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The Sleepless
An innocent boy is lured to his death by the one person that should have protected him. Someone knows the truth about his disappearance; his little sister, Obelé, a child that hears a secret voice which tells her terrible things no child should know about. Obelé knows too much and must be killed. Her salvation lies in the hands of her new friends, a group of giggling little girls she meets at an abandoned "cursed house". Except their friendship comes with a terrible price. And suddenly, Obelé starts to ask herself who exactly...or rather, what exactly are her new friends. Worse, how can she free the tormented ghost of her dead brother, trapped by a witchdoctor's curse? Set amidst the Biafran War, "The Sleepless" follows one child's struggles against both the natural and supernatural forces that threaten to end her life before the deadly enemy bombs can do so. And perhaps, death from the skies is a better option than the terrifying alternative. "The Sleepless" - Another chilling tale about the restless and vengeful dead by the Queen of African Horror, Nuzo Onoh.
205 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 26, 2016
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September 1, 2025Possibly the most horrifying horror novel I have ever read, largely because the horror comes entirely from other people and feels entirely plausible. It's set in Nigeria just before the outbreak of the Biafran conflict, and it is seething with misogyny, domestic abuse, appalling child abuse (emotional, physical, sexual), murderous ableism, relentless cruelty, religious mania and horrifying human failure, and that's before the war kicks off.
In some ways it's more of a fantasy than a horror novel, in that the supernatural elements are largely on our heroine's side against the monstrous people, and certainly any hope for the future only comes once the book takes a turn into solidly fantasy territory. There is, basically, none coming from humans.
It's written from a 7yo's point of view which is perhaps a bit overdone in the naivety, and it could be pacier although that might also be to do with the sheer awfulness of what's on the page. Genuinely quite distressing to read, because the underlying selfishness and cruelty of adults rings so very true.
In some ways it's more of a fantasy than a horror novel, in that the supernatural elements are largely on our heroine's side against the monstrous people, and certainly any hope for the future only comes once the book takes a turn into solidly fantasy territory. There is, basically, none coming from humans.
It's written from a 7yo's point of view which is perhaps a bit overdone in the naivety, and it could be pacier although that might also be to do with the sheer awfulness of what's on the page. Genuinely quite distressing to read, because the underlying selfishness and cruelty of adults rings so very true.
December 18, 2024
There were a lot of interesting ideas in this book and the period it was set in offered no shortage of potential. Unfortunately, I found the story to be meandering and too often lost in details that were rather tedious.
June 23, 2024
Nuzo Onoh has been called the Queen of African Horror, and this book illustrates why she is a worthy title-holder. This book delves into deep, dark places, as the story begins with the ritual murder of an eight-year-old boy with Down syndrome and continues the tale through the eyes of his precocious six-year-old sister, who is subjected to repeated physical and emotional abuse by her father, the wealthiest man in the village. Besides murder and child abuse, additional warnings should include animal abuse, animal sacrifice, rape, and scenes of warfare. All of this violence and darkness are infused with a sense of wonder and dread, as Obele grows up hearing a voice in her head, one that keeps her safe from harm and helps to predict events. Such occurrences, however, quickly mark Obele as a possessed child, and superstitious family and villagers plague the girl.
The author includes a forward that describes a bit of her life as a child of the Nigerian Civil War that broke out in 1967, which serves as a backdrop for this story. Knowing this detail of the author's life makes the book all the better, in my opinion. Very well done, and kudos to the author!
The author includes a forward that describes a bit of her life as a child of the Nigerian Civil War that broke out in 1967, which serves as a backdrop for this story. Knowing this detail of the author's life makes the book all the better, in my opinion. Very well done, and kudos to the author!
June 13, 2016
Having read Onoh's earlier UNHALLOWED GRAVES, I was anxious for more of her tales of African horror. And once again, the message is, stay the hell out of Africa. Especially at night!
In Onoh's Africa, husbands are tyrants and bullies; women and children are victims, except a few witch-women, as evil as the men. The jungle is a scary place, not because of lions and crocodiles and snakes, but because of the ghosts and demons and witch-doctors that inhabit them.
