What do you think?
Rate this book
Don't Answer When They Call Your Name
In her latest novel, Ukamaka Olisakwe blends myths and magic to introduce readers to an enchanting, spectral world where a young girl and her dog must change the destiny of an ill-fated community.
When the streams suddenly run dry in Ani Mmadu, the people know it is time to atone for a sin that goes back to the very beginning of their world, the consequence of one woman’s rebellion against the all-powerful and unforgiving, jealous god. To avert this catastrophe and for the waters to flow and nourish the farms again, the people must send an Aja—a child chosen by the Oracle—into the Forest of Iniquity, to atone for that great Sin. It falls on young Adanne to save her people this time. But the Ajas sent into the dreaded forest tend never to return. Is Adanne the long-awaited one who will buck the trend and end her people’s suffering?
Don’t Answer When They Call Your Name is an extraordinary novel bursting with kaleidoscopic worlds and beings. It is a feat of the imagination from a born storyteller.
When the streams suddenly run dry in Ani Mmadu, the people know it is time to atone for a sin that goes back to the very beginning of their world, the consequence of one woman’s rebellion against the all-powerful and unforgiving, jealous god. To avert this catastrophe and for the waters to flow and nourish the farms again, the people must send an Aja—a child chosen by the Oracle—into the Forest of Iniquity, to atone for that great Sin. It falls on young Adanne to save her people this time. But the Ajas sent into the dreaded forest tend never to return. Is Adanne the long-awaited one who will buck the trend and end her people’s suffering?
Don’t Answer When They Call Your Name is an extraordinary novel bursting with kaleidoscopic worlds and beings. It is a feat of the imagination from a born storyteller.
Unknown Binding
First published May 16, 2023
4 people are currently reading
236 people want to read
About the author
Ukamaka Olisakwe
6 books92 followersUkamaka Olisakwe is a Nigerian novelist, short story writer and screenwriter. In 2014 she was chosen as one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s most promising writers under the age of 40 by Africa 39. She was born in Kano, Nigeria, and in 2016, was a resident at the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 24, 2023
While reading Ukamaka Olisakwe's “Do Not Answer When They Call Your Name,” I was reminded of the title of Jennifer Makumbi's masterful short story, “Let Us Tell This Story Properly” and for a stray moment, my mind was engaged in thinking about how whoever deems to tell the story of how they fought a war must endeavor to survive the war. There is that popular knowledge among storytellers that it is the one who wins the war who tells the story. And often the one who lost is cast in the light of the villain of a battle fought by two different parties, each with their flaws. In the light of which the character in Olisakwe's novel, “Mother” was cast, I began to think about the infamous character of the devil in the Bible, and how storytellers view the story between him and God as one-sided. And I thought, assuming that myth is true, could there have been more to the story? But this review is not a religious affair by any means. My little ramble is only aimed at bringing two myths together, and placing them side by side, and reflecting on the role bias can play in how much we know, and how wrong we can be by acting only on what we know.
Myths have been one of the most powerful means of storytelling, especially because of their metaphorical nature and in how they are open to interpretation. When we interpret myths we analyze human nature, and when we all bring our different side views into our analysis and interpretation, we understand human nature more. The myth as a form of storytelling remains very prominent because of what it teaches us. Infusing myths in the novel form, hence has its way of elevating the story that is told. This is part of what Ukamaka Olisakwe's novel reminded me of.
At the center of Ukamaka Olisakwe's “Do Not Answer When They Call Your Name” is the story of an ambitious woman who wanted to conquer her own part of the world. She pursued her ambitions from her father's house to her husband's house and somehow these dreams seemed to elude her because she was denied first by her father who did not want her to become too powerful in his house and then her husband who deceived her into giving him four sons in exchange for what she wanted. She is the ill-fated protagonist in the prologue and the misunderstood antagonist in the main story. She looms over like an oppressive shadow in the life of the people in Ani mmadu, banished into the “Forest of Iniquity” where she has since time immemorial sought revenge. The story which the book tells eventually is how the people in the land of the living, “Mother's” offspring live, bearing the consequences of mother's rebellion, and the emergence of a child with supernatural powers who eventually saves the day.
Without the Igbo myth, the story could well pass for and adventure story with its protagonist going into the “Forest of Iniquity” with her dog, and facing various fearful dangers in the course of the journey. But the Igbo myth interwoven into the story lends it a literary quality and relevance to not just stir the imagination, but to cause some reflection on the human condition.
Thematically, this story prods over the trinity of anger as a self-defeating virtue, vengefulness, and through the character of its protagonist asserts the place of the story as the peacemaker (supreme) between the warrior and the battle.
Olisakwe's novels from Ogadimma to this present novel, seeks to highlight the suffering of women and the often extreme actions they take to escape their sufferings and tries to cast them in a humane light, to lighten the burden of judgment women face from these actions. Ogadimma leaves her husband's house abandoning her baby. Perhaps to the public, she is an irresponsible woman who abandons her child, but Ogadimma tells us the role domestic violence plays in issues like this and how leaving could be a sacrifice to stay alive. In “Do Not Answer When They Call Your Name,” mother is seen as the villain. But the story represents her own side of the story to show that the offended party itself is not without flaws. Does it absorb her female protagonists? Not altogether. But a writer like Ukamaka at her best, doesn't seem to be concerned about perfection in her heroines, but she seeks to present us with deeper insights into the conditions women face in the relationships which try to clip their wings.
There seems to be a bit of disconnect in the plot of the book. I wondered a bit how a sacrifice was demanded by the male deity but the child sent on the errand arrives at the mother's abode instead and meets many other children who had crossed over before her. And afterwards, the mother proceeds to take advantage of her powers as an object of revenge? Was it the mother who was asking for the sacrifices and the people were under the illusion that it was the father? It is unclear whether this is a flaw or not properly portrayed?
The novel has a very good line editing and the psychological placement of the characters was okay, its main flaws come from the technical aspects of the language. Molara Woods is a fantastic editor and has done a very good job here. That she isn't Igbo and does not understand certain aspects of the language limits especially pertaining dialogues limits her editing powers. This is one reason why writers when writing stories are steeped in the local tradition or myths of a particular language should seek secondary editors to look at the technicalities of language. I think it is not too much to ask for the art of editing to be taken further seriously in these matters. We have almost won the war of italicizing local words or over-explaining them (Olisakwe’s novel does great here). Now, we must follow the trail of language shaped by the tradition from which our imagination stems from.
“Do Not Answer When They Call Your Name” is a beautiful book and most especially, Olisakwe deserves her flowers for successfully bringing traditional myth into a meaningful marriage with fantasy to create a story which instructs and entertains.
In my review of her earlier book, “Ogadimma,” I mention that Ukamaka’s writing has a cinematic quality. Any filmmaker with half a vision could make good movies from them. “Do Not Answer When They Call Your Name” is no exception. Except that if I was the filmmaker, I would be aiming for an animation, as this book reminded me of some of the most beautiful animation films of my childhood.
Thank you to Masobe Book for a review copy in exchange for a sincere review.
Myths have been one of the most powerful means of storytelling, especially because of their metaphorical nature and in how they are open to interpretation. When we interpret myths we analyze human nature, and when we all bring our different side views into our analysis and interpretation, we understand human nature more. The myth as a form of storytelling remains very prominent because of what it teaches us. Infusing myths in the novel form, hence has its way of elevating the story that is told. This is part of what Ukamaka Olisakwe's novel reminded me of.
At the center of Ukamaka Olisakwe's “Do Not Answer When They Call Your Name” is the story of an ambitious woman who wanted to conquer her own part of the world. She pursued her ambitions from her father's house to her husband's house and somehow these dreams seemed to elude her because she was denied first by her father who did not want her to become too powerful in his house and then her husband who deceived her into giving him four sons in exchange for what she wanted. She is the ill-fated protagonist in the prologue and the misunderstood antagonist in the main story. She looms over like an oppressive shadow in the life of the people in Ani mmadu, banished into the “Forest of Iniquity” where she has since time immemorial sought revenge. The story which the book tells eventually is how the people in the land of the living, “Mother's” offspring live, bearing the consequences of mother's rebellion, and the emergence of a child with supernatural powers who eventually saves the day.
Without the Igbo myth, the story could well pass for and adventure story with its protagonist going into the “Forest of Iniquity” with her dog, and facing various fearful dangers in the course of the journey. But the Igbo myth interwoven into the story lends it a literary quality and relevance to not just stir the imagination, but to cause some reflection on the human condition.
Thematically, this story prods over the trinity of anger as a self-defeating virtue, vengefulness, and through the character of its protagonist asserts the place of the story as the peacemaker (supreme) between the warrior and the battle.
Olisakwe's novels from Ogadimma to this present novel, seeks to highlight the suffering of women and the often extreme actions they take to escape their sufferings and tries to cast them in a humane light, to lighten the burden of judgment women face from these actions. Ogadimma leaves her husband's house abandoning her baby. Perhaps to the public, she is an irresponsible woman who abandons her child, but Ogadimma tells us the role domestic violence plays in issues like this and how leaving could be a sacrifice to stay alive. In “Do Not Answer When They Call Your Name,” mother is seen as the villain. But the story represents her own side of the story to show that the offended party itself is not without flaws. Does it absorb her female protagonists? Not altogether. But a writer like Ukamaka at her best, doesn't seem to be concerned about perfection in her heroines, but she seeks to present us with deeper insights into the conditions women face in the relationships which try to clip their wings.
There seems to be a bit of disconnect in the plot of the book. I wondered a bit how a sacrifice was demanded by the male deity but the child sent on the errand arrives at the mother's abode instead and meets many other children who had crossed over before her. And afterwards, the mother proceeds to take advantage of her powers as an object of revenge? Was it the mother who was asking for the sacrifices and the people were under the illusion that it was the father? It is unclear whether this is a flaw or not properly portrayed?
The novel has a very good line editing and the psychological placement of the characters was okay, its main flaws come from the technical aspects of the language. Molara Woods is a fantastic editor and has done a very good job here. That she isn't Igbo and does not understand certain aspects of the language limits especially pertaining dialogues limits her editing powers. This is one reason why writers when writing stories are steeped in the local tradition or myths of a particular language should seek secondary editors to look at the technicalities of language. I think it is not too much to ask for the art of editing to be taken further seriously in these matters. We have almost won the war of italicizing local words or over-explaining them (Olisakwe’s novel does great here). Now, we must follow the trail of language shaped by the tradition from which our imagination stems from.
“Do Not Answer When They Call Your Name” is a beautiful book and most especially, Olisakwe deserves her flowers for successfully bringing traditional myth into a meaningful marriage with fantasy to create a story which instructs and entertains.
In my review of her earlier book, “Ogadimma,” I mention that Ukamaka’s writing has a cinematic quality. Any filmmaker with half a vision could make good movies from them. “Do Not Answer When They Call Your Name” is no exception. Except that if I was the filmmaker, I would be aiming for an animation, as this book reminded me of some of the most beautiful animation films of my childhood.
Thank you to Masobe Book for a review copy in exchange for a sincere review.
May 16, 2023
Happy Pub Day!
After reading Ogadinma and now, Don’t Answer When They Call Your Name, I will read anything Ukamaka Olisakwe writes.
⚠️ Spoiler Free Review
I set a timer for 1hr 35 minutes because, as a sucker for big font sizes in novels, I knew I was in for a good “out of book slump” moment. I haven't finished a novel in a day in forever, mainly because when the story starts to get interesting, I distract myself so it doesn't have to end. Tell me I'm not the only one who does this 🫢😂
DAWTCYN follows the story of Adanne and her journey through different worlds to save her people from drought. It took one intrusive move for her to be selected as the Aja (sacrifice) to be sent to the Forest of Iniquity. In previous years, no child who embarks on this journey makes it back.
I started this novel from an adult perspective, but I had to channel my younger self to enjoy all of it. I took myself back to my childhood home under the blanket with a security torchlight (the type with the yellow bulb). I read every page with a new sparkle and curiosity in my eyes, and I imagined my 10-year-old self wanting to be as adventurous, meeting Mother, Eze-Nwanyi and going through Ani Nchefu and Ani Nke Ozo.
One of my favourite things about the author is how she makes you feel like you have a personal relationship with the main character. I felt like I knew Adanne, and I was rooting for her through her journey.
I will recommend this book to anyone looking for a feel-good-fantasy-female protagonist novel to get you out of a book slump or a book you can finish in one day.
I wish this book had existed when I was younger, but either way, this was a good read, and I will pretend I don't envy kids and early teens who will come across this.
A good story and a 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟 only because of my jealousy for the younger generation, and I didn't get the specific closure I wanted at the end. (kidding, I gave it a 5 star because why not?)
July 2, 2023
Couldn't get into this one but finished it as I wanted to see what the story was about.
June 14, 2023
For a young adult fantasy book, I think the author came through with quite an adventurous tale that is fast paced and action packed. As an adult reader, the world building was the aspect of the storytelling that I enjoyed the most especially as an Igbo woman, but I think that middle grade to teenage readers will find this to be a most engaging and exciting read.
Read
May 18, 2023I will be getting my copy soon. So excited! Will come back to comment when I'm done reading.
May 9, 2023
This is the kind of book I wish was available to me as a young teen. Adanne's bravery and rebelliousness were so delicious to read.
May 30, 2023
I loved this... It has this beautiful mixture of mythology and modern life.
July 2, 2023
The prologue was stunning and then the world after the prologue was fantastically built. I recommend>>>>
November 29, 2023
Very Igbo, very child-fantasy. It was an appropriate read for the age group, though I felt there were deeper concepts that could have been hit more artistically. However, I enjoyed the read overall.
April 23, 2024
Beautiful!
August 27, 2024
I usually don't like to leave bad reviews but the plot of this book for me was very confusing and all over the place
July 1, 2025
Ou, I like this. Though the writing fell short a few times and the transitions choppy. It was a well written book. The adventure and world building of it all felt vivid, encompassing the story. I fell in love with all the characters, and the book felt like a hug. I also love the messaging behind it.
April 14, 2025
"She laughed. "You are so ignorant, so innocent, and this is beautiful and irritating to watch. Do you know how precious you are, how powerful? Do you know that you carry something so pure, this thing people before and after you would kill for? Do you know that you can bend the world to your will if you want? And you are sitting here, asking me about death when you, yourself, are above death?Or do you want to experience what it feels like to die."
Excerpt From Don't Answer When They Call Your Name by Ukamaka Olisakwe .
Description: DAWTCYN sheds light on the vilification of women when marriages dissolve, highlighting the unfair blame placed on them while men are praised, also shows how history could be rewritten and ran with for years.
This book revolves around Adanne, who embarks on a transformative journey across different realms to rescue her people from a devastating drought. Her fate as the chosen Aja, the sacrificial individual destined for the perilous Forest of Iniquity, is sealed by one intrusive action.
Historically, no child undertaking this expedition has ever returned.
With each page, my eyes brimmed with newfound fascination and intrigue. The story left me yearning for more, as though there were countless untold events waiting to unfold. Nevertheless, it proved to be an engrossing read.
If you possess an affinity for mythology, traditions, and cultural exploration, I wholeheartedly recommend this book
Excerpt From Don't Answer When They Call Your Name by Ukamaka Olisakwe .
Description: DAWTCYN sheds light on the vilification of women when marriages dissolve, highlighting the unfair blame placed on them while men are praised, also shows how history could be rewritten and ran with for years.
This book revolves around Adanne, who embarks on a transformative journey across different realms to rescue her people from a devastating drought. Her fate as the chosen Aja, the sacrificial individual destined for the perilous Forest of Iniquity, is sealed by one intrusive action.
Historically, no child undertaking this expedition has ever returned.
With each page, my eyes brimmed with newfound fascination and intrigue. The story left me yearning for more, as though there were countless untold events waiting to unfold. Nevertheless, it proved to be an engrossing read.
If you possess an affinity for mythology, traditions, and cultural exploration, I wholeheartedly recommend this book
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews