There, every life is sacred. That kingdom is proof that you can have peace without the chains of slavery". While that is an interesting piece of information about the political landscape of the region, having it come out of the mouth of a thirteen-year-old child was a bit jarring. I understand that Imade has probably had to grow up very quickly due to the hardships she’s endured but that it still an extremely complex topic for a young teenager to be explaining so offhandedly.
I also thought the pacing of the novella wasn’t executed quite right. The plot could easily have been slowed down and spread out across a 400- or 500-page book, but it wasn’t, and the writing suffered because of it. Rather than being in the moment and experiencing events with the characters, there were large sections that were summarised to us almost retrospectively where we were told in one sentence how Alabi had “done this, and then felt this, and then seen this”. It made the reading experience feel quite passive. I wish Eselojor had made this longer so that the readers could experience the events to their fullest potential.
Representation/Social Commentary:
As an Afrofuturist novel, TCOF has a cast of Black African characters. It is overtly critical of colonisers and colonisation, and, to me, the book as a whole served as a metaphor for the brutal colonisation of Africa by the British Empire. I thought the Queen Mother was analogous to previous rulers of the British Empire who sought to eradicate indigenous African cultures and replace them with what they saw as “civilised” much like the Queen Mother wants to impose her version of “order” and to “forge a future made from metal and steel”. TCOF also highlights how colonial powers exploit skilled indigenous workers to produce materials and infrastructure that allow colonisers to grow their empires and wreak further destruction, all at the expense of the workers’ own country.
Other representation (LGBTQIA+, disability etc.)- None.
Audiobook-Specific Qualities:
Narrator:
I thought James Fouhey was the best thing about this novella. He does a great job as narrator! He has such a lovely rich tone to his voice that makes this audiobook so easy to listen to. If you are going to read this book, then I think audio is the route to go.
Production Quality:
The production quality of this audiobook book was excellent. Fouhey gave each character a unique voice/accent, doing Nigerian or at least African accents for all the characters. There was also a robotic synth effect applied whenever the automatons were speaking which made it a really immersive experience. I liked the audio route for this especially because I am personally unfamiliar with African languages and I enjoyed hearing how Yoruba and Edo names like Korede and Imade are pronounced. Interestingly, the Queen Mother was voiced with a really posh English accent which I though further added to the idea that this is a metaphor for the British colonialism of Africa.
Final Verdict
I really wanted to love this book base on its premise, but the concept was executed poorly. I think this was mainly due to the length of the novella being too short which made the writing feel more like telling rather than showing. It also made the dialogue infodumpy and led to the worldbuilding not being sufficiently fleshed out. TCOF did give me a taste for steampunk and Afrofuturist fiction though and I will definitely be reading more from this genre. Despite my criticisms, I would also still read more from Naomi Eselojor as I think she would excel in a longer format. Ultimately, I think TCOF could still serve some readers as a very quick introduction steampunk and Afrofuturism as genres (it only took me about 3 hours to read) but I don’t anticipate it becoming a lasting favourite.
[Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book]
I was really excited to receive both the ARC and ALC for "City of Factories" (I did an immersion-read), but unfortunately this really didn't work for me.
Plot/Characterisation:
The world of TCOF is intended to be a steampunk, Afrofuturist society where the Queen Mother’s clockwork automaton empire rules with an iron fist over the inhabitants of the city of Apapa (the titular city of factories). I was really intrigued by this concept since I usually only see steampunk fiction set in Victorian-era England and I was really looking forward to seeing that sort of worldbuilding applied to a African setting. However, I found the framing of the steam/clockwork technology very underdeveloped and poorly planned out. I understand, of course, that this is a work of shorter fiction, and so not everything can be afforded the same time as in a full-length novel, but it felt like Eselojor was making it up as she went along. The boundaries of what the automatons/robots could do kept changing and there were inconsistencies in how they were described. For example, we’re told that this technology is mechanically based (steam, gears, clockwork etc.) but some robots have artificial intelligence, can scan for heat signatures among a crowd or communicate wirelessly with the rest of the automaton army, none of which seem very compatible with 1800s style steampunk tech. I don’t mean to nitpick but it’s hard to feel immersed in the world and empathise with Alabi’s fear of an army of relentless killing machines when it all becomes so wishy-washy and far-fetched. I also found the Benin Empire and their extraordinarily powerful technology to all be a bit convenient. Their machines seem to be based on lots of sciency-sounding buzzwords that are thrown around during the final battle like a "thermic-resonant bomb" or an "aether trigger". But again, these aren’t satisfying or interesting aspects of the worldbuilding because they have no basis in anything that’s been previously explained in the story. They just seem like convenient plot devices that the author thought up at the last minute to make the final battle scene work. As if rather than explain the Queen Mother’s technology and a weakness that the characters could exploit, it’s better to just bring in an even more powerful system of technology that can blow the former one to bits. I was also left wondering where the Benin found/developed these "resonance-dampening cuffs" that just so happen to be the perfect solution to severing the army’s connection (especially since they have so determinately stayed out of anything to do with the Queen Mother and her technology)? Ultimately, I found this lack of concrete worldbuilding so frustrating because I loved the premise of a steampunk African story and I think if time had been taken to make the world more concrete so that it could be plausibly explained within one novella, it could have been a favourite world of mine.