In Africa, witchcraft shapes the beliefs of pagans, Christians, and Muslims. Fear of witchcraft rules their lives. Human sacrifice is still practiced. Born and raised in Nigeria, Onoh knows her subject firsthand.
Against the backdrop of the tragic Biafran War of 1967-70, we follow a little girl as she deals with her brother's death... and his return. Little Obelé finds herself dealing with apparitions and beatings as a brutal father expunges his guilt on his daughter's body.
Hoping to escape her fate, Obelé finds that the place she fears most is her only sanctuary. The scene where the titular Sleepless first appear is chilling and morbid and very cool. The book really comes alive at that point. As the story continues, their presence increases and become more pivotal to her.
The appearance of Nne Onwu, a kind of banshee, is also creepily effective. Amongst Nigerian deities, battles between good and evil are decided by which deity can up the ante of horror.
Part One is a ghost story and a very effective one. But Part Two shows the ramifications of Obelé having friends like The Sleepless. And the horrors are redoubled. But there are also some humorous bits, as the youthful Obelé compares and contrasts the Jehovah Yahweh God of the Protestants with the Jesus Christ God of the Catholics, wondering which of them will survive the upcoming war.
One bit that I felt could have benefited from expansion was the bombing of the school. It's described in an overview, some time after the event, despite the death of a character. Had this been told as Obelé experienced it, the scene would have been a very powerful reminder of the horrors of war.
But there are plenty of other wartime horrors shown—and not as a video game, with a kill score racked up, but the human cost as a mother digs through the rubble, hoping to find some body part she can identify as her child's. Scenes like that make the supernatural bits pale in comparison.
Indeed, perhaps the most horrifying events are not the witchcraft but the accusations of witchcraft. As these were once rampant in Europe and even America, they are still common in Africa. (A friend of mine is now in Ghana, working with the Humanist Service Corps, building shelters for women accused of witchcraft.)
In one fantastic, fairy-tale scene, the truth of Obelé's existence and her destiny is revealed to her. Perhaps intentionally, the line, “There is so much beauty, so much wonder to behold, such glorious sounds beyond anything the human ears has ever heard,” is reminiscent of a similar sentiment expressed at the conclusion of HP Lovecraft's “The Weird Shadow Over Innsmouth”. Both protagonists find a kind of salvation from mortal life in an underwater world ruled over by a benevolent queen.
Each chapter has one or two mistakes that a good proofreading should catch, like 'shinny' for 'shiny' or 'laden' for 'leaden'. A couple times we get lines like, “Obelé had watched the fight... helpless to help.” Using the same word twice in the same sentence makes readers cringe. Fortunately, there are not many boo-boos or misspellings in this book. Please don't let the few that occur prevent you from reading this excellent book.
In Onoh's Africa, husbands are tyrants and bullies; women and children are victims, except a few witch-women, as evil as the men. The jungle is a scary place, not because of lions and crocodiles and snakes, but because of the ghosts and demons and witch-doctors that inhabit them.
In Africa, witchcraft shapes the beliefs of pagans, Christians, and Muslims. Fear of witchcraft rules their lives. Human sacrifice is still practiced. Born and raised in Nigeria, Onoh knows her subject firsthand.
Against the backdrop of the tragic Biafran War of 1967-70, we follow a little girl as she deals with her brother's death... and his return. Little Obelé finds herself dealing with apparitions and beatings as a brutal father expunges his guilt on his daughter's body.
Hoping to escape her fate, Obelé finds that the place she fears most is her only sanctuary. The scene where the titular Sleepless first appear is chilling and morbid and very cool. The book really comes alive at that point. As the story continues, their presence increases and become more pivotal to her.
The appearance of Nne Onwu, a kind of banshee, is also creepily effective. Amongst Nigerian deities, battles between good and evil are decided by which deity can up the ante of horror.
Part One is a ghost story and a very effective one. But Part Two shows the ramifications of Obelé having friends like The Sleepless. And the horrors are redoubled. But there are also some humorous bits, as the youthful Obelé compares and contrasts the Jehovah Yahweh God of the Protestants with the Jesus Christ God of the Catholics, wondering which of them will survive the upcoming war.
