The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa

by Stephen Buoro

Crackling with energy and intelligence, this debut is the story of Andrew Aziza, a one-of-a-kind teenager who goes on a journey of self-discovery in the shadow of colonialism and communal violence in Nigeria.

Andrew Aziza is a fifteen-year-old boy living in Kontagora in Northern Nigeria. He lives with his secretive mother, Gloria, and spends his days about town with his droogs, Slim and Morocca. He's contemplating the larger questions with his teacher Zahrah and his equally brilliant friend Fatima, a Hausa-Fulani girl who clearly has feelings for him. Together they discuss mathematical theorems, Black power, and what Andy has deemed the curse of Africa.

Inevitably, Andy falls hopelessly in love with the first white girl he lays eyes on: Eileen, Father McMahon's niece. But at the church party held to celebrate her arrival, multiple crises loom. The first is that an unfamiliar man there claims to be Andy's father. The second is that an anti-Christian mob has gathered, headed for the church. In the ensuing havoc and its aftermath, Andy is forced to reckon with his identity and desires and determine how to live on the so-called Cursed Continent.

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa announces a dazzling, distinctive, new literary voice. Crackling with energy, this tragicomic novel provides a stunning lens into contemporary African life, the complicity of the West, and the impossible challenges of coming of age in a turbulent world.

Genres: Fiction, Africa, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Nigeria, Coming Of Age, Young Adult

336 pages, Hardcover

First published April 18, 2023

About the author

Stephen Buoro was born in Nigeria in 1993. He has a degree in Mathematics, an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia, and a PhD in Creative and Critical Writing also from the University of East Anglia. He is a recipient of the Booker Prize Foundation Scholarship. He was chosen as one of Publishers Weekly’s ten ‘Writers to Watch in Spring 2023’ and by The Observer as one of the ‘10 Best New Novelists for 2023’. His debut novel, The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa, was lauded by The Economist as being ‘among the best’ coming-of-age stories in contemporary African literature. It was shortlisted for the Nero Book Awards in the ‘Debut Fiction’ category, the L.A. Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction, and the Betty Trask Prize. Stephen lives in Norwich, United Kingdom.

Website: stephenbuoro.com

Photo © Andrew Kahumbu

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately didn’t love this one. While I appreciate the themes about colonialist violence especially inflicted by the West, the main character’s internalized racism and obsession with white women was hard to stomach. I know that that might be the point, but even by the end of the book on page 296 he refers to himself as a “pig and ape” and to the white woman he’s obsessed with as a “flawless seraph” with “platinum long and full behind her back.” The main character’s outright negative views toward the Black women in his life was difficult to read too. Anyway, I thought the prose was okay – maybe people who aren’t as activated/triggered by outright internalized racism could enjoy this book more.

On a mostly tangential note, reading this book reminded me of Such a Lonely, Lovely Road by Kagiso Lesego Molope, a beautiful novel that also takes place in Africa that I would highly recommend!

[Stacia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Nigerian bildungsroman that is also a metaphor for post-colonial Nigeria, imo.

Spoilers ahead...

I feel like Andy's relationship with his mother encompasses this metaphor, played out ultimately with a lamenting statement after her death, "She'd [mother] probably be alive if Eileen [white] hadn't come to holiday, if Father McMahon [missionary] hadn't thrown her a party." The trials and triumphs, the good and the bad, the known and the unexplainable of Andy's life are but a microcosm of Nigeria's post-colonial existence. Andy later realizes that he never really knew her at all. (Neither his mother nor his country.) In the end, Andy, who was wanting to escape his life/Nigeria/Africa, ultimately chooses his mother/home, even if it means being stuck in a (literal) desert. "I watch my droogs and Patience walk away back south. They begin to grow smaller. Smaller, smaller, smaller. And with each passing moment, I begin to miss them, to feel more alone. ... Minutes pass. Suddenly, I turn and run after them. I run and run, each breath scalding my nostrils. If they're walking to their deaths, then I'd rather join them."

I found this a unique & fresh bildungsroman with a good sense of place & a teen sensibility -- wise to some things yet not really knowing so much at all. While the story can be read as-is on the surface, a deeper vein of introspection runs through it. Andy Africa is an absorbing book.

[Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

A coming of age story about a 15-year-old Nigerian boy who has family troubles is in love with a white girl named Eileen and is best friends with a Muslim girl named Fatima. The writing is good, the storyline was ok. I have some questions about the ending.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘A fifteen-year-old African genius poet altar boy who loves blondes is not a criminal, not a racist, not a sell-out. But a sweet, cool, pitiful African boy’

‘Life is waking up and finding hooks in your heart. If you remove any, you die’

‘She’s always in a hurry (I like fast women!), always smiling, snorting, with dimples that dig deep into her cheeks’

‘Love can be so weird sometimes—aliens take note!’

‘There’s a soft sparkle in her’

‘Mama screams. A cutting sound. Blood. The world stops’

‘And for the first time I saw our relationship rising from all fours to its feet’

‘It’s sad and embarrassing that I’ve wasted all my time learning the blurbs about her life, thinking about her figure and boobs, being a passer-by in her world’

‘That’s how trauma is, I guess. The brush of a feather can cause a landslide in us’

‘I feel emptier than I came. There are holes inside of me. Wastelands inside of me. Just soreness and shame to fill up’

‘’Wow, your stomach is so flat.’ Is she saying something about my poverty?’

‘Yep, I’m eating croissants for the first time in my life! Yay! This crescent loaf is dope, seriously’

‘You watch your mother being washed./They scrub her nostrils./Behind her ear./Her collarbones./Her chest./Her black breasts. The soap suds./Each a breath./None wakes her’

‘I’ve been racing alone in a world without a sun. For the first time I see the skies and trees outside it’

‘Every moment on this land is a curse. Mama died of the Curse. I’ll die of the Curse. Unless I leave’

‘I always wonder why my soul or consciousness or whatever rejected all those bodies over there—and chose this Cursed one on this Cursed continent’

‘I want to tell Eileen that our propensity to dance shouldn’t deceive her into thinking we’re a happy people. Because we’re not. We’re a people of masks. Singing and dancing and laughing are our attempts to force forgetfulness on ourselves. To ignore the Horror. To own the happiness we can never afford. And, sometimes, it works’

[Shelby Koning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looks like this gem dropped 4/18/23
Hope some of my connections will read this very unique and special book.
If you've landed on this review, others have likely already described the book better than I can, all I can add is my own experience with this unique Nigerian coming of age story.
This book is about complex relationships (human/country, mother/son, friend/lover, deceased/survivor, beauty/ugliness, poetry/wreckage, hope/defeat... I could go on), but significantly the struggle between the body and the brain.
I found it to be heartbreaking and hilarious, and very smart. The poetry throughout was never flowery, but always impactful, giving us a glimpse into the heart of our beloved Andy Africa, full of intellectual curiosity, and carrying the burden of his mothers ruin from the very start, without fully comprehending why.
I love a book that teaches me, and I was soon researching foods, anti futurism and massacres. What I found in researching the terms and events of a culture I'm largely ignorant of was compelling, curious and heartbreaking -- just like this unforgettable novel. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the opportunity to read and review this in advance without obligation.

[lise.charmel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy è un ragazzino nigeriano che vive solo con la madre e non ha mai conosciuto il padre. Ha un debole per le ragazze bianche e bionde, pur non avendone mai conosciuta una e per tutto ciò che è occidentale: letteratura, musica, film.
Giocoforza si innamorerà di Eileen, la nipote del pastore anglicano venuta a far visita allo zio per qualche tempo. Eileen è la metafora di tutto ciò che è bello, ricco, irraggiungibile: la serenità economica, la certezza di mangiare, studiare, avere tempo libero e potersi permettere gli sfizi.
Al contempo l'autore butta nel romanzo (forse troppo) le mille contraddizioni che rendono dura la vita in Nigeria: la penuria economica, la corruzione dilagante, il dissidio tra musulmani e cristiani (e i conseguenti pogrom), il clima, le diseguaglianze.
Nonostante tutto il romanzo sia la narrazione di una tragedia senza redenzione, l'autore è bravo a tenere alta l'attenzione del lettore mescolando diversi registri, dal tragico al comico al poetico (ci sono davvero delle poesie dentro il romanzo), dall'iperrealistico al soprannaturale, inserendo sia elementi di cultura occidentale, sia di cultura africana.
Nonostante alcuni difetti, credo che questa si possa considerare per me una delle letture migliori del 2024.

[Anika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ja, dieses Debüt aus Nigeria wird völlig zu Recht gefeiert, denn es ist schlau, anspruchsvoll, macht Spaß und geht auf die Zwölf! Unser Progonist Andy ist 15, Lyriker, part time philosopher und insta!verliebt in Besucherin Eileen (weiß, mit platinblondem Haar). Und das alles in einem Land, das zum täglichen Überleben auffordert. Lesetipp!