I liked the protagonist Alabi well enough. I thought his relationships with Imade, Leila and Fara (the three stray sisters he meets in Apapa) was particularly lovely. They become a very close-knit family unit very quickly and Alabi and Fara grow particularly close as he becomes a big brother figure to her. Alabi is determined and hardworking but, overall, I didn’t feel I got an impression of him as a person outside of his mission to find his father. However, there was one inconsistency with the characterisation of Alabi that irritated me a little. When talking about his childhood and his father, the master inventor, Korede, he describes how, as a child, he had no talent for inventions the way his father did and how all he really wants to be is a fisherman. Specifically, he says, "I can only make simple tools and parts". But later, Alabi mentions that his father was planning on training him as an inventor and how the resistance thinks Alabi can be their gadget man because he has inherited his father’s talents. He then successfully builds really complex machinery that no one else has been able to make even though they’ve been trying for years. And he does this in a day or two, all by himself using only his "instincts". So, is he a talented inventor like his father, or a talentless wannabe fisherman? This felt like another instance of poor planning and convenient last-minute changes to better suit the ending of the story.
Of the father-son duo, Korede was the character I found more intriguing. While Alabi has been planning his visit to the city of factories for years, Korede is the one who has spent all that time experiencing the inner machinations of empire from the perspective of a skilled inventor forced to turn his skills to the advancement if the empire that enslaved him. Korede is the one has had to confront the dilemma of whether it is better to keep his head down and submit to a colonial system that rewards him for his labour at the expense of his fellow countrypeople or whether he should rise up against his oppressor. I think this would be a more compelling story than Alabi’s and I have to agree with another review who wrote that Korede would have been a much more interesting protagonist.
Writing Style:
I enjoyed aspects of Eselojor’s writing style which I found to be quite descriptive and evocative in places, particularly when it came to descriptions of food. I think her words and the fact that I was quite hungry when I was reading this book conspired to make the passages detailing Nigerian foods like efo riro my favourites of the whole novella (and now I have craving for soup).
I thought Eselojor’s dialogue leaned towards info-dumping in places especially when Imade was describing the Empire to Alabi. Imade says "the kingdom of Benin runs a structured council system. There, every life is sacred. That kingdom is proof that you can have peace without the chains of slavery". While that is an interesting piece of information about the political landscape of the region, having it come out of the mouth of a thirteen-year-old child was a bit jarring. I understand that Imade has probably had to grow up very quickly due to the hardships she’s endured but that it still an extremely complex topic for a young teenager to be explaining so offhandedly.
I also thought the pacing of the novella wasn’t executed quite right. The plot could easily have been slowed down and spread out across a 400- or 500-page book, but it wasn’t, and the writing suffered because of it. Rather than being in the moment and experiencing events with the characters, there were large sections that were summarised to us almost retrospectively where we were told in one sentence how Alabi had “done this, and then felt this, and then seen this”. It made the reading experience feel quite passive. I wish Eselojor had made this longer so that the readers could experience the events to their fullest potential.
Representation/Social Commentary:
As an Afrofuturist novel, TCOF has a cast of Black African characters. It is overtly critical of colonisers and colonisation, and, to me, the book as a whole served as a metaphor for the brutal colonisation of Africa by the British Empire. I thought the Queen Mother was analogous to previous rulers of the British Empire who sought to eradicate indigenous African cultures and replace them with what they saw as “civilised” much like the Queen Mother wants to impose her version of “order” and to “forge a future made from metal and steel”. TCOF also highlights how colonial powers exploit skilled indigenous workers to produce materials and infrastructure that allow colonisers to grow their empires and wreak further destruction, all at the expense of the workers’ own country.
Other representation (LGBTQIA+, disability etc.)- None.
Audiobook-Specific Qualities:
Narrator:
I thought James Fouhey was the best thing about this novella. He does a great job as narrator! He has such a lovely rich tone to his voice that makes this audiobook so easy to listen to. If you are going to read this book, then I think audio is the route to go.
Production Quality:
The production quality of this audiobook book was excellent. Fouhey gave each character a unique voice/accent, doing Nigerian or at least African accents for all the characters. There was also a robotic synth effect applied whenever the automatons were speaking which made it a really immersive experience. I liked the audio route for this especially because I am personally unfamiliar with African languages and I enjoyed hearing how Yoruba and Edo names like Korede and Imade are pronounced. Interestingly, the Queen Mother was voiced with a really posh English accent which I though further added to the idea that this is a metaphor for the British colonialism of Africa.
Final Verdict
I really wanted to love this book base on its premise, but the concept was executed poorly. I think this was mainly due to the length of the novella being too short which made the writing feel more like telling rather than showing. It also made the dialogue infodumpy and led to the worldbuilding not being sufficiently fleshed out. TCOF did give me a taste for steampunk and Afrofuturist fiction though and I will definitely be reading more from this genre. Despite my criticisms, I would also still read more from Naomi Eselojor as I think she would excel in a longer format. Ultimately, I think TCOF could still serve some readers as a very quick introduction steampunk and Afrofuturism as genres (it only took me about 3 hours to read) but I don’t anticipate it becoming a lasting favourite.
[Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book]
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novella in exchange for an honest review.
I happen to run in a circle with author Naomi Eselojor, so when I saw she had her debut novella out, I simply had to get it (via NetGalley). This afropunk novella comes with a pile of praise from award-winning authors such as Suyi Davies Okungbowa and Ai Jiang and Tobi Ogundiran and many other accomplished writers. So, of course, I started reading with higher than high expectations.
Before I give my take on this novella, here's the gist of the story:
About The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor
Set in an alternative steampunk Nigeria, Naomi Eselojor's Africanfuturist novella is a tale of community sheltering, resistance, and technological responsibility, for fans of Nnedi Okorafor, Suyi Davies Okungbowa, and Wole Talabi.
1859, Nigeria. In the fishing village of Itu Agan, nine-year-old Alabi and his inventor father test a new steamboat prototype when a platoon of automaton soldiers raid their village. The metal invaders execute the village chief and capture Korede, Alabi's father, leaving him and his mother alone and devastated.
There is no choice but to accept the new order. All the village boys begin work as fishermen and plantation farmers as soon as they become teenagers and, for nine long years, Alabi must put the promise of invention nurtured in his childhood to rest.
When he discovers that his father Korede is alive, working for the colonizer regime, Alabi is determined to reconnect with him. After years of hard work to obtain a travel permit and with threats of his mother's imprisonment should he not return in two months, Alabi sails to the city of factories, unprepared for the resistance that is brewing and the adventure that awaits...
World Building in The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor
The shinning star of this novella is truly the world building, or more accurately, its description. Eselojor brings to life several settings – Appa, the titular City of Factories, the empire of Benin, and the Itu Agan village. Every description is rich, harking back to the wondrous beauty of these IRL places while also creating an afropunk aesthetic you won't soon forget.
The story starts in Itu Agan, a village in what we now know as Nigeria. The white man has already started making his way through Nigeria, but this is not history as you know it. Even here, villagers are inventing steampunk-esque machines. The scene opens with Alabi in his home village in 1866, finally ready to set out for Appa, where he hopes to find his father.
However, Appa is a sprawling city of winding roads with thousands working against their will, stolen from their homeland. Many street children also run along the streets, evading automatons and scrounging for food and tech.
And oh! The Tech! I've always been mesmerised by steampunk so seeing it refashioned to reflect both Nigeria and Benin, their history and what they could have been was amazing! In this novella, there's cool armour, weapons, masks, and even airships!! And everything is tied to plot, so it all feels natural.
Target Audience of The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor
If I have any gripes with this novella, it's maybe how a lot of its praise gives you an idea that's hard to shake off. I was expecting a highly polished literary work meant for adults. But with a main character that's freshly 18 and only now setting out on his own for the first time and other characters being young and even the somewhat simplistic 'good versus evil' theme—well... I can't help but feel like this would be better received as a young adult afropunk novella. The writing is rich and vivid, yes, but comparing it to adult literature (as most of its praise has) seems to do it a disservice. In fact, I stopped reading after the first chapter, let some time pass and tried to ignore those comments so I could appreciate the story for what it is.
Rating The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor
The whole time I was reading The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor, I couldn't help but gush about it to friends and family. It has an interesting story with a strong voice. There's a whole world in there and with every new place Alabi travels to, you get even more vivid descriptions. But the young voice and the way it chewed the politics for me wasn't to my taste. That said, the prose itself has stunning clarity (except for the occasional typo expected of ARCs).
Still, some of the dialogue was hard to buy for a 1866 setting. This story is also awkwardly paced at times, with long stretches of times being truncated via 'telling' (instead of showing) and might have done better as a full length novel. Nevertheless, I will admit there was good tension in the last three chapters.
As for the ending, all I'll say is that I was satisfied with how it all shook out — not so optimistic as to undo history nor so pessimistic as to render the horrors colonialism an unshakeable destiny.
I happen to run in a circle with author Naomi Eselojor, so when I saw she had her debut novella out, I simply had to get it (via NetGalley). This afropunk novella comes with a pile of praise from award-winning authors such as Suyi Davies Okungbowa and Ai Jiang and Tobi Ogundiran and many other accomplished writers. So, of course, I started reading with higher than high expectations.
Before I give my take on this novella, here's the gist of the story:
About The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor
Set in an alternative steampunk Nigeria, Naomi Eselojor's Africanfuturist novella is a tale of community sheltering, resistance, and technological responsibility, for fans of Nnedi Okorafor, Suyi Davies Okungbowa, and Wole Talabi.
1859, Nigeria. In the fishing village of Itu Agan, nine-year-old Alabi and his inventor father test a new steamboat prototype when a platoon of automaton soldiers raid their village. The metal invaders execute the village chief and capture Korede, Alabi's father, leaving him and his mother alone and devastated.
