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Castles from Cobwebs
'I'd always known that I was Brown. Black was different though; it came announced. Black came with expectations, of rhythm and other things that might trip me up.' Imani is a foundling. Rescued as a baby and raised by nuns on a remote Northumbrian island, she grows up with an ever-increasing feeling of displacement. Full of questions, Imani turns to her shadow, Amarie, and her friend, Harold. When Harold can't find the answers, she puts it down to what the nuns call her "greater purpose". At nineteen, Imani answers a phone call that will change her life: she is being called to Accra after the sudden death of her biological mother. Past, present, faith and reality are spun together in this enthralling debut. Following her transition from innocence to understanding, Imani's experience illuminates the stories we all tell to make ourselves whole.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published February 18, 2021
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228 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 5, 2021
What an incredible debut novel, I was captivated right from the start, a baby found in the snow by a nun on an island just off the Northumberland coast…I knew that this was going to be an interesting puzzle to unravel.
Imani was that baby and there is something rather unique about her, her shadow seems to have a life of it’s own and goes by the name Amarie. You don’t get much info about what she is, Demon? Angel? a twin? What you do know is that others can see her, it’s hard to get an idea of whether Amarie is good or evil. When Imani is 19 she gets a phone call telling her that her mother has died and she has to come home to Ghana for the funeral. The story then becomes a discovery of self identity, who is she? what is her shadow? and why did her mother leave her alone on the island. There are so many questions that need to be answered and I’ve got to admit I was worried there was too many and that Mensah would struggle to answer them all and still have a story that makes sense.
Using some clever use of timelines and using Anansi the spider (an African folklore character and God of stories) as a tool Mensah was able to weave a beautiful story that answers all your questions and leaves you feeling rather emotional. There is no way of figuring out things for yourself as this story is just too clever for that so it’s best to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
For me this is gonna be one of the top books I’ll read this year some fantastic characters and stunning settings on the island and in Ghana have made this a joy to read.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2021...
Imani was that baby and there is something rather unique about her, her shadow seems to have a life of it’s own and goes by the name Amarie. You don’t get much info about what she is, Demon? Angel? a twin? What you do know is that others can see her, it’s hard to get an idea of whether Amarie is good or evil. When Imani is 19 she gets a phone call telling her that her mother has died and she has to come home to Ghana for the funeral. The story then becomes a discovery of self identity, who is she? what is her shadow? and why did her mother leave her alone on the island. There are so many questions that need to be answered and I’ve got to admit I was worried there was too many and that Mensah would struggle to answer them all and still have a story that makes sense.
Using some clever use of timelines and using Anansi the spider (an African folklore character and God of stories) as a tool Mensah was able to weave a beautiful story that answers all your questions and leaves you feeling rather emotional. There is no way of figuring out things for yourself as this story is just too clever for that so it’s best to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
For me this is gonna be one of the top books I’ll read this year some fantastic characters and stunning settings on the island and in Ghana have made this a joy to read.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2021...
February 14, 2023
3.5 stars. A bit confusing in some parts. Don’t think I’ve read anything quite like this. Different.
July 22, 2021
Mensah weaves us a story very much like a spider spins its web...
https://thelibraryenthusiast.blogspot...
https://thelibraryenthusiast.blogspot...
February 15, 2023
Castles from Cobwebs by J.A. Mensah was our February book for the FB Bookclub I belong to. Imani is found, as an infant, out in the cold on a remote English Island. Throughout the story we learn of her struggle to find out who she is while being brought up by Nuns. When she is almost 20 she gets a phone call and learns she must come to the funeral of her biological mother in Ghana. This book is a journey of discovery.
Enjoy
Enjoy
September 10, 2023
This book was a delightful surprise. I'm not sure how to describe it and I'm not going to try because the discovery was the best part. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing which made me breeze through it effortlessly
February 28, 2021
“This is my story, which I share with you. If it be sweet, if it not be sweet, take some and share, and let some come back to me”
Castles from Cobwebs is a stunning debut about Imani - a young black girl raised by white nuns. As the one black person in this remote community, she is made so aware that she is different from everyone from a very young age. The only form of representation she had was a concealed magazine in which she hid a list of famous black dancers, and a painting of the Assumption of Mary, where Mary is depicted as a black woman. When she is 19 she gets a call letting her know her biological mother has died. Imani drops everything and goes to Ghana in search of her family and to understand her heritage and ultimately her identity.