One bit that I felt could have benefited from expansion was the bombing of the school. It's described in an overview, some time after the event, despite the death of a character. Had this been told as Obelé experienced it, the scene would have been a very powerful reminder of the horrors of war.
But there are plenty of other wartime horrors shown—and not as a video game, with a kill score racked up, but the human cost as a mother digs through the rubble, hoping to find some body part she can identify as her child's. Scenes like that make the supernatural bits pale in comparison.
Indeed, perhaps the most horrifying events are not the witchcraft but the accusations of witchcraft. As these were once rampant in Europe and even America, they are still common in Africa. (A friend of mine is now in Ghana, working with the Humanist Service Corps, building shelters for women accused of witchcraft.)
In one fantastic, fairy-tale scene, the truth of Obelé's existence and her destiny is revealed to her. Perhaps intentionally, the line, “There is so much beauty, so much wonder to behold, such glorious sounds beyond anything the human ears has ever heard,” is reminiscent of a similar sentiment expressed at the conclusion of HP Lovecraft's “The Weird Shadow Over Innsmouth”. Both protagonists find a kind of salvation from mortal life in an underwater world ruled over by a benevolent queen.
Each chapter has one or two mistakes that a good proofreading should catch, like 'shinny' for 'shiny' or 'laden' for 'leaden'. A couple times we get lines like, “Obelé had watched the fight... helpless to help.” Using the same word twice in the same sentence makes readers cringe. Fortunately, there are not many boo-boos or misspellings in this book. Please don't let the few that occur prevent you from reading this excellent book.
June 28, 2016
"Nuzo Onoh paints a wonderful picture of the area and the sights and smells of the times. To get the true feeling of the story across, these sights and smells aren’t very pleasant a lot of the time but again that is necessary. It certainly brings plenty of horror to the story and, if you believe that some of the methods and demons and horrors are true, it certainly makes it even more scary."
See here for the full review:
The Sleepless
See here for the full review:
The Sleepless
April 4, 2022
3.5/5
The Sleepless comes with lots (LOTS) of trigger warnings. Set in the difficult times of the Biafran war in Nigeria during the late 60s, it pulls no punches (domestic violence, war, cruelty). It blends supernatural with violent conflict reality.
It was challenging to read at times, but it's not long, and the narrative goes into bold places. All in all, a creepy and interesting horror book.
The Sleepless comes with lots (LOTS) of trigger warnings. Set in the difficult times of the Biafran war in Nigeria during the late 60s, it pulls no punches (domestic violence, war, cruelty). It blends supernatural with violent conflict reality.
It was challenging to read at times, but it's not long, and the narrative goes into bold places. All in all, a creepy and interesting horror book.
April 10, 2016
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~ I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Before reading THE SLEEPLESS I had never read an "African Horror" book, but now I will be seeking out other books of the genre.
THE SLEEPLESS is horror in it's pure form. It is heart-pounding, gripping and perfectly paced.
When Obele's brother disappears, she is devastated. Her brother had been her best friend and a source of comfort to her. Now that he is gone, she is alone. Or is she?
FROM THE BACK COVER:
An innocent boy is lured to his death by the one person that should have protected him.
Someone knows the truth about his disappearance; his little sister, Obele, a child that hears a secret voice which tells her terrible things no child should know about.
Obele knows too much and must be killed. Her salvation lies in the hands of her new friends, a group of giggling little girls she meets at an abandoned "cursed house".
Except their friendship comes with a terrible consequence. And suddenly, Obele starts to ask herself who exactly...or rather WHAT exactly are her new friends. Worse, how can she free the tormented ghost of her dead brother, trapped by a witchdoctor's curse?
MY REVIEW:
THE SLEEPLESS is the perfect title for this book because as soon as you start reading, you will not want to put it down. Readers will be "sleepless" until they get to the last page. And, since the writing is so vivid and striking, it may give you nightmares which will also make you "sleepless".