There is no choice but to accept the new order. All the village boys begin work as fishermen and plantation farmers as soon as they become teenagers and, for nine long years, Alabi must put the promise of invention nurtured in his childhood to rest.
When he discovers that his father Korede is alive, working for the colonizer regime, Alabi is determined to reconnect with him. After years of hard work to obtain a travel permit and with threats of his mother's imprisonment should he not return in two months, Alabi sails to the city of factories, unprepared for the resistance that is brewing and the adventure that awaits...
World Building in The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor
The shinning star of this novella is truly the world building, or more accurately, its description. Eselojor brings to life several settings – Appa, the titular City of Factories, the empire of Benin, and the Itu Agan village. Every description is rich, harking back to the wondrous beauty of these IRL places while also creating an afropunk aesthetic you won't soon forget.
The story starts in Itu Agan, a village in what we now know as Nigeria. The white man has already started making his way through Nigeria, but this is not history as you know it. Even here, villagers are inventing steampunk-esque machines. The scene opens with Alabi in his home village in 1866, finally ready to set out for Appa, where he hopes to find his father.
However, Appa is a sprawling city of winding roads with thousands working against their will, stolen from their homeland. Many street children also run along the streets, evading automatons and scrounging for food and tech.
And oh! The Tech! I've always been mesmerised by steampunk so seeing it refashioned to reflect both Nigeria and Benin, their history and what they could have been was amazing! In this novella, there's cool armour, weapons, masks, and even airships!! And everything is tied to plot, so it all feels natural.
Target Audience of The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor
If I have any gripes with this novella, it's maybe how a lot of its praise gives you an idea that's hard to shake off. I was expecting a highly polished literary work meant for adults. But with a main character that's freshly 18 and only now setting out on his own for the first time and other characters being young and even the somewhat simplistic 'good versus evil' theme—well... I can't help but feel like this would be better received as a young adult afropunk novella. The writing is rich and vivid, yes, but comparing it to adult literature (as most of its praise has) seems to do it a disservice. In fact, I stopped reading after the first chapter, let some time pass and tried to ignore those comments so I could appreciate the story for what it is.
Rating The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor
The whole time I was reading The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor, I couldn't help but gush about it to friends and family. It has an interesting story with a strong voice. There's a whole world in there and with every new place Alabi travels to, you get even more vivid descriptions. But the young voice and the way it chewed the politics for me wasn't to my taste. That said, the prose itself has stunning clarity (except for the occasional typo expected of ARCs).
Still, some of the dialogue was hard to buy for a 1866 setting. This story is also awkwardly paced at times, with long stretches of times being truncated via 'telling' (instead of showing) and might have done better as a full length novel. Nevertheless, I will admit there was good tension in the last three chapters.
As for the ending, all I'll say is that I was satisfied with how it all shook out — not so optimistic as to undo history nor so pessimistic as to render the horrors colonialism an unshakeable destiny.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
📘⚙️ BOOK REVIEW O'CLOCK! ⚙️📘
🏭Title: City of Factories
✍️Author: Naomi Eselojor
🌬️Genre: Speculative fiction
Book length (number of chapters): 10 Chapters + Epilogue
📜Tropes (at least 3): African steampunk, historical, colonial allegory
🤳Format read: E-book (Epub)
💫Star rating: 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⚠️Content warnings: War and oppression
🗓️Publication date: October 2026
🗂️Publisher: Ruadan Books
Plot
Very fresh and imaginative yet immersive.
Imagine living in an alternative 1859 steampunk Nigeria where automaton soldiers raid your quiet fishing village, execute your chief, and drag your father away to serve an oppressive empire!
Poor Alabi lives this reality. Nine years later, Alabi, now eighteen-year-old, hear a rumour that his inventor father is still alive in the brutal City of Factories. Given a strict 60-day travel permit (where overstaying means his mother gets thrown in prison), Alabi heads straight into the heart of the empire, is pulled into an underground resistance, and fights against time to bring his father home.
Cover and interior design
The character art of Alabi captures his background and humble beginnings so well. While I wished the background showed off more of the high-octane steampunk vibe, it still looks super neat! As for the interior formatting, scene separators are as industrial wheel cogs, which fit the mechanical theme so seamlessly.
Characters
The main character, Alabi, undergoes an extraordinary growth arc, maturing from a naive boy who believed the world revolved around a simple life into a courageous liberator confronting harsh realities.
Korede, Alabi's father, is a complex "victim of necessity" whose difficult choices reflect the desperate sacrifices one can sometimes be forced to make.
Justice for Imadi, Alabi's mother, whose heartbreakingly resilient personality added a deep emotional weight to Alabi’s journey.
And to the chilling villain initially thought to be immortal or entirely robotic, Queen Mother, her cryptic warnings at the end hint at even darker forces on the horizon.
Settings
From the coastal fishing village of Itu Agan to the bustling City of Factories and the Benin Kingdom, the world-building is deeply atmospheric and transported me into a vivid world that scintillated my senses. Every page immersed me in steam, clanking metal, and machine-like precision.
