Doing Dangerously Well

by Carole Enahoro

A dark comedy about disaster capitalism, cutthroat office politics, vicious sibling rivalry, hapless do-gooderism and the corporatization of water.

When a humanitarian catastrophe strikes Nigeria, an unforgettable cast of Machiavellian opportunists and quixotic do-gooders swoop in to make the most of the tragedy.

Some time in the near future, Kainji Dam, the engineering marvel that is the pride of Nigeria, collapses, killing thousands of villagers. The Minister of Natural Resources can hardly believe his luck - now he can make a bid for the presidency. On the other side of the world, the grimly ambitious executive of a water company also sniffs an opportunity - to make her bosses happy by privatizing a major African river. Her sister, Barbara, who has never encountered a cause she wouldn't carry a placard for, joins forces with Femi Jegede, a charismatic Nigerian activist whose family was swept away in the disaster. The a wickedly satirical romp along a road to hell paved with both good and bad intentions. Brazen, hilarious and sublimely written, Carole Enahoro's debut novel is simply dazzling.

Genres: Africa, Fiction, Canada

480 pages, Hardcover

First published May 11, 2010

About the author

Carole Enahoro was born in London of a Nigerian father and an English mother, and grew up in Nigeria, Britain and Canada, and still shares her time among the three.

With a background in art history and film, she has worked as a filmmaker, journalist and lecturer, while pursuing an abiding interest in political and social issues.

She is currently pursuing doctoral studies in the UK researching spatial practice, power and satire in Nigeria’s capital.

Doing Dangerously Well is her first novel.

Reviews

[Juniper · Rating 2 out of 5]

well... that was a bit of a hot-mess, that was. the frustrating thing is there is a really important story here. but it's buried under inconsistent storytelling, and utterly nonsensical moments. i completely recognize this is a satire, but excellent satire is really hard to do well and enahoro just doesn't pull it off with this novel. i wish she had. i really, really do. i think that enahoro did a huge disservice to her story by telling it through the lens of caricatures, instead of characters. i think that choice makes it easier for people to dismiss the story, dismiss the ideas enahoro is presenting. and that is terribly unfortunate.

[Apanakhi Buckley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carole Enahoro ventures to write a science fiction novel about the near future in which bursting damns and battles over water pit environmentalists against corrupt politicians. Set in Nigeria, her novel offers new perspectives on water and people who cannot afford to take it for granted.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read. It's always a pleasure to read a (partially) Canadian author with something important to say. Unfortunately this satirical stab at water rights sometimes falls a little flat. With a convoluted plot and a number of forgettable characters, the action sometimes stagnates but it is overall a readable tale. There are achingly beautiful passages as well as cringe-worthy, often on the same page. Ultimately for me it is Enahoro's uneven storytelling that left me feeling disappointed in what could have been a masterful satire.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable and sometimes pointed, but other times too scattered. In particular, I thought there was too much of the Barbara side story - her role in the protests was one thing, but all of the background about her life seemed like it belonged in a different book.

[Ruth Seeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's my review: http://ow.ly/1ZrUz.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wickedly funny...if you have a dark sense of humour. A Nigerian dam collapses and all sorts of amoral people in Nigeria and Canada get ready to make a profit...disaster capitalism...what a concept.