Mehr zum Buch in unserer ausführlichen Besprechung @ Papierstau Podcast: #285

[Joshie Nicole readwithjoshie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m going to admit right off the bat that this book wasn’t my favourite. So I’ll structure my review slightly different than usual to help you decide if you might want to pick it up!

What worked: I loved the setting (Nigeria) and the characters (all of them were compelling, flawed, realistic, frustrating, wonderful) and the plot.

I know it sounds weird to enjoy all of the core components of a story and ultimately walk away not having liked the book.

What didn’t work for me: I was not able to really get into a flow with the writing style. It is incredibly poetic, with little poems even sprinkled throughout. There is also some slang and colloquialisms that are used to create Andy Africa’s narrative voice. Additionally there were some passages with mathematical theorems and equations. There was something about these things that just didn’t work for me, but I own that this is a me problem.

I would recommend this book for folks who enjoy stories set on the African continent, who like character driven stories, and who like a coming of age story.

I’m very grateful to Bloomsbury for sending me an advanced copy to review.

[Ojo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review at https://littafi.com/all-book-reviews/...

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this book was a bit disjointed, but it was a quick read, vibrant and youthful, with a healthy dose of sorrow, as the title implies. I liked Andy, but felt this story could have been a bit more cohesive.

[Sarah Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a fabulous book entertaining witty and heartbreakingly sad at the same time
The author has a unique voice with sharply poetic language making the novel a literary gem whilst at the same time being an immersive entertaining read .
I immediately felt invested in the life of Amy Africa and will never forget him and his family and friends The book is populated by a cast of real totally believable people who’s characters are described so well I could imagine them all easily .Their relationships and friendships develop as the novel progresses and give the story depth and complexity .The author does not flinch from portraying difficult subjects such as racism and incest .These subjects are covered carefully and with subtly.The difficulty of life in Nigeria and what makes young Africans want to try escaping across the Sahara to a rosier future is the heart of this book There are however plenty of lighthearted episodes which give the novel balance
The strong sense of place and of African identity is clear from the very start
It is rare to read a first novel with such promise ,I can see this on the Booker long list I for one will be watching its progress with interest it has been one of my favourite reads this year
I read an early copy on NetGalley Uk the book is published in the Uk 13th April 2023 by Bloomsbury publishing plc

[Gbolahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If there is any author that has further cemented my dislike (I wanted to use the noun form of despise, but them options are funny: despiciency, despisal, despect, despisement...contempt and derision though work well though, lol) for poetry. Because, what the hell is this?? Now, I have liked some poems, but when all you do in your prose novel is create extra useless ( I use this term clinically, not derisively) book pages all in the name of art and poetry, then you must be called out. 😒

Someone said an artist's works is done when they can evoke ANY reaction from their audience. Well, good work, Oga Buoro.

Many of the non-poetry things he writes make absolutely no sense. Andy thanked a man and then a woman and immediately wished he could reverse the order, like thank the woman first?? WHY?? This had NO bearing WHATSOEVER on the story. Just increasing word count. Children drumming on "dead plastic jerrycans". Like, whutt?? Why didn't they drum on the LIVE plastic jerrycans??

Book drags on. Conversations that go absolutely nowhere. Droogs and scads. Everybody bounces out or bounces away (lol, that was overused. People just don't leave/walk away any longer?). Revelations that petered. It quite literally felt that everyone was only one thing. The Nigerian mother. The Nigerian teenagers. The white teenager. The Muslims. The Christians. It
makes
me
s
c
r
e
a
m

That was pretty artistic, no?

It is a story that lacks plot. Kid likes white girls. So? There's mathematics and formula sprinkled all over. And? Africa first superheroes. Why? Anifuturism. Because? It was like author couldn't decide on what to follow, what to focus on, so he just drops everything into the mortar and just mashes it all the hell up.

Dude did attempt to unbury some really deeply supppresed racial prejudices. Well done. I think that was intentional (and deliberate!) on his part.