Writing style
I loved how intense, descriptive, and brilliantly structured the writing style is. The author weaves clever narrative loops—starting and ending the story with steamboat inventions and ticking countdown timers—giving the story a deeply satisfying climax.
Themes
This book explores colonial subjugation, the cost of tyranny, empathy as resistance, and the realization that adored parents can be flawed humans. Alabi’s frustrations and triumphs deeply relatable.
Overall verdict
Anyone who loves Africanfuturism, steampunk, or stories of resistance against dystopian governments like I do will deeply appreciate this book. If you loved books like Noor by Nnedi Okorafor, or movies like Arcane, Treasure Planet, Blade Runner, pick up this book and thank me later.
🏭Title: City of Factories
✍️Author: Naomi Eselojor
🌬️Genre: Speculative fiction
Book length (number of chapters): 10 Chapters + Epilogue
📜Tropes (at least 3): African steampunk, historical, colonial allegory
🤳Format read: E-book (Epub)
💫Star rating: 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⚠️Content warnings: War and oppression
🗓️Publication date: October 2026
🗂️Publisher: Ruadan Books
Plot
Very fresh and imaginative yet immersive.
Imagine living in an alternative 1859 steampunk Nigeria where automaton soldiers raid your quiet fishing village, execute your chief, and drag your father away to serve an oppressive empire!
Poor Alabi lives this reality. Nine years later, Alabi, now eighteen-year-old, hear a rumour that his inventor father is still alive in the brutal City of Factories. Given a strict 60-day travel permit (where overstaying means his mother gets thrown in prison), Alabi heads straight into the heart of the empire, is pulled into an underground resistance, and fights against time to bring his father home.
Cover and interior design
The character art of Alabi captures his background and humble beginnings so well. While I wished the background showed off more of the high-octane steampunk vibe, it still looks super neat! As for the interior formatting, scene separators are as industrial wheel cogs, which fit the mechanical theme so seamlessly.
Characters
The main character, Alabi, undergoes an extraordinary growth arc, maturing from a naive boy who believed the world revolved around a simple life into a courageous liberator confronting harsh realities.
Korede, Alabi's father, is a complex "victim of necessity" whose difficult choices reflect the desperate sacrifices one can sometimes be forced to make.
Justice for Imadi, Alabi's mother, whose heartbreakingly resilient personality added a deep emotional weight to Alabi’s journey.
And to the chilling villain initially thought to be immortal or entirely robotic, Queen Mother, her cryptic warnings at the end hint at even darker forces on the horizon.
Settings
From the coastal fishing village of Itu Agan to the bustling City of Factories and the Benin Kingdom, the world-building is deeply atmospheric and transported me into a vivid world that scintillated my senses. Every page immersed me in steam, clanking metal, and machine-like precision.
Writing style
I loved how intense, descriptive, and brilliantly structured the writing style is. The author weaves clever narrative loops—starting and ending the story with steamboat inventions and ticking countdown timers—giving the story a deeply satisfying climax.
Themes
This book explores colonial subjugation, the cost of tyranny, empathy as resistance, and the realization that adored parents can be flawed humans. Alabi’s frustrations and triumphs deeply relatable.
Overall verdict
Anyone who loves Africanfuturism, steampunk, or stories of resistance against dystopian governments like I do will deeply appreciate this book. If you loved books like Noor by Nnedi Okorafor, or movies like Arcane, Treasure Planet, Blade Runner, pick up this book and thank me later.
September 28, 2026
ARC Review - NetGalley
I read the first 50% and then finished the last half on audio. James Fouhey delivers a great performance.
-
I was a fan of how the world was built out!
The way that Naomi Eselojor delivered, to us, her vision of a dystopian 1800s steampunk Nigeria was done by throwing us, with the main character Alabi, into the heart of a heavily occupied city with little more than his limited understanding, as a young man from a distant village, of the oppressive Automaton Government. We know they are evil. We are shown, through his memories and the way his life changed after the invasion, how evil they are, but still, we are not prepared for what the City of Factories will hold for him.
People are pitted against one another for basic resources.
There is not enough food, water, or shelter. Squalor is the norm.
Factory workers are given lodging and food, but their living quarters are little more than filthy mattresses and rations enough to keep them working, but even that is enough to make envious the larger population who has less than nothing.
Travel, even intercity travel, is limited, heavily documented, and enforced by immediate execution. There are badges that must be shown for access to even be on the streets.
With all of these elements stacked on top of Alabi not knowing where to go or where to start on his mission to find his father, the tension was high from page one and I don’t feel like Eselojor ever let us feel safe, even in the quieter moments the undercurrent of danger persists.
-
On emotional impact:
The story is formatted in a way that we get these high impact snippets from his journey with large jumps in time, even within the same chapter. I didn’t know how I would like this at first, or if we would have enough information to become connected to the characters and the overall story Eselojor was telling, but she trusts her readers to fill in the blanks.
The relationships he forms are developed well enough that I felt the emotional impact of character deaths and hardships.
-
On social commentary:
Though set in an alternate past, the themes explored are ones that a modern audience can connect with and resonate with.
