DNF @ 36%.

I remember liking Stay With Me but for some reason, this one was just really not grabbing me. I like character driven novels and don’t need a fast paced plot but this was dragging and I couldn’t keep track of who was who (apart from the two main characters). I do enjoy the author’s writing style and how the novel has a strong sense of place so I can see myself picking up her next book but unfortunately, this was a miss for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ - 4 stars!

The story follows two main characters living in Nigeria from very different backgrounds - Eniola is tall for his age, a boy who looks like a man. Because his father has lost his job, Eniola spends his days running errands for the local tailor, collecting newspapers, begging when he must, dreaming of a big future. Wuraola is a golden girl, the perfect child of a wealthy family. Now an exhausted young doctor in her first year of practice, she is beloved by Kunle, the volatile son of an ascendant politician. When a local politician takes an interest in Eniola and sudden violence shatters a family party, Wuraola and Eniola's lives become intertwined.

This is a beautifully written book but it did take me awhile to get involved or see where these two characters' paths would intersect. This is one of those novels that highlights the glaring divide between the haves and the have-nots, and how our destinies are entangled with where, when, and what families we are born into. It's difficult to read the struggles that Eniola faced - getting beaten in class because his parents couldn't pay tuition, the hunger and poverty, and the family loyalty that runs deep. But Wuraola's path is also hard - more familial expectations lead her down a path where she loses herself. An important read.

In A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, a teenage boy Eniola in Nigeria and young doctor Wuraola become part of each other's stories through explosive, unforeseen events. We learn that Eniola works as an apprentice at a tailor because his family can no longer afford to send him to school. Privileged but humble Wuraola is on the cusp of marriage to the son of an aspiring politician and works as a doctor in a hospital, but the relationship harbors more secrets than happiness.

The premise of this book sounded good, and I thought that the novel would give me insight into the different cultures, traditions, politics, and family life in Nigeria. While it did that, the book dragged in many places. Many of the unfamiliar terms, whether regarding clothing, foods, or other items were not easily found. I suppose I should have Googled them instead of relying on the Kindle dictionary, No translation was given, too, for the phrases and terms throughout the book. Some footnotes would have helped.

Although the writing is fluid and graceful, I did stumble through the unfamiliar or indecipherable words, phrases, names, and terms. I relied on an old trick that a college classmate told me to manage reading Russian literature--change the names to more familiar American-style names. That helped in that I thought of Wuraola as Wendy, but after a while, I grew familiar with the name and went back to the original one. It seemed almost crass and disrespectful to change them in my mind, but, hey, it helped.

A major complaint about the book is that it takes until the very last chapters for the main story to develop and take place. There is so much background written that you keep wondering when the story will pick up. I was bored a great portion of the time. Towards the end, when tragic and scary events occur that were promised from the beginning of the book, I just didn't care anymore. And the ending is so depressing that I couldn't wait to be done.

I struggled to give this book a 3-star rating and even to finish it. Maybe it's just not for me, But I wish the climax of the story took much less longer to reach, and I felt more for the characters.

Wow. Adebayo is a phenomenal writer, there's no denying that. The six-year wait after Stay With Me was a long one, but it was worth it. This is another novel set in her native Nigeria, and it explores themes of class and privilege. This was a really heavy read. I found myself reading small bits and setting it down for a while to process. I couldn't fly through it. It's not an easy book to get through, but it's really well-written (though the beginning is quite slow, it takes some time to ramp up) and it's certainly worth a read. The storytelling is layered and complex and well done.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

A Spell of Good Things tells the stories of different characters living in a city in Nigeria. Some are wealthy and powerful, while others are extraordinarily disadvantaged and scraping to just live another day, but what they all have in common is that circumstances can determine each person’s future and each of us can find ourselves struggling with bad choices and worse outcomes.

I don’t know much about Nigerian culture, so I enjoyed the aspects of the culture that shined through in this story. Respect for elders, family responsibilities, and community support are all important factors represented in the book.

As the story goes on, readers learn where the different threads twist together to make their own mosaics. There are a lot of characters and I found it difficult to keep track of them and actually care about the developments in their storylines early on, but the second half of the book went more quickly for me and I became much more engaged.

This is an excellent story worth taking the time to sink into. I recommend reading it!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Book review: Powerful women shine in dynamic novel
Ashley Riggleson Mar 18, 2023
Since reading and loving Ayòbámi Adébáyo’s debut novel, “Stay With Me,” I have been waiting with bated breath for her next work. Her latest, titled “A Spell of Good Things,” did not disappoint. I loved it, and I cannot wait to read more.

“A Spell of Good Things” follows two very different but intimately connected families as an upcoming government election rocks their lives. One is very poor. The father has lost his job and has been out of work for some time. Readers follow the eldest son, Eniola, as he and his family struggle to pay his school fees, keep food on the table, and pay their rent. Eniola becomes increasingly desperate to make money by any means possible. And as the novel approaches its climax, readers will know that he gets more than he bargained for, and tragedy strikes.
At the same time, we follow the story of a woman called Wuraola, who is living in very different circumstances. Her family is very rich, and as such, she deals with a very different array of problems. Specifically, Wuraola, faces familial pressure to marry a suitable man. She is in a relationship with a man called Kunle who she has known since childhood. It is soon clear that he is everything her parents could want in a match. But, although he claims to love Wuraola, he also abuses her. And Wuraola must decide whether she can subvert her family’s expectations and choose her own happiness. In the background of all of this, her father is quietly supporting his friend in a race for governor, And while the politics of this decision initially seem to be at the margins of this narrative, they become central as the novel moves forward.
Readers who loved the intimacy of Adébáyo’s debut may find this sprawling novel to be a departure for her. And while I preferred “Stay With Me,” I also loved “A Spell of Good Things.” This text, which is unabashedly about class, money, marriage, corruption and social hierarchies, feels like a contemporary Jane Austen novel. And yet Adébáyo also subverts expectations. It is an ultimately feminist novel in which powerful women shine.

Adébáyo’s talent clearly shows in her latest, and the title of this novel is beautifully resonant.

And this intricate, compassionate, and sprawling sophomore effort proves that Adébáyo is a writer to watch.


This review was originally published in The Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, VA.

While this book was a bit slow to start, there is no denying that Adebayo is a superb writer. Crafting an immersive world with such beautiful writing. I always wish their books could last longer as I just want to sit with the story. There are a lot of characters to keep track of in this book, which did make it tough at points.

I unknowingly was reading both of Ayobami Adebayo’s novels at the same time (one on audio, one digital), and was simultaneously engrossed in both! Imagine my surprise when I realized they were written by the same author!

A Spell of Good Things was such a powerful book that shows how the issues of poverty, mental health and politics have equal impacts on all members of society, no matter their economic status, wealth, or ambitions. I loved learning more about Nigerian culture, specifically about marriage expectations, medical limitations, and political power dynamics.

I absolutely adore Adebayo’s writing style, and appreciated how she weaves the Nigerian dialect into her characters dictation. It felt very authentic.

All that being said, this book (much like her first!) is completely heartbreaking, and leaves you wishing for better for our characters. I developed a deep connected to both Eniola and Wuraola, and found the character development to be a great strength of this novel.

A great read. I would recommend this book in a heartbeat!

This was not for me so I DNF'd at 15%. I wanted to read something different when I requested this but political intrigue is just not one of my favorite topics. I'll probably pick up the author's first book at some point.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this!

3.5 stars.
Wuraola is the daughter of a wealthy family and is utterly exhausted. She is a medical resident working on her first year of practice, and she is also traumatized by the death of one of her patients, a baby. She is also seeing Kunle, the spoiled and difficult son of a professor who has political aspirations. She decides to marry Kunle because this will make both their families happy, despite misgivings she has about him.

Eniola is the adolescent son of a two parents who are struggling financially since his father lost his job. Eniola's dreams of attending a good secondary school are dashed, and he does a variety of jobs to bring money in. He eventually makes some ugly choices as his father is no closer to reversing their bad fortune.

Wuraola and Eniola would never normally meet, but their lives intersect after an act of violence at a party.