Na still 2 or 3 stars sha.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost stopped at the first page, which seemed too blatantly to grab for my attention with its Nigerian boy lusting after blondes in a conspicuously incorrect way. But then once launched, I read on with pure joy in the narrator’s company. Andy is a very intelligent and articulate teen finding his way into a difficult life, fueled by an irrepressible imagination, and a charm that takes him very far - including into the bed of a blonde. The difficult life is being born into a poor northern Nigeria town where Moslems are killing southern Christians like himself, and to a struggling single mother with a dark secret. But then there are his friends to buoy him, and Africa’s newly home grown theories of everything for sense and inspiration. Andy Africa is never dull company, even when suffering.
I confess a special interest since, when young, I lived and worked in just such a Nigerian town, and there were frequent pleasures of recognition. My own first novel was an outsider’s take, and I so enjoyed this full blooded and brilliant novel from a writer from a new generation who has lived it, and found a dazzlingly fresh way to express it. This is Stephen Buoro’s first novel, but he’s a fully realized writer, who can do anything, except the ordinary. Can’t wait to be surprised by the next one.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really wanted to like this more, but the character is hard to like, and the writing was uninteresting in general. I think the only thing I liked about the book was that it took place in Nigeria, and I think it’s important to have more books about more places in this world.

[Maria Malcolm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andy Africa is a teenage poet/philosopher and an unbelievably engaging character. In the book he grapples with a head spinning number of issues: identity, colonialism, friendship, futurism, political unrest and coming of age. I need someone to create a class about this book and I will definitely enroll. Andy is indeed a superhero.

[Nia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot - it challenged me in multiple ways. There were so many things in it that I felt I could relate to; and just as many things I had to Google to understand. That doesn't happen a lot (not because I'm fantastically intelligent, but because I don't read that many things that are totally out of my current realm of existence).

The parts that were easily relatable: the self loathing of a teenager, the complex feelings of dealing with a parent - especially one who keeps their cards of their own pain close to their chest; the uncertainties of young love; the desire to be free from where you came from and to only see the bad while you are in it.

The parts that weren't so easy: see paragraph above.

I've felt all those feelings, but not for any of the reasons that Andy did. Because I don't know what it's like to dislike myself for the reasons he does. To want to escape for the reasons he does. Anything for any of the reasons he does. His existence and experience is like that of someone from a different world (even if it's only a different part of the world). That speaks of me as a person, but also I think probably most of the West as a whole, which is addressed in the book more deftly than it deserves.

I didn't know what the Five Sorrows were; being entirely removed from Catholicism most of my life, and never getting deep into that part of Christianity as a whole period. When I looked it up a lot more meaning clicked into place for me. I know the title is about Andy's Five Sorrows, but the book is also about the sorrows of everyone around him. I think this is most clearly seen in his mother, even though we are only getting a view of her through her child. One who is only starting to see his mother as a person independent of his own identity. They're also shown in glimpses of the people that surround him - these little moment where you realize that everyone has their own sorrows to bear.

I'm trying not to say anything specific or with spoilers because I want to encourage everyone to read and to form their own in depth feelings. The math parts and their symbolism were totally lost on me - they aren't huge parts of the book, or even something I think you need to understand what's going on - but I feel confident they add to it. There are political and philosophical movements I know nothing about that make me feel the same way. The symbolism of the West's effect on Andy's life and reality were not lost.

The writing style of the book is poetic and wonderful.

If this author publishes again I would like to read it. To be challenged in a way that doesn't feel condescending, is still understandable, and maintains a delicate balance of relate-ability and complete foreign-ness is a hard task that this work pulls off beautifully.

[Andre(Read-A-Lot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy Africa has an unhealthy obsession of white girls, particularly blondes. How does a teenage Nigerian boy develop such an obsession? Western tv shows of course. Andy is a spirited young man who dreams of escaping Nigeria and all of its’ attendant issues. The author has a humorous prose and even includes some poetic interludes, because Andy is a budding poet. For a debut, this is an unforgettable experience, as we follow along with Andy and his friends to see if he can achieve his dream of escape. While he is plotting his eventual escape, he also is desperate to know his father. The mother, hides this information from Andy, and readers will know and understand why.

This hiding has caused a rift between Andy and his mother, and she becomes another reason why he looks forward to escaping Nigeria. Although humor and fun undergird the writing, there is some seriousness here and much to ponder about conditions in Africa, and Nigeria in particular. Does Andy ever get to meet a real live white girl? Well yes, and the outcome is filled with everything Andy ever conjured up in his mind about what a white girl would be like. This is a different type of novel coming out of Nigeria, and the author has risked alienating some, by Andy’s obsessive and compulsive behavior, but Stephen Buoro is courageous and bold in penning this story and it’s a wonderful debut. Thanks to Edelweiss and Bloomsbury for an advanced DRC.

[Cherise Wolas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in contemporary Nigeria, 15 year-old Andrew "Andy" Aziza, the titular Andy Africa, is the narrator of this coming-of-age slash religious salvation tale who hangs out with his friends and lusts after blondness. He's wry and self-deprecating, a winning if exhausting narrator who can't stand most things about his hometown, Kontagora, the Muslim-Catholic community clashes, his country's culture, the difficulty in leaving, anything really that isn't English or American, the cool he thinks those countries and its inhabitants possess, and he pines and lusts after a British girl who with her whiteness and blondness has come to visit her uncle, the local priest. A novel with an A side not given enough, and a B side given too much - why is uninteresting Eileen such a focus, and the course of Andy's infatuation with her treads the expected path. Two plotlines: Andy hanging with his "droogs" and the rom-com aspect with Eileen; and the second Andy's relationship with his single-mom photographer, his father whose identity is unknown to him, and more. Fun and vibrant but I never fully fell into it.

Thanks to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for an ARC

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me feel so many things - frustrated, angry, creeped out, - but all in the best possible way. In the way that we hope books will make us feel something.

In this case it also made me curious, I found myself researching the different aspects of this book that I knew nothing about (animism, afro-futurism, mathematic equations, the origin of the five sorrowful mysteries... and this is something that I want from my literature, I want to learn about how other people live even when it makes me uncomfortable about my own existence and my own place in the world.

I will say that this is a slow burn book and I took a while to get to the 50% point because it didn't feel particularly gripping but I'm so glad I put in that ground work because I inhaled the second half and I don't think I'm going to get this book out of my mind any time soon.

I hope this sees nominations for the years awards as it deserves so much attention!

It was also amazing to find out that Stephen is working towards his PhD in Creative and Critical Writing at the University that I am currently attending, also on a Creative Writing programme!

[Holley Perry]

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa by Stephen Buoro is set in Nigeria, which includes approximately 250 ethnic groups. The religious population is split between Muslim, Christian, and Indigenous religions. Even with so much diversity, Nigeria has a history of civil wars and political unrest. The history of Nigeria is fascinating. I'm still learning.

The book follows Andy as he learns the secrets of his own life and life in Nigeria in general. He is a teenager with a brilliant mind but not the best relationship skills. His mother is incredibly protective of him and will not tell him who his father is. Most people believe that Andy's father is her ex-husband but Andy doesn't think so.

Andy is also obsessed with blonde women. When he meets Eileen, the first young white woman that he has seen, Andy falls in love. They have a brief relationship but I don't think it is what he expected. Interracial relationships can be difficult. He begins to think more about what love really is in all of his relationships - with his mother, his friend Fatima and his Uncle.

He thinks about leaving the country someday. Would it be the best thing for him? Would he be running away from the truth or towards it? Andy does quite a bit of reflection about how things should be and how he needs to grow. I am reminded of the quote, "Wherever you go, there you are." A person can't ever escape themselves.

Recommendation

Personally, I enjoyed reading the story from Andy's perspective. He is so intelligent and yet still does dumb stuff that teenagers do. He is funny but still kind of mean and selfish. It is really great to see how he changes and matures.

If you are a fan of coming-of-age books, then you will probably enjoy The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa.

If you are not interested in learning about different cultures, religions, or people, then your life must be truly boring. Stop being boring - read a book!

[Nic · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa is an Observer debut of the year and is a book getting a lot of chat ahead of its release on 13 April 2023.

Andy is a maths prodigy with limited opportunities ahead of him. Living in a small North Nigerian town with his mother, the local (British) priest has helped Andy to get an opportunity at the best school in the area. But Andy is a dreamer, and his life doesn’t lack drama.

Obsessed with blondes, the arrival of the priest’s niece turns Andy’s world upside down in many different ways. Hanging with his ‘droogs’ Slim, Morocco and Fatima - Andy is thrown when a man shows up claiming to be his father.

I struggled to connect with Andy, possibly because of the unique style of the prose. There is a lot going on and it feels a little overworked and overly complex. The one character I did really like, Fatima, got a lack of page space.

I’m sure this will be wildly popular but wasn’t one for me.

[Des · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, moving, very sharp and deeply engaging. Andrew Aziza ('Andy Africa') narrates the story of his life experiences as he transitions from adolescence to adulthood in Nigeria. Andy struggles with whether to follow his head or his heart in love, whilst simultaneously dealing with his turbulent family history and the violent hardships of every day life in Nigeria. The portrait of Nigeria is unbelievably vivid and immersive. The sheer chaos coursing through Andy's life contrasts sharply with his inner love of structured equations, mathematical logic and predictable outcomes. I found the novel multi-layered, complex and highly intelligent yet also completely compelling. Highly recommended. With a special thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc and NetGalley for a no obligation advance review copy.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 rounded up
This Aspen Words Longlist follows a Nigerian teenage boy as this community experiences violence and his immediate world is upended. It’s a coming of age story that also highlights some contemporary themes of life in Africa for a young man. There’s hanging out with friends, learning in school and beginning to formulate opinions and ideas, girls and sex, and teen angst with parents. There is also local violence and protests, mentions of Boko Harum, emigration to Europe, religious differences between Muslim and Christians, money, and more. Andy is a smart, likable character, and overall this book definitely accomplishes what I think the author set out to accomplish, but I will need to keep pondering if this book was “successful” for me.

[William Malcolm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Andy is a great character and his story transported me to his world in Africa. Hope there’s a part 2.

[Yuliya Blaser · Rating 5 out of 5]

A black boy from Nigeria fancies nothing else but to find a white girlfriend with platinum hair. The blond hair that will be his rise and his downfall.
What a wonderful book! I seem to gravitate to books from Africa more than any other continent. I really like learning about different customs and traditions, titbits of languages. I now know how to say thank-you very much in Hausa - Na gode sosai.
I really like Andy and his mum. I am afraid I was completely shocked to learn who his father was and I am saddened by Andy's mum death.
For every book like this I read I feel forever grateful to have a home with food, electricity, heating and running water.
I wish Andy Aziza aka Andy Africa every success in his life.

[Lucia Nieto Navarro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esta historia comienza con una confesión que me impacto bastante, un chico negro, en un pueblo nigeriano, cuenta su obsesión por las mujeres rubias. Andy es el narrador de la historia y protagonista, es un narrador irónico, muy autocritico, que no soporta las cosas que ocurren en su ciudad, como los enfrentamientos entre musulmanes y católicos, su cultura… y lo único que quiere es huir.
Lo mejor del libro es la ambientación, empaparte de una zona como es Nigeria, tan poco “conocida”, y los personajes muy convincentes, bien estructurados, reales con todos sus defectos.
Por el contrario, creo que había demasiados temas, desde racismo, clasismo, religión, sexualidad, complejidad de las familias… para mi gusto no ha cubierto bien todo lo que ha querido contar. Lo que mas me ha costado ha sido meterme en la historia por el estilo en el que está escrito, partes increíblemente poéticas, con muchas jergas y coloquialismos que no llegue a entender… incluso capítulos con teoremas y ecuaciones… que no tenían demasiado sentido.
Una historia diferente, que recomiendo si quieres conocer otra cultura diferente, pero sabiendo que es un libro escrito de una forma compleja.

[Amanda Borchers · Rating 3 out of 5]

No one else in the reviews warns about this, so I suppose I will. This book is from the perspective of a modern-day 16-year-old boy. Inside a young boy's head can be a brutal place. The graphic descriptions of sex and sex organs were pretty jarring. Also I don't need to know the shape of the boobs of every woman he meets, including his mother. These look like oranges! These look like old socks! Wow, no thanks.

As others will tell you, there is incredible depth to the themes explored in this book. Just be warned, there's also a lot of dark and disgusting things that you'll encounter if you pick this one up.

[Shawn Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled with this one. The language style and my lack of knowledge of the area made it difficult to find a consistent reading flow. The story itself had many layers that are worth further discussion. There was a sense of realism to some of the events that occurred and a touch of recency referencing.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

[Edward Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Andy Africa is totally confused African teen with warped sense of self worth." That was my initial thought after completing this book, but it goes much deeper. He is a poetic genius that doesn't know it. He is a victim, a survivor, a dreamer, a thinker, a freind, a prodigy to his family, and a troubled soul trying to find a way out of a "shit hole" of a country.

And somehow, in his warped thinking, a blond hair girl will alleviate his troubles. Sorrowful is a perfect characterization of Andy Africa.

The writing is great. I just didn't like the main character. A lot of hurt, a lot of ugliness, a lot of trauma. It's a tough story to digest. I almost didn't finish this book, but I continued the read, hoping Andy would snap out of his infactuation with white skin and blond hair....

Sure there are incredible discussions about math and Kafka, but come on!

You'll have to read it and follow up with me on your thoughts.