Resource scarcity
Slavery
Oppression
Exploitation
There was also a complex dynamic of social and class dynamics that were effectively conveyed through Alabi’s experience with the strays he meets on the streets, the members of the resistance he tries to get in with, and the upper class he is able to witness.
There was a lot packed into this novella!
-
On character development
Alabi was changed by his time in the city, undoubtedly, but more than that his maintained connection to his humanity, in a city that constantly tried to stamp the humanity out of everything, is what made him a great hero.
I read the first 50% and then finished the last half on audio. James Fouhey delivers a great performance.
-
I was a fan of how the world was built out!
The way that Naomi Eselojor delivered, to us, her vision of a dystopian 1800s steampunk Nigeria was done by throwing us, with the main character Alabi, into the heart of a heavily occupied city with little more than his limited understanding, as a young man from a distant village, of the oppressive Automaton Government. We know they are evil. We are shown, through his memories and the way his life changed after the invasion, how evil they are, but still, we are not prepared for what the City of Factories will hold for him.
People are pitted against one another for basic resources.
There is not enough food, water, or shelter. Squalor is the norm.
Factory workers are given lodging and food, but their living quarters are little more than filthy mattresses and rations enough to keep them working, but even that is enough to make envious the larger population who has less than nothing.
Travel, even intercity travel, is limited, heavily documented, and enforced by immediate execution. There are badges that must be shown for access to even be on the streets.
With all of these elements stacked on top of Alabi not knowing where to go or where to start on his mission to find his father, the tension was high from page one and I don’t feel like Eselojor ever let us feel safe, even in the quieter moments the undercurrent of danger persists.
-
On emotional impact:
The story is formatted in a way that we get these high impact snippets from his journey with large jumps in time, even within the same chapter. I didn’t know how I would like this at first, or if we would have enough information to become connected to the characters and the overall story Eselojor was telling, but she trusts her readers to fill in the blanks.
The relationships he forms are developed well enough that I felt the emotional impact of character deaths and hardships.
-
On social commentary:
Though set in an alternate past, the themes explored are ones that a modern audience can connect with and resonate with.
Resource scarcity
Slavery
Oppression
Exploitation
There was also a complex dynamic of social and class dynamics that were effectively conveyed through Alabi’s experience with the strays he meets on the streets, the members of the resistance he tries to get in with, and the upper class he is able to witness.
There was a lot packed into this novella!
-
On character development
Alabi was changed by his time in the city, undoubtedly, but more than that his maintained connection to his humanity, in a city that constantly tried to stamp the humanity out of everything, is what made him a great hero.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor 3.5 stars
Overall, thank you to NetGalley for giving me this audiobook. This was such an interesting reading experience, especially because it’s quite outside what I would typically pick up. I actually enjoy reading outside my usual genres, so I’m glad I took a chance on this one.
This was also my first audiobook that I actually finished. My first attempt was First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison, which I abandoned halfway through because I realised I wasn’t retaining the details well enough. I assumed audiobooks just weren’t for me. But The City of Factories proved otherwise. I finished this one in about 24 hours, and for a novella, that felt like a pretty solid win.
The story is really, really good. It’s classified as Afrofuturist steampunk, but it’s set in the 1800s, and I loved the way those elements came together. It’s fast-paced, and while you might make guesses about where the story is going, I never felt like I could completely predict it. There were enough turns to keep me interested.
At its core, it’s a coming-of-age story about rebellion, pushing against boundaries, and figuring out what it means to challenge the world you’ve been given. But there’s a lot more emotional weight to it than I expected. There were moments that genuinely moved me, and I appreciated how much thought went into the world-building—the timelines, stories, places and locations all felt deliberately constructed.
It also made me want to read more from Naomi, which is probably one of the biggest compliments I can give a book.
I do have two complaints, though.
First, I really wish more attention had been paid to the pronunciation of the Yoruba names. There were several moments where I was pulled out of the story, but hearing Alabi or Korede repeatedly mispronounced gave me the ick.
And, honestly, I’m not particularly fond of the cover either.
But those two things aside, I think this is a very good story.
If you’re looking for something short and fast-paced, this is a great pick. It works particularly well if you want to try a new genre without committing to a 300- or 400-page book. It’s also a good palate cleanser when you want something different—something that will make you feel something, but also give you a little something to think about afterwards.
I really enjoyed this. I’d absolutely recommend picking it up if you’re curious about Afrofuturist or steampunk fiction, especially if you want something short, immersive and distinctly different from your usual reads.
Overall, thank you to NetGalley for giving me this audiobook. This was such an interesting reading experience, especially because it’s quite outside what I would typically pick up. I actually enjoy reading outside my usual genres, so I’m glad I took a chance on this one.
This was also my first audiobook that I actually finished. My first attempt was First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison, which I abandoned halfway through because I realised I wasn’t retaining the details well enough. I assumed audiobooks just weren’t for me. But The City of Factories proved otherwise. I finished this one in about 24 hours, and for a novella, that felt like a pretty solid win.
The story is really, really good. It’s classified as Afrofuturist steampunk, but it’s set in the 1800s, and I loved the way those elements came together. It’s fast-paced, and while you might make guesses about where the story is going, I never felt like I could completely predict it. There were enough turns to keep me interested.
At its core, it’s a coming-of-age story about rebellion, pushing against boundaries, and figuring out what it means to challenge the world you’ve been given. But there’s a lot more emotional weight to it than I expected. There were moments that genuinely moved me, and I appreciated how much thought went into the world-building—the timelines, stories, places and locations all felt deliberately constructed.
It also made me want to read more from Naomi, which is probably one of the biggest compliments I can give a book.
I do have two complaints, though.
First, I really wish more attention had been paid to the pronunciation of the Yoruba names. There were several moments where I was pulled out of the story, but hearing Alabi or Korede repeatedly mispronounced gave me the ick.
And, honestly, I’m not particularly fond of the cover either.
But those two things aside, I think this is a very good story.
If you’re looking for something short and fast-paced, this is a great pick. It works particularly well if you want to try a new genre without committing to a 300- or 400-page book. It’s also a good palate cleanser when you want something different—something that will make you feel something, but also give you a little something to think about afterwards.
I really enjoyed this. I’d absolutely recommend picking it up if you’re curious about Afrofuturist or steampunk fiction, especially if you want something short, immersive and distinctly different from your usual reads.
Did Not Finish
August 7, 2026My thanks to Ruadán Books and NetGalley for a free DRC of "The City of Factories" by Naomi Eselojor.
I love giving new authors a try. I belive this Africanfuturist Novella would be great for new readers, or readers trying narratives with Steampunk elements or stories about oppresive regimes for the first time.
The marketing did this debut a diservice by comparing it to the works of the brilliant Nnedi Okorafor. The comparission is setting way to high expectations from the reader. "The City of Factories" is an accesible narrative, that can serve well a newer reader, but for avid seasoned reader of the SF, Africanfuturism and Dystopian subgenres it can be a bit of a letdown.
But what determined me to stop reading was the realisation that patriarchal gender roles and were imposed on women both before and after the occupation. Maybe this fact will change later in the book, but so far all the main charactes and secondary ones are male, with the hero's mother that was always a housewife, held as collateral for his good behaviour.
I love giving new authors a try. I belive this Africanfuturist Novella would be great for new readers, or readers trying narratives with Steampunk elements or stories about oppresive regimes for the first time.
The marketing did this debut a diservice by comparing it to the works of the brilliant Nnedi Okorafor. The comparission is setting way to high expectations from the reader. "The City of Factories" is an accesible narrative, that can serve well a newer reader, but for avid seasoned reader of the SF, Africanfuturism and Dystopian subgenres it can be a bit of a letdown.
But what determined me to stop reading was the realisation that patriarchal gender roles and were imposed on women both before and after the occupation. Maybe this fact will change later in the book, but so far all the main charactes and secondary ones are male, with the hero's mother that was always a housewife, held as collateral for his good behaviour.
October 5, 2026
Net Gallery ARC Review
I am very new to speculative fiction so I was not quite sure what to expect but I really enjoyed this! The world building was amazing and the narration made the story feel so immersive.
And as an Edo girl, I have to say thank you to this author! Seeing Benin names, the historical Great Wall of Benin and Edo culture woven into the story made me so happy. I especially loved seeing Benin people represented without being reduced to the negative stereotypes we so often see in Nigerian media. This is the kind of representation I need more of.
That being said, this book had a blend of Africanfuturism, colonial history and family drama all in one and definitely a book for readers who want to see Nigerian inspired worlds explored beyond contemporary and historical fiction.
I am very new to speculative fiction so I was not quite sure what to expect but I really enjoyed this! The world building was amazing and the narration made the story feel so immersive.
And as an Edo girl, I have to say thank you to this author! Seeing Benin names, the historical Great Wall of Benin and Edo culture woven into the story made me so happy. I especially loved seeing Benin people represented without being reduced to the negative stereotypes we so often see in Nigerian media. This is the kind of representation I need more of.
That being said, this book had a blend of Africanfuturism, colonial history and family drama all in one and definitely a book for readers who want to see Nigerian inspired worlds explored beyond contemporary and historical fiction.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of an ALC from NetGalley.
The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor tells the story a futuristic dystopian Nigeria where a young boy is affected by the ruling regime through the loss of his father and the forced work. The plot follows the protagonist as he searches for his father and winds up joining a resistance movement.
This novella was fast paced and quickly brings you into the thick of the story and leaves you wanting more.
The audiobook was narrated by James Fouhey, who did a great job of delivering the narrative.
4 stars
The City of Factories by Naomi Eselojor tells the story a futuristic dystopian Nigeria where a young boy is affected by the ruling regime through the loss of his father and the forced work. The plot follows the protagonist as he searches for his father and winds up joining a resistance movement.
This novella was fast paced and quickly brings you into the thick of the story and leaves you wanting more.
The audiobook was narrated by James Fouhey, who did a great job of delivering the narrative.