Ayòbámi Adégáyò's writing absolutely captured me in her first book, "Stay with Me". Here, she bends her keen eye on the economic disparities in Nigeria, and how these mix and collide with political corruption and relationships.

Her characters are so well drawn, as well as the complexities of their relationships, and how these are affected by their desires and societal expectations. I do have to say that this book was a tougher read than "Stay With Me", which I tore through. This was in many ways a much darker, more complicated story, and I did have some trouble as this shows people making successive poor choices because of difficult circumstances. It's a book full of hopelessness and desperation.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I enjoyed Adeyabo’s earlier book Stay With Me and was eager to read A Spell of Good Things. Set in Nigeria, we follow the stories of Eniola and Wuraola. There are themes of poverty, wealth, and social issues told in a beautifully written way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This one took me a looong time to get into--I even tried an audiobook version--I found myself not caring about nila and only caring a little more about Wurala. Once my life calmed enough for me to read some decent sized chunks at a time I was able to get into it and want to keep reading. That said, I think it is probably a pretty good book provided you read it over a few days as opposed to a few weeks. Once it gets going there are some important topics explored in a believable and convincing way. (Shared on Goodreads)

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the eARC of A Spell of Good Things. The have and the have-nots..the story of all our lives. The book was raw and easy to read. Hard times hit and how do you make it out? I really enjoyed this book and going to read Stay with me very soon.

Thanks!

Adebayo is a very compelling writer and describes in staggering details the sufferings of two families. One rich and one poor, but both troubled. This story quickly drew me in and held on to me through each and every heartbreaking moment. This was a very heavy, emotional read so please be mentally prepared before picking it up.

A Spell of Good Things reminded me so much of Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge and Amgash book series. Nigeria subs for Maine, the delicious pounded yams and soups instead of cake and doughnuts, but the complex themes of love, family, and society are the same. I will be reading more by Ayobami Adebayo and I expect we will all be hearing more about her. Highly recommended. Four stars only because a major plot point was not resolved in a satisfactory manner, I needed a little more.
Favorite quote:
She had never been able to shake the sense that life was war, a series of battles with the occasional spell of good things.

Hi. Overall enjoyed the books. I love the setting and learning a little about Nigeria but the ending was terribly abrupt and I would not recommend this book to a friend. I think it has a ton of potential but didn't seem finished and there were frequently quoted text not in English that wasn't translated into English. Seems like if it was important enough to put in an English written book then it should be translated. Over all I give it 3 stars.

Lots of good detail and the story of wurapalo (sorry about spelling) was engaging and really infuriating.

Thanks for letting me read this.

"Divided into four parts with epigraphs from four of Nigeria’s most prominent novelists in the past two decades—Sefi Atta, Chika Unigwe, Helon Habila, and Teju Cole—A Spell of Good Things is irrefutably expansive and yet so domestic that its characters linger. Although longer and arguably more multifaceted than Adébáyọ̀’s critically acclaimed debut, Stay with Me, it is a testament to Adébáyọ̀’s ability to weave multiple narratives amidst a poignant sense of Nigeria’s political landscape."

I loved Ayobami Adebayo’s debut novel Stay With Me and was looking forward to reading her latest. Focused on two families centering on Eniola and Wuraola in each of of them, the book is set in current day Nigeria. Eniola’s father has lost his job and the family is challenged to make ends meet and can’t afford to pay the young lad’s school fees. Wuraola is a physician and comes from a wealthy family. Eniola and Wuraola’s worlds collide as their lives unfold against this backdrop. While the overall story was a good one and I got a great sense of place, the book didn’t seem to hold my attention. It took me a long time to get through the book. The writing didn’t grab me and I felt it plodded along. I also wasn’t vested in any of the characters. This reading experience was very different from what I felt with the author’s first book, which was a five-star read for me. I still remember thinking “wow, what a terrific read” after finishing Stay With Me. Overall, this one was an okay read for me. I do hope others will enjoy it more than I did. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

"A Spell of Good Things" by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ was a difficult novel about hard lives in Nigeria, disparity in classes and struggles with providing for one's families. Tough realities portrayed through personal lives, with great ambitions and pain. I learned a lot from this story. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.