The novel follows a non-linear narrative, split between Northumbria, Ghana and New York. Mensah does a fantastic job of making such a stark contrast between these separate stages of her life and how she grows and develops and as woman who learns to understand herself. She goes from a place where she is defined by her blackness and feels confused and isolated because of it to a place where she is so much more to her than her skin colour. In Ghana she is embraced into this world full of culture, history and rhythm, all shown through such poetic and lyrical writing. Surrounded by all this family she learns all out the life her mother lead, and about family traditions being passed over from past generations. The section is Ghana is so immersive and captivating and helped raise some important questions about race, faith and reality.
My absolute favourite thing is when her past and present interweave to the point that she is surrounded by other versions of herself. I love the fact that she is looking back over her life and seeing past versions of herself and reliving things we experienced for the first time with her in previous chapters. I feel like that is an amazing way of showing Imani’s growth and adds to this wonderful folklore storytelling element. Imani’s story paused the moment she was rescued as a baby, and reignited when she found her voice in Ghana. She is now able to tell her story, the story of her life and her culture, in her own way and on her own terms.
The story is spun out in a huge number of directions; over many immersive locations, multiple complex female characters spanning different cultures and generations, a literal journey across the world and a figurative one to discover herself. There is a lot going on and it was a bit confusing at first, however in the end, all the threads come together to form the perfect cobweb.
Castles from Cobwebs is a stunning debut about Imani - a young black girl raised by white nuns. As the one black person in this remote community, she is made so aware that she is different from everyone from a very young age. The only form of representation she had was a concealed magazine in which she hid a list of famous black dancers, and a painting of the Assumption of Mary, where Mary is depicted as a black woman. When she is 19 she gets a call letting her know her biological mother has died. Imani drops everything and goes to Ghana in search of her family and to understand her heritage and ultimately her identity.
The novel follows a non-linear narrative, split between Northumbria, Ghana and New York. Mensah does a fantastic job of making such a stark contrast between these separate stages of her life and how she grows and develops and as woman who learns to understand herself. She goes from a place where she is defined by her blackness and feels confused and isolated because of it to a place where she is so much more to her than her skin colour. In Ghana she is embraced into this world full of culture, history and rhythm, all shown through such poetic and lyrical writing. Surrounded by all this family she learns all out the life her mother lead, and about family traditions being passed over from past generations. The section is Ghana is so immersive and captivating and helped raise some important questions about race, faith and reality.
My absolute favourite thing is when her past and present interweave to the point that she is surrounded by other versions of herself. I love the fact that she is looking back over her life and seeing past versions of herself and reliving things we experienced for the first time with her in previous chapters. I feel like that is an amazing way of showing Imani’s growth and adds to this wonderful folklore storytelling element. Imani’s story paused the moment she was rescued as a baby, and reignited when she found her voice in Ghana. She is now able to tell her story, the story of her life and her culture, in her own way and on her own terms.
The story is spun out in a huge number of directions; over many immersive locations, multiple complex female characters spanning different cultures and generations, a literal journey across the world and a figurative one to discover herself. There is a lot going on and it was a bit confusing at first, however in the end, all the threads come together to form the perfect cobweb.
January 16, 2022
A thought provoking book detailing the story of Imani, a seemingly abandoned child who is raised by nuns in Northumberland, as she explores her heritage and personal story.
Split into three main parts, tackling different aspects of Imani's journey, I found part 2 - where Imani travels to Ghana to meet relatives she didn't know she had - the most interesting. I felt the characters here were possibly a bit more colourful and developed than in the first part though, that may have been the author's plan, to perfectly contrast the austere, reserved and rigid nuns with the joyful, story telling and all-accepting Ghanaians. The characters in Ghana were certainly some of my favourites, particularly Aunt Esi, a tough, independent woman who has a soft underbelly.