Ok, so I have already raved about the horror elements of this story, but there are other things that contribute to the enjoyment of this book. Nuzo Onoh provides readers with a glimpse into a culture that most of us will never experience firsthand. The descriptions of Obele's home, her village and her home life are both fascinating and horrifying in equal measure.
For example; Obele is punished by her father and by her teacher by being whipped. This would NEVER be considered acceptable here in Canada. In fact, both her teacher and her father would be charged criminally for child abuse and would be put in jail. I do realize that child abuse happens in North America too, but in Obele's village it is considered an acceptable and normal form of punishment and no one seems to think that anything about it is wrong.
This book is the perfect example of horror fiction and anyone who enjoys reading this genre will absolutely LOVE this book.
I rate THE SLEEPLESS as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
To read more reviews visit http://Amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
~ I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Before reading THE SLEEPLESS I had never read an "African Horror" book, but now I will be seeking out other books of the genre.
THE SLEEPLESS is horror in it's pure form. It is heart-pounding, gripping and perfectly paced.
When Obele's brother disappears, she is devastated. Her brother had been her best friend and a source of comfort to her. Now that he is gone, she is alone. Or is she?
FROM THE BACK COVER:
An innocent boy is lured to his death by the one person that should have protected him.
Someone knows the truth about his disappearance; his little sister, Obele, a child that hears a secret voice which tells her terrible things no child should know about.
Obele knows too much and must be killed. Her salvation lies in the hands of her new friends, a group of giggling little girls she meets at an abandoned "cursed house".
Except their friendship comes with a terrible consequence. And suddenly, Obele starts to ask herself who exactly...or rather WHAT exactly are her new friends. Worse, how can she free the tormented ghost of her dead brother, trapped by a witchdoctor's curse?
MY REVIEW:
THE SLEEPLESS is the perfect title for this book because as soon as you start reading, you will not want to put it down. Readers will be "sleepless" until they get to the last page. And, since the writing is so vivid and striking, it may give you nightmares which will also make you "sleepless".
Ok, so I have already raved about the horror elements of this story, but there are other things that contribute to the enjoyment of this book. Nuzo Onoh provides readers with a glimpse into a culture that most of us will never experience firsthand. The descriptions of Obele's home, her village and her home life are both fascinating and horrifying in equal measure.
For example; Obele is punished by her father and by her teacher by being whipped. This would NEVER be considered acceptable here in Canada. In fact, both her teacher and her father would be charged criminally for child abuse and would be put in jail. I do realize that child abuse happens in North America too, but in Obele's village it is considered an acceptable and normal form of punishment and no one seems to think that anything about it is wrong.
This book is the perfect example of horror fiction and anyone who enjoys reading this genre will absolutely LOVE this book.
I rate THE SLEEPLESS as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
To read more reviews visit http://Amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
April 28, 2016
I'm so pleased to say that the excitement Onoh generates as a short story writer is replicated here in her first novel. Engaging, pacey & not afraid to deal with some difficult subject matter, The Sleepless is a superb novel with an assured voice.
Using the Biafran war as a backdrop, Onoh blends supernatural and real world horrors in a masterful fashion.
This is a novel that deserves the widest possible audience and I hope it's the first of very many. An essential read in 2016.
Using the Biafran war as a backdrop, Onoh blends supernatural and real world horrors in a masterful fashion.
This is a novel that deserves the widest possible audience and I hope it's the first of very many. An essential read in 2016.
June 12, 2016
I was pulled in by the first chapter and unable to put it down for very long before I ached to read more. Nuzo Onoh is unapologetically bold in the way she siphons a mass of emotions from the reader in this fiercely mesmerizing tale of terror!
May 18, 2016
I loved this.What a great book. It made me cry ,it made me smile, it gave me a glimpse of another place and a different culture. This kind of superstition in the 20th century is just shocking. I found the book to be very well written, nice narrative, interesting story,and i loved the little twist at the end.I couldn't put it down from beginning to end.I would definitely recommend this.
April 25, 2017
A must-read supernatural thriller. Rich in detail, history and character, The Sleepless presents evils with human faces, and warring supernatural forces punishing the good and the wicked alike. There was a twist near the end which I should have seen coming and didn't particularly love, but it was handled well and led to a satisfying conclusion.
May 1, 2016
Wow! Graphic, haunting, and terrifying. Nuzo Onoh transported me to a place I wish never existed, a place that filled me with indignation, disgust, and a desire to avenge. This book is powerful and well-written.
August 6, 2020
Everything about this book is amazing. Terrifying, startling with a historical backdrop, the use of lore and witchcraft, oh my goodness, fantastic. I couldn't put this down. Everyone who loves horror should read this.
August 24, 2025
As the weeks went by, Obelé grew used to seeing the uninvited guest perched atop Papa's shoulders, dripping blood that never left a stain, laughing or crying according to his mood, ceaselessly demanding for his secret present.
This was truly a ride. Gory and brutal, both in its realism and its supernatural themes, I found myself shuddering a few times. As a cat lover, this was an especially tough read. That said, the most horrific part was definitely the latter that takes place during the Biafran war, even more so after reading the author's dedication.
It felt like this had benefitted a lot from further heavy editing, however. It was chunky rather than tight, but the ending still felt quite rushed. It had a lot of potential that sadly didn't quite measure up. But I'm interested to read something newer by Onoh, because the core of it was very good.
This was truly a ride. Gory and brutal, both in its realism and its supernatural themes, I found myself shuddering a few times. As a cat lover, this was an especially tough read. That said, the most horrific part was definitely the latter that takes place during the Biafran war, even more so after reading the author's dedication.
It felt like this had benefitted a lot from further heavy editing, however. It was chunky rather than tight, but the ending still felt quite rushed. It had a lot of potential that sadly didn't quite measure up. But I'm interested to read something newer by Onoh, because the core of it was very good.
April 3, 2016
I was lucky enough to get hold of a review copy of this. It arrived in the post and I flipped it open, meaning to just read a chapter or so. Four hours later I finished it, having completely missed mealtime. This is a genuine unputdownable page turner.
The supernatural elements are elegantly done, woven into the world as intrinsic and barely commented upon normality. The historical elements ground the whole thing in reality, and the way the various religions/denominations represented interact is fascinating.
Obelé is an engaging lead character, and seeing things through her eyes adds an extra terror to the horror that oozes from this book. She slips into your heart and you find yourself really rooting for her. There are parts of this book that some people will find triggering - hell, in the hands of a less skilled writer, there are plot points which would absolutely have triggered me - but none of it feels gratuitous or unnecessary to the story.
And the ending... The last two chapters are a relentless series of suckerpunches directly in the feels.
Read this if:
- you like a good supernatural horror
- you're bored of the run-of-the-mill and want something original and interesting
- you don't have anything urgent to do once you've picked it up, because you won't be able to put it down again
Don't read this if:
- you can't cope with horrific things happening to children
- you can't cope with horrific things happening to cats
This book gets a genuine, unashamed 5/5 from me.
The supernatural elements are elegantly done, woven into the world as intrinsic and barely commented upon normality. The historical elements ground the whole thing in reality, and the way the various religions/denominations represented interact is fascinating.
Obelé is an engaging lead character, and seeing things through her eyes adds an extra terror to the horror that oozes from this book. She slips into your heart and you find yourself really rooting for her. There are parts of this book that some people will find triggering - hell, in the hands of a less skilled writer, there are plot points which would absolutely have triggered me - but none of it feels gratuitous or unnecessary to the story.
And the ending... The last two chapters are a relentless series of suckerpunches directly in the feels.
Read this if:
- you like a good supernatural horror
- you're bored of the run-of-the-mill and want something original and interesting
- you don't have anything urgent to do once you've picked it up, because you won't be able to put it down again
Don't read this if:
- you can't cope with horrific things happening to children
- you can't cope with horrific things happening to cats
This book gets a genuine, unashamed 5/5 from me.
November 1, 2016
Full review on RA for All: Horror
http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/20...
http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/20...
August 27, 2024
Un romanzo horror in cui l'orrore è più nella vita quotidiana dei bambini, vittime costanti di una mistura di fanatismo religioso e superstizione, violenza fisica e psicologica, abusi costanti (riconosciuti e accettati come normali) che nelle (pur disturbanti) manifestazioni soprannaturali.
Tolgo qualcosa perché non mi è piaciuto il finale: .
Tolgo qualcosa perché non mi è piaciuto il finale: .
October 4, 2023
Obelé just wants to fit in, have a happy home and find her missing brother. Instead, she has a chaotic home, finds out her brother is dead (not a spoiler) and that she can NEVER feel like she belongs. Follow her journey in war torn 1960's Nigeria from her brother's tragic disappearance to discovering why she doesn't fit in and meets all the ghosts along the way.
I really enjoyed reading about Nigeria, learning about their local lore and discovering how religions twists and turns to allow for it. This spooky story plays at a coming of age story with ghosts and terrors both supernatural and entirely too human!
I really enjoyed reading about Nigeria, learning about their local lore and discovering how religions twists and turns to allow for it. This spooky story plays at a coming of age story with ghosts and terrors both supernatural and entirely too human!
February 6, 2021
Strange fish
I absolutely loved the first part of this book. It’s the story of Obele, a little girl with a very hard life, and her character is so well drawn that I lived every moment with her.
The second part of the novel veers from horror into... I’m not sure. Magic realism? Fantasy? Metaphor? It’s going to take me a while to digest what happens at the end. At the moment, I feel it weakens what went before it, but perhaps my impression will change with time.
Overall, a very well written, very interesting and very sad story.
I absolutely loved the first part of this book. It’s the story of Obele, a little girl with a very hard life, and her character is so well drawn that I lived every moment with her.
The second part of the novel veers from horror into... I’m not sure. Magic realism? Fantasy? Metaphor? It’s going to take me a while to digest what happens at the end. At the moment, I feel it weakens what went before it, but perhaps my impression will change with time.
Overall, a very well written, very interesting and very sad story.
March 27, 2021
Meu primeiro contanto com a autora e com o horror africano no geral. É uma descoberta grata, apresenta conceitos e cosmologias ainda desconhecidas pra maioria das pessoas que como eu costumam ler coisas mais centradas pra Europa ou América.
A revelação final é extremamente bem construída e trabalhada, só sinto que o distanciamento da Obele filha da Deusa da Obele humana empobrece o impacto da obra.
A revelação final é extremamente bem construída e trabalhada, só sinto que o distanciamento da Obele filha da Deusa da Obele humana empobrece o impacto da obra.
January 17, 2024
This book was a real punch in the gut. Definitely check your triggers with this one if you need to. They are numerous. Heart-wrenching and well-written, it also gave me a history lesson. I was familiar with the Nigerian Civil War in name only. Since the book is set in 1968 during the war, I went down a bit of a rabbit hole learning about it. Though abrupt, I thought the ending was great. 4.25 stars
March 27, 2025
A true horror story that reads like a movie
I really enjoyed reading this. It’s quick, but filled with rich visuals. The characters are relatable, detestable and dynamic. If you’re looking for something quick and in the horror genre while still being able to go to sleep at night, you’ve found the book for you.
I really enjoyed reading this. It’s quick, but filled with rich visuals. The characters are relatable, detestable and dynamic. If you’re looking for something quick and in the horror genre while still being able to go to sleep at night, you’ve found the book for you.
August 10, 2025
Gutwrenching from start to finish. The real monsters are the adults in the story and poor Obelé could not get a break. Love the narrating style, would've been five stars if it wasn’t for the ending. At that point I was hoping for revenge
October 29, 2023
foda demais, queria ter lido com a cabeça mais no lugar pra aproveitar melhor
February 15, 2024
im a huge fan of this writer! this was horror, absolute horror. the horrors were all man-made and the beautiful sparkling respites were spiritual and transcendent.
June 3, 2024
Devastating, with some horrifying images and scenes. Very quick read -almost wish there was more to it, but I’m not sure I could have emotionally taken it. 4.5/5
September 4, 2024
Horrifying. I want to vomit.
November 30, 2025
Wow! Brilliant story. 🩷
This is now one of those books I reread every year. Thank you for the great story, Ms. Nuzo. 🥰
This is now one of those books I reread every year. Thank you for the great story, Ms. Nuzo. 🥰
April 18, 2016
This book is classified as African Horror. I have read many different books from many different cultures, including African, but I don’t think I’ve ever come across a horror novel until now. I love horror and I’m not turned off by a bit of gore so I was definitely intrigued when the author contacted me for a review.
I enjoyed this book. I will say that upfront. I liked experiencing another culture in such an unconventional way. Most of the time I read about positive experiences from other cultures, a lot of authors really want to represent and showcase their culture in a good light so to have such a scary theme in this book was surprising and entertaining.
The story actually reads kind of like a murder mystery with a bunch of violent, bloody twists of course. The pacing is probably one of the most complimentary aspects of the book. A span of about two years passes over the course of the book but the flow doesn’t give you a dull moment. Readers aren’t jumping around from paragraph to paragraph, or chapter to chapter. We are given a really straightforward timeline and it is very easy to follow.
I really praised the flow and pacing of the story but what I liked most was the author’s style of writing. It was very descriptive and it had a unique style that fit the theme of the book very well. Onoh gave a solid story with strong background and great characters to carry through. The opening to the story was pretty cool. Onoh describes a dead cat and it is portrayed in such vivid detail, I knew right away that this would be a good quality book. Every word was deliberate and meticulously planned. There were no unnecessary descriptions and everything fell in line with the story. I was never confused and I understood how well planned this story was.
While I did like the style of writing, I think it was sometimes cheesy. I don’t know how else to put it. I did like it and I did feel that it fit the story well but sometimes the story read more like a children’s book with a little too much violence rather than the young adult to adult novel that it actually is. I think most of that came from the dialogue. When I said the writing was cheesy, I meant that it felt forced when the characters spoke and used phrases like “At de speed you be going”. This kind of language only served to amplify the fact that the characters were deeply involved with African culture and dialect but it just didn’t work for me. I have read books from African culture before and some characters did speak that way and it did work, but not here.
Other than my one complaint, I found this story to be pretty well-written and entertaining throughout. I would definitely recommend it to readers looking for a unique horror novel, especially if you actually want to be afraid. If you’re open to other cultures and want to experience a unique ride, then this is definitely the book for you. This novel has a fair amount of violence, heightened by great details, so if you aren’t too open to blood then I wouldn’t recommend this to you.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
I enjoyed this book. I will say that upfront. I liked experiencing another culture in such an unconventional way. Most of the time I read about positive experiences from other cultures, a lot of authors really want to represent and showcase their culture in a good light so to have such a scary theme in this book was surprising and entertaining.
The story actually reads kind of like a murder mystery with a bunch of violent, bloody twists of course. The pacing is probably one of the most complimentary aspects of the book. A span of about two years passes over the course of the book but the flow doesn’t give you a dull moment. Readers aren’t jumping around from paragraph to paragraph, or chapter to chapter. We are given a really straightforward timeline and it is very easy to follow.
I really praised the flow and pacing of the story but what I liked most was the author’s style of writing. It was very descriptive and it had a unique style that fit the theme of the book very well. Onoh gave a solid story with strong background and great characters to carry through. The opening to the story was pretty cool. Onoh describes a dead cat and it is portrayed in such vivid detail, I knew right away that this would be a good quality book. Every word was deliberate and meticulously planned. There were no unnecessary descriptions and everything fell in line with the story. I was never confused and I understood how well planned this story was.
While I did like the style of writing, I think it was sometimes cheesy. I don’t know how else to put it. I did like it and I did feel that it fit the story well but sometimes the story read more like a children’s book with a little too much violence rather than the young adult to adult novel that it actually is. I think most of that came from the dialogue. When I said the writing was cheesy, I meant that it felt forced when the characters spoke and used phrases like “At de speed you be going”. This kind of language only served to amplify the fact that the characters were deeply involved with African culture and dialect but it just didn’t work for me. I have read books from African culture before and some characters did speak that way and it did work, but not here.
Other than my one complaint, I found this story to be pretty well-written and entertaining throughout. I would definitely recommend it to readers looking for a unique horror novel, especially if you actually want to be afraid. If you’re open to other cultures and want to experience a unique ride, then this is definitely the book for you. This novel has a fair amount of violence, heightened by great details, so if you aren’t too open to blood then I wouldn’t recommend this to you.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
April 6, 2016
The Sleepless by Nuzo Ohno has changed me for life. I have NEVER felt the way I did while reading this book, or for days after. I still can’t get it out of my head and it’s been almost a week. I had to wait a few days to write my review because my brain was still processing what I read. This was an absolutely amazing book. I think it may be one of my all time favorite horror books.
I haven’t read much African Horror in the past, but it is definitely on my radar now. This book was heartbreakingly terrifying. There isn’t one specific thing that makes it scary, but there are sooo many different aspects that are scary on their own that by combining them into this story, you get a story of nightmares. For real. Last night I dreamt that my son was possessed by a demon, and I think it’s because of this book!
This book has seriously gotten under my skin. In a good but terrifying way of course. The Sleepless is about a little Nigerian girl that is 6 when the book starts and 8 when it ends. During this time, she must deal with an abusive family, local superstition, and the Biafran War. I had never heard of this war before reading this book. If you haven’t either, you should definitely look it up. I had no idea. After I read the very first chapter of this book, I actually emailed the author because it was that amazingly awful (the circumstances, not the writing).
The pacing in this book is perfect. There are no points where you even have time to lose interest or feel like its dragging. It’s just one thing after another but not in an overwhelming way. Everything fits together as it should. There is quite a bit of violence in this book, so if that bothers you, this book may not be for you.
I think one of the things that makes this book so scary for me is that as I was reading it, I could picture Obelé as my own daughter of the same age. I imagined her having to experience these situations, most of which are very grown up problems. I kept having to remind myself that the main character is a child not an adult. After reading it, I found out that many of the things that happen in this book are things that actually occur in real life in that region. The belief systems are real. People there actually believe in witch doctors, sacrifice, and exorcisms. That was really hard for me to wrap my head around.
Overall, this really is an amazing book. This author has opened my eyes to things I had no idea existed and as painful as that is in some ways, I am grateful for it in other ways. It really makes you see your own situation in a different light. I will definitely be reading more by this author and I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a terrifyingly realistic book. Be forewarned though, this book is definitely not for the faint of heart.
I haven’t read much African Horror in the past, but it is definitely on my radar now. This book was heartbreakingly terrifying. There isn’t one specific thing that makes it scary, but there are sooo many different aspects that are scary on their own that by combining them into this story, you get a story of nightmares. For real. Last night I dreamt that my son was possessed by a demon, and I think it’s because of this book!
This book has seriously gotten under my skin. In a good but terrifying way of course. The Sleepless is about a little Nigerian girl that is 6 when the book starts and 8 when it ends. During this time, she must deal with an abusive family, local superstition, and the Biafran War. I had never heard of this war before reading this book. If you haven’t either, you should definitely look it up. I had no idea. After I read the very first chapter of this book, I actually emailed the author because it was that amazingly awful (the circumstances, not the writing).
The pacing in this book is perfect. There are no points where you even have time to lose interest or feel like its dragging. It’s just one thing after another but not in an overwhelming way. Everything fits together as it should. There is quite a bit of violence in this book, so if that bothers you, this book may not be for you.
I think one of the things that makes this book so scary for me is that as I was reading it, I could picture Obelé as my own daughter of the same age. I imagined her having to experience these situations, most of which are very grown up problems. I kept having to remind myself that the main character is a child not an adult. After reading it, I found out that many of the things that happen in this book are things that actually occur in real life in that region. The belief systems are real. People there actually believe in witch doctors, sacrifice, and exorcisms. That was really hard for me to wrap my head around.
Overall, this really is an amazing book. This author has opened my eyes to things I had no idea existed and as painful as that is in some ways, I am grateful for it in other ways. It really makes you see your own situation in a different light. I will definitely be reading more by this author and I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a terrifyingly realistic book. Be forewarned though, this book is definitely not for the faint of heart.
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