4 stars
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
If you love Nnedi Okorafor and Naomi Novik, you need to read this book. With The City of Factories, Eselojor puts forth an impressive debut indeed, a powerful steampunk fairy tale that examines colonialism, cultural conflict, and complicity. Ultimately a resistance tale, this novella emphasizes empathy, showing that even a small kindness can be an act of revolution. Once I picked it up, it was incredibly hard to put down. This book is electric.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a fantastically written, hard hitting story that's set in a beautifully described Steampunk Nigeria in the late 1800's.
This book contains everything I love. Fantastic world building, excellent characters & drama. It's gritty, it's suspenseful, it's dramatic, it's gut-wrenchingly powerful in places. It's everything I want in a book.
It's perfect if you want a short read being 10 chapters long, a fantastic quick read and one I can't recommend highly enough. 5/5 from me!
This book contains everything I love. Fantastic world building, excellent characters & drama. It's gritty, it's suspenseful, it's dramatic, it's gut-wrenchingly powerful in places. It's everything I want in a book.
It's perfect if you want a short read being 10 chapters long, a fantastic quick read and one I can't recommend highly enough. 5/5 from me!
September 11, 2026
A captivating blend of Africanfuturism, steampunk and Nigerian culture. I loved the imaginative world building and the way the story explores family, colonialism, power and resistance without losing its emotional core, it’s unique, atmospheric, and definitely a book I’d recommend to anyone looking for something different
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really wanted to like this. An Afro-futurist steampunk novel set in 1866 but the plot and characters remained very unoriginal and cliche. Loved the narration in the audio book, the automatons sounded exactly like cybermen from Doctor Who which I really enjoyed
Review of advance copy received from Author
I couldn't put this down. A must-read for anyone who loves African literature.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.75⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Ruadán books for this free ARC.
I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book but I was hooked from the beginning. Alabi was an interesting main character and I like how we see his character growth through out the book.
I really like the writing also because I felt that even characters introduced for a short period got some back story. It was honestly heartbreaking when Imade died and Fara was left alone. I really enjoyed the relationship between Ruka and Alabi. Although, I wasn’t expecting it to fully develop into a romantic relationship but the signs were definitely there.
This book really tackles the behaviors of people during oppression. The will to live, people that have given up because of fear and some that even join hands with the oppressors because their spirit has been worn down. I didn’t expect an epilogue because the book was so short. However, I liked the chapter before the epilogue where there is a lot of things to work on like giving the people hope and knowledge. Honestly, I didn’t think the Queen mother would be defeated so easily (not that it was easy). I just felt that she had more up her sleeve. I definitely think that it’s because Alabi was able to convince the Oba of Benin to share resources that they were able to have a better future because there was going to be someone that would have taken over from the Queen mother later.
Apart from our main two, I really like General Isoken’s character and her bravery even through times where people would normally lose hope. She was a confident and formidable woman and I like how she commanded the people to fight against the Queen mother
Okay now for things I didn’t like:
At some point in the book, there was a lot of telling instead of showing which made it hard for me to know the timeline of Alabi being in Apapa. Then the part after he first reunites with his father and has to leave because his travel permit was expired. It was weird how fast he got back to his village. There was also some editing issues with some words appearing twice. The major one was the date and month of a chapter. Instead of August, it was April and I was very confused. Lastly, the way the fight between the Automatons and the Benin empire was described was a bit confusing at times but that could just be me.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for people that read africanfuturism or like to try other genres like me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ruadán books for this free ARC.
I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book but I was hooked from the beginning. Alabi was an interesting main character and I like how we see his character growth through out the book.
I really like the writing also because I felt that even characters introduced for a short period got some back story. It was honestly heartbreaking when Imade died and Fara was left alone. I really enjoyed the relationship between Ruka and Alabi. Although, I wasn’t expecting it to fully develop into a romantic relationship but the signs were definitely there.
This book really tackles the behaviors of people during oppression. The will to live, people that have given up because of fear and some that even join hands with the oppressors because their spirit has been worn down. I didn’t expect an epilogue because the book was so short. However, I liked the chapter before the epilogue where there is a lot of things to work on like giving the people hope and knowledge. Honestly, I didn’t think the Queen mother would be defeated so easily (not that it was easy). I just felt that she had more up her sleeve. I definitely think that it’s because Alabi was able to convince the Oba of Benin to share resources that they were able to have a better future because there was going to be someone that would have taken over from the Queen mother later.
Apart from our main two, I really like General Isoken’s character and her bravery even through times where people would normally lose hope. She was a confident and formidable woman and I like how she commanded the people to fight against the Queen mother
Okay now for things I didn’t like:
At some point in the book, there was a lot of telling instead of showing which made it hard for me to know the timeline of Alabi being in Apapa. Then the part after he first reunites with his father and has to leave because his travel permit was expired. It was weird how fast he got back to his village. There was also some editing issues with some words appearing twice. The major one was the date and month of a chapter. Instead of August, it was April and I was very confused. Lastly, the way the fight between the Automatons and the Benin empire was described was a bit confusing at times but that could just be me.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for people that read africanfuturism or like to try other genres like me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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