At times I wondered if this was going to be a ghost story, particularly as - even early on - Imani's narrative is filled with references to prior iterations of herself being visible. Possibly these are symbols of her evolution and also journey to understand where she came from. I was also never wholly clear about Amarie. Is she actually real or another vision only Imani can see? There are times Amarie appears to be visible to others but as quickly, it's almost like she's an imaginary friend that Imani perhaps uses to blame for her bad behaviour? At other times it seems that Amarie may signify the shame that Imani has been made to feel about being brown and black - Amarie is literally Imani's shadow. As you can tell, there's lots of ways that aspects of the story can be taken and I'm sure my mind will continue mulling them over for some time to come.
I thought it was quite interesting how everything seemed to have come full circle in the end, with the Reverend Mother being known to Mamee Yaa and how Imani's name was chosen to reflect that of her birth mother's. I did feel a bit frustrated though that the two weren't reunited but I guess that would have been too predictable an ending.
As I said at the beginning, this is a thought provoking book, filled with some really beautiful imagery. While often tinged with periods of sadness, this is a coming of age story to suit modern times.
Split into three main parts, tackling different aspects of Imani's journey, I found part 2 - where Imani travels to Ghana to meet relatives she didn't know she had - the most interesting. I felt the characters here were possibly a bit more colourful and developed than in the first part though, that may have been the author's plan, to perfectly contrast the austere, reserved and rigid nuns with the joyful, story telling and all-accepting Ghanaians. The characters in Ghana were certainly some of my favourites, particularly Aunt Esi, a tough, independent woman who has a soft underbelly.
At times I wondered if this was going to be a ghost story, particularly as - even early on - Imani's narrative is filled with references to prior iterations of herself being visible. Possibly these are symbols of her evolution and also journey to understand where she came from. I was also never wholly clear about Amarie. Is she actually real or another vision only Imani can see? There are times Amarie appears to be visible to others but as quickly, it's almost like she's an imaginary friend that Imani perhaps uses to blame for her bad behaviour? At other times it seems that Amarie may signify the shame that Imani has been made to feel about being brown and black - Amarie is literally Imani's shadow. As you can tell, there's lots of ways that aspects of the story can be taken and I'm sure my mind will continue mulling them over for some time to come.
I thought it was quite interesting how everything seemed to have come full circle in the end, with the Reverend Mother being known to Mamee Yaa and how Imani's name was chosen to reflect that of her birth mother's. I did feel a bit frustrated though that the two weren't reunited but I guess that would have been too predictable an ending.
As I said at the beginning, this is a thought provoking book, filled with some really beautiful imagery. While often tinged with periods of sadness, this is a coming of age story to suit modern times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2021
This is such a powerful and captivating story which somehow perfectly blends reality and faith - it’s another one which is difficult to describe but which I highly recommend experiencing for yourselves!
When I read the first few chapters, I worried that I may get too confused with what seemed to be like out of body experiences, but I soon realised the power of the connection between Imani and her shadow Amarie, and the story which then unfolded made much more sense to me - so please persevere!
Imani is such an incredible character, and it feels wrong to separate her from Amarie as they are really one. Despite being left by her mother as a baby and raised by nuns, she is vibrant, kind, inquisitive and if she is ever in doubt or fearful, Amarie is there to help guide her.
Whilst I enjoyed the dynamics of her life at the Convent, I enjoyed the contrast of her time in Ghana when she meets her family even more - where one life is quiet and dutiful, the other is lively and colourful, and this feels like the place where Imani finally begins to understand her heritage, race and identity. The moments she spends with Maame Yaa and Aunt Esi listening to their stories are so poignant and you can see how much she develops as a character during these conversations.
The author writes beautifully - full of wisdom and wonder, and she discusses race in one of the most soulful and poetic ways I’ve read. There were so many moments and lines which made me feel quite emotional.
Moving from England to Ghana and then the US, this is a story unlike any other - it blurrs all the lines between what is reality, history, religion, magic and imagination, but completely captures your attention no matter how you look at it. It’s a wonderful coming of age story, and shows the beauty of family - whether that’s one you’re born into, or one you make. An absolutely stunning debut.
When I read the first few chapters, I worried that I may get too confused with what seemed to be like out of body experiences, but I soon realised the power of the connection between Imani and her shadow Amarie, and the story which then unfolded made much more sense to me - so please persevere!
Imani is such an incredible character, and it feels wrong to separate her from Amarie as they are really one. Despite being left by her mother as a baby and raised by nuns, she is vibrant, kind, inquisitive and if she is ever in doubt or fearful, Amarie is there to help guide her.
Whilst I enjoyed the dynamics of her life at the Convent, I enjoyed the contrast of her time in Ghana when she meets her family even more - where one life is quiet and dutiful, the other is lively and colourful, and this feels like the place where Imani finally begins to understand her heritage, race and identity. The moments she spends with Maame Yaa and Aunt Esi listening to their stories are so poignant and you can see how much she develops as a character during these conversations.
The author writes beautifully - full of wisdom and wonder, and she discusses race in one of the most soulful and poetic ways I’ve read. There were so many moments and lines which made me feel quite emotional.
Moving from England to Ghana and then the US, this is a story unlike any other - it blurrs all the lines between what is reality, history, religion, magic and imagination, but completely captures your attention no matter how you look at it. It’s a wonderful coming of age story, and shows the beauty of family - whether that’s one you’re born into, or one you make. An absolutely stunning debut.
January 30, 2021
Imani, is a young black girl who is raised by nuns on a remote Northumbrian island. She grows up with strong feelings of displacement as she is cut off from her family, her heritage and her identity. At nineteen she answers a call that will take her away from her sheltered life at the nunnery to Accra following the death of her biological mother. Here she starts to understand and explore her identity and find her family.
The novel structure is rather non-linear as at times it skips between past and present and was a little difficult to initially follow. It also splits into three parts which covers Imani's time between Northumbria, Ghana and New York.
I have to say initially I was a little sceptical as to whether I was enjoying the book and wasn't sure I was going to like it. However, as the story developed and Imani went to Ghana, I became immersed in the story, her experiences and her struggles.
It's only by the end of the novel did many of the threads I struggled to understand initially really come together. This is as Imani herself really started to work out and deal with her own history of identity issues and conflict surrounding her blackness.
There was a lot to like about this novel and Imani's arc was very well done. It also raised some important questions surrounding race as it examined the impact on Imani's relationship with her blackness after being raised by white nuns.
My favourite parts of the book centered on Imani's time with her Aunt Esi and Maame Yaa. The bonds she built, the stories she learnt and the family she created.
Overall, I think this is a strong debut that has a lot to offer and one I'd definitely recommend.
Out in February, thanks to @sarabandbooks for the arc (ad-pr product).
The novel structure is rather non-linear as at times it skips between past and present and was a little difficult to initially follow. It also splits into three parts which covers Imani's time between Northumbria, Ghana and New York.
I have to say initially I was a little sceptical as to whether I was enjoying the book and wasn't sure I was going to like it. However, as the story developed and Imani went to Ghana, I became immersed in the story, her experiences and her struggles.
It's only by the end of the novel did many of the threads I struggled to understand initially really come together. This is as Imani herself really started to work out and deal with her own history of identity issues and conflict surrounding her blackness.
There was a lot to like about this novel and Imani's arc was very well done. It also raised some important questions surrounding race as it examined the impact on Imani's relationship with her blackness after being raised by white nuns.
My favourite parts of the book centered on Imani's time with her Aunt Esi and Maame Yaa. The bonds she built, the stories she learnt and the family she created.
Overall, I think this is a strong debut that has a lot to offer and one I'd definitely recommend.
Out in February, thanks to @sarabandbooks for the arc (ad-pr product).
February 28, 2023
A story weaved together like a tapestry or maybe even a cobweb. A baby raised in by a nun in Northern England and then a journey to a mother land in Africa to a time in NewYork. A family weaves together and touched by so many beliefs. Mystic, faith, and purpose all drawn into a destiny.
The pattern of the narrative holds some confusion and yet draws one into a story, formed from Cobwebs to perhaps build a Castle. ( Glad I got this book as a treat through the Cincy book bus bookclub as I probably would not have just picked this up on my own) always expanding!
The pattern of the narrative holds some confusion and yet draws one into a story, formed from Cobwebs to perhaps build a Castle. ( Glad I got this book as a treat through the Cincy book bus bookclub as I probably would not have just picked this up on my own) always expanding!
June 3, 2023
I enjoyed this one & it was a quick read for me. I found the first part a little weird with seeing different age versions of herself. I also am not a big poetry person or into when authors try to get too deeply metaphorically... I don't want to have to spend a large of time dissecting the meaning of what a certain passage means. But in this instance, I don't think it took too much away from the book, though I did deduct a star because of it. All in all, I enjoyed the characters and the story. I also appreciated that the story was circled around to the end, completing it well.
December 10, 2023
Read this book for my University Book Club.
It’s a book that is completely different to what I would usually read.
I struggled to visualise and imagine things from the descriptions and found some of the wording difficult to grasp. I also found the jumping from different timelines quite confusing.
I loved the characters in the book and felt that they were all well developed and likeable and each character brought something and added to the story.
On the whole I’m glad I read this book and found myself feeling content at the end and felt that there were no unanswered questions left.
It’s a book that is completely different to what I would usually read.
I struggled to visualise and imagine things from the descriptions and found some of the wording difficult to grasp. I also found the jumping from different timelines quite confusing.
I loved the characters in the book and felt that they were all well developed and likeable and each character brought something and added to the story.
On the whole I’m glad I read this book and found myself feeling content at the end and felt that there were no unanswered questions left.
June 12, 2021
Longlisted for the Desmond Elliot debut writer award, and I can see why. Lovely prose. Neat context - abandoned black girl raised by nuns in remote Northumbria, then in early adulthood she is reunited with her family in Ghana. I enjoyed the fragmentary, episodic writing, I felt warmth about the characters ... but it was just lacking a wee bit of 'closure' and self understanding, perhaps even anger, about what had happened to her? Hence the 4 rather than 5 stars. Enjoyable all the same.
August 28, 2021
Castles of cobwebs is masterpiece that weaves together into a web identity, belonging, faith and reality and what family means. It is a coming of age story following Imani, a foundling raised by the nuns on a remote Northumbrian island. This novel is a captivating, brillant and thought provoking tale of Imani whose life is changed forever after receiving a phone call telling her to travel to Ghana for her biological mother's funeral.
May 5, 2023
As others have stated,this book was definitely different. I actually wanted to give it 4.5 stars but because of one particular part,I couldn't. Up to now I still don't know who Melia was talking to. If someone could just break that down for me it would be helpful. Otherwise fabulous novel,I could hear the accents in each place she was in. I could smell the sea and see the fish. The writer paints perfect pictures and has a way with words. It's a beautiful story indeed.
March 12, 2021
This is Imani’s story. A story of otherness. Of belonging to the land but not to those around her. She travels to Ghana to discover new ways, family and herself. J A Mensah’s writing immerses us in the wild magic of landscape; her language is of myth and memory. Her words are poetic and are skilfully woven together to create this wonderful debut novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
February 15, 2024
I've never read a book quite like Castles from Cobwebs, which is what I love about it. Imani's development, growth and learning of her Ghanian hertiage and traditions was fascinating to read and I loved following her as a narrator as she grew up. Mensah holds impressive control over their language and it ebbs and flows beautifully. What a great debut.
February 22, 2023
I gave this three stars because I honestly don’t know what I think or feel about this book. I loved the beginning, I loved the writing but that all changed once Imani got to Ghana. I just am not sure….
March 7, 2023
What an intriguing book! I read it because it was the Cincy Book Bus February book club book. Otherwise, I probaby wouldn't have come across it. Unfortunately, I missed the Zoom with the author. I would have liked to have learned more about her.
January 15, 2023
Beautiful writing, some interesting themes, just wanted more, felt like the book had gone deeper, built more of Imani as she was such a compelling protagonist.
February 14, 2023
I finished it but i don’t know why?
July 29, 2025
This had me from the first sentence. A really exciting page turner that I could not put down. I really recommend this
February 21, 2023
A story of self discovery, not just from Imani’s perspective, but that of the readers. It seemed like there could be many interpretations of the events in this story and how we perceive them. Poetic writing adds to the illusion of other worldliness that permeates the novel. The experience of reading this one had me feeling like the answers were always just a little out of my reach. I’ll be pondering this one for awhile.
March 9, 2023
Reading CASTLES FROM COBWEBS by J.A. Mensah, I was both confused and fascinated with Imani’s unique journey of self discovery. She travels three continents to find identity, redemption, home, and belonging. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book that I would never have picked up on my own. I just started reading Maame by Jessica George because I enjoyed reading about Ghanaian culture. This Cincy Book Bus Book Club pick for February generated a lively discussion and an enjoyable Zoom meeting with the author!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews