Harare Review of Books

320 pages.

First published Aug. 8, 2023 (DAW)

Fiction/SFF.

I’ve never been to Lagos, but Wole Talabi’s debut novel (!) is what I imagine Lagos must be like: frenetic, sexy, full of mysterious powers. It’s hard to believe Shigidi is this acclaimed author’s debut fantasy novel; Talabi is a prolific short story writer, and the editor of various anthologies.

But back to the novel. Shigidi is a nightmare god, humble and only slightly meh about his place in life. He works for a spirit company, and is on assignment when he bumps into a beautiful succubus (or, succubae). Nneoma, dangerous and independent, offers him the deal of a lifetime, which he takes—but they soon run into major trouble. Their way out is to steal—or, more correctly, to rescue—the brass head of Obalufon from the British Museum, and to bring it back to the powerful and semi-retired creator god, Olorun. As one might expect, things don’t go perfectly to plan, and we go on a romp with the couple through Lagos, Singapore, and London’s spirit-side to bring the artefact back home.

I loved Shigidi’s character—uncertain, unaware of his potential, and honest—and the fantastical world he inhabits is full of thrills. I also enjoyed Talabi’s wry references to corporate culture through the lens of Nigerian mythology—so many clever parallels. The story ends on an interesting note, and I think we can expect a sequel, or perhaps short stories featuring Shigidi (I hope! I was not particularly interested in Nneoma, who is mean and self-centred).

I’m not usually a fan of fantasy lit, but I do enjoy African mythology. This book should please anyone who loves a fun story. 

Thank you to NetGalley and to DAW for